Grumpy Options

[Suepea]

Definitely time for a change, meerkat. Find someone whose first love is cello. There have been many threads on whether or not you should charge for a missed lesson. Presumably he doesn't charge you, but what about your time wasted and the money you have spent out on transport? He should be paying you!

[Rhu]

Meerkat

I deeply sympathise. Once I turned up for a lesson with my last bassoon teacher and he wasn't even there. I took it politely, I did not even remonstrate with him the next time I saw him but I was angry inside. I wasn't convinced that this teacher was great in technical terms so I eventually decided to withdrew my custom and I found another teacher. I have only had one lesson with this new teacher but I am happy now and I am optimistic about the future. Changing teacher was the right course for me. It may not be for you. You're the best judge. Whatever decision you come to I wish you the best of luck.

[Tess]

How frustrating! No wonder you feel cross, you wouldn't be human if you didn't feel that way. I bet you also feel cross with yourself for having received the bad news so diplomatically - yet again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

Perhaps you could call him or write him a letter to tell him how you feel about those missed lessons. Let off steam tactfully but firmly.

If you feel nonetheless that he's still a good teacher (technique wise, creative teaching strategies and with oodles of patience, etc) who happens to be going thr a pretty rough patch these past few months, then, maybe, he'll wake up to the siren.

Whatever decision you come to, in due course after much thought and not in the heat of the moment, I wish you the all the best. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Tess

[janexxx]

I really like the idea of calling him before you leave to check the lesson is still "on"

I think my action plan would be to look for another a teacher, and in the meantime adopt the plan of calling him first before I leave. Then when I find a new teacher politely tell him the reason why I am leaving.

My journey is almost an hour each way, I would be well mad if this happened to me.

[gwu]

I haven't read the other posts but my word Meerkat, you are such a kind person to walk away. I'm sorry, but I would have made some sarcastic remark. Is there any reason why you're sticking with him? You deserve so much better.

G

[meerkat]

Just made an appointment to see a new teacher on friday for a trial lesson.

[rosfrog]

Just made an appointment to see a new teacher on friday for a trial lesson.

Well done Meerkat, I think that's the best thing. It sounds like your teacher doesn't take his cello teaching seriously (clearly a cardinal sin!) and is not motivated so all in all, why would you continue to waste your money?

Is this the same person who teaches you guitar? If so will you still keep your guitar lessons with him?

Allan

[meerkat]

No, fortunately guitar is with someone else. I nearly ended up taking guitar lessons from the cello teacher, but had terrible trouble setting up lessons in the first instance. (he didn't phone back, then missed the first lesson - should have known from the start that I was going to have trouble! But I live in a small town and he was the only cello teacher. While he was sorting himself out, I found my current guitar teacher, who I think is utterly fantastic - great musician, fantastic teacher.

[katyjay]

Just made an appointment to see a new teacher on friday for a trial lesson.

Good luck. I hope that you find a more satisfactory teacher.

[meerkat]

Any thoughts on how to diplomatically tell me current teacher I'm off? I'm a baby about confrontation (really, really am) and I also have to work with him again next year, when I join a local big band he's very involved with. So I don't want it to be a sour parting, really.

[sarah-flute]

It's not an easy one, but just the things that sprang to mind:

Be sure to tell him the good things about your lessons, what you have enjoyed, the positive aspects... let him know that you have appreciated his teaching.

Be clear about why you are moving on, in a nice way. I personally feel that people deserve one to be honest about motives for moving on and if you can be so in a diplomatic way it's far better than telling a white lie and your teacher finding out or realising at a later date...