Nightmare teacher rant! Options

[FullofWind]

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[flobiano]

Reflecting more about choosing my own teacher but hopefully helpful.

I think the ideal teacher has to combine two different but equally important skills neither of which is necessarily reflected in the current qualifications.

1. They need to technically know their stuff - e.g. they need to know what is "good technique" on their instrument, how to recognise (and fix) poor technique, including issues that they personally haven't had to deal with, a knowledge of the repertoire of the instrument.

2. They need the skills to be able to teach - they need to be able to communicate their knowledge effectively, build rapport with the pupil, inspire them to learn etc.

Having either one missing leads to problems. A lot of examples quoted here seem to be around teachers that have knowledge but can't teach. This is an easy one to spot as it becomes immediately apparent, lessons aren't enjoyable, you don't build rapport with the teacher.

But I think having teaching skills without knowledge is a bit more of a problem as it can take a long time to reveal itself (especially as a beginner). It often doesn't manifest itself for a few years when you reach a plateau that you just can't get beyond because of a fundamental problem in technique that your teacher doesn't have the skill to recognise, or the teacher is unable to identify suitable repertoire for you. The lessons become increasingly frustrating and as a pupil you wonder if it is just you and whether you are really suited to this instrument. But you don't want to change teachers because your teacher is really nice and you get on with them so well......This was the case with my first oboe teacher and I ended up stopping lessons.

So while I agree that qualifications are not the be all and end all. So someone with "only" Grade 8 may actually have a very sound understanding of technique and the instrument and be perfectly qualified to teach but equally some won't. It is very difficult as pupil though to gauge whether you are being taught the right things and whether you are developing good technique which is why people tend to look for evidence of higher qualifications. But, as has been said, teaching skills are needed, but these should really be AS WELL AS, but not INSTEAD OF technical competence on the instrument.