When my children started learning instruments with other teachers, I was looking forward to seeing things from the other side, and maybe picking up some indirect ideas from how other teachers do things. However, I don't know if we have been incredibly unlucky, or if I am just a wierd teacher doing things differently from everybody else, or if I am just being unreasonable. This is what happened.

We stopped keyboard lessons after two terms. My children could both play a bit, having been started off by me - no probs reading music, but not quite at the hands together stage. Well, the teacher only gave them one piece a week, and so far as I could tell moved them on to a new piece next lesson regardless of how well they could play it. Their account of the lessons was: "We play last week's piece, then we play through the new piece, then we choose a funky track on the keyboard and dance to it." Since they weren't terribly motivated to practice, I decided it was not worth paying for this.

They also started an orchestral instrument each. They seemed to be making good progress and wanted to know when they could take an exam. To my surprise, the teacher said they could do grade 1 after just two terms. They learnt their pieces and scales and I asked about aural and sight-reading. "Oh, they'll be fine," he said. He didn't show any signs of actually practising these in the lessons, so I made sure we practised them at home. Maybe he knew I would do it with them so didn't bother himself, but I thought that was rather a strange attitude. Then, due to the rather inconvenient lesson time and issues at the children's end, we decided to switch to learning through school.

Out of the frying pan into the fire. They went to their new teacher saying they had done grade 1 six months before and when could they do grade 2? He mainly gave them pieces they had played before, and no scales or exercises. I went to see him and mentioned that they would really like to do an exam and they actually quite enjoyed scales (hint, hint - why don't you give them any?) so he said that was fine. He seemed very laid back about it all. They came home with no new pieces but a message in their notebooks "Keep practising your scales". So I went through the exam lists with them and we found pieces they wanted to learn, and I started them off on a scale and arpeggio each. They wanted to to skip grade 2 and aim at grade 3, which looked plausible to me, and the teacher has said this is OK. He has now written in one of their books simply: "Learn all your scales" and the other, "Scales need work!" He has also written, "You will need to get some of the other music off the exam list". No indication what would be a good order to learn the scales in or what music might suit them - also, incidentally, no encouraging comments.

So, my question is, what should I do? I really didn't want to interfere with someone else's teaching, but my children respond well to a challenge and they need to have a sense of going somewhere otherwise they can't be bothered to practise (not that I am advocating this attitude, but it's something I just have to accept at the moment). Over Half Term they have come on in leaps and bounds, because I have now got them going on two pieces off the exam list and most of their scales. But I feel as if I am doing all the hard work - what am I paying this teacher for???

They are now asking to go back to their previous teacher because they say the present one never says anything positive to them about their playing.

Sorry about the rant - I really don't want to be a stroppy parent, but equally I don't like to see my children unhappy when I know that with the right teaching they could achieve something to boost their (at present very low) self esteem.

Hi, Alison I have sent you an equally ranty PM on the subject!!

Bx

Children's confidence and commitment is so fragile at this stage. I think I would remove my kids immediately and either return to the previous teacher or find another. You can at least provide some input for your children while looking for an alternative.

It sounds like your children are really talented as they have obviously done quite well already but they're not going to reach their full potential with this teacher. Even if you encourage him to do Grade 3 with them, it sounds like he will just tell them to practice their scales and pieces but not actually show them how or try to help them develop a good technique. Eg. He should be telling them what it is about their scales that needs work -the tone? Co-ordination? Or just a case of note learning? He should show them ways of improving these things too and give them ideas for how to practice. It could be that he is doing this but just not writing it in the notebook, but it doesn't sound like this is the case. If you really think the last teacher was good then go back to them but the fact that you had to do the aural tests with your children rings alarm-bells. I think you need to find a really good teacher, one who is going to take care of your children's musical development and not leave you to fill in the gaps.

If you do consider a new teacher, ask them what their attitude is towards improving technique, learning pieces, doing exams, and teaching scales, aural tests and sight-reading. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions !

If you don't have confidence in your children's music teachers, they (your children) will most definitely pick this up from you. When you are a teacher yourself, it can be very difficult not to be aware of shortcomings in other teachers, and we all have them. How would you feel if parents sat in on lessons you taught and were not happy with the material you selected? No doubt you could tell me that you have similar experiences and know exactly what it feels like!!

My own two daughters went to a piano teacher who wasn't me. And I'll be honest, my own knowledge did not help them, it made things worse. Practise sessions were a nightmare and I'd be always thinking, well I'd be giving them different material. Not surprisingly, they both gave up.

But saying all that, only you really know what is going on, and just how you feel things should be progressing. It might be that they need to come back to the piano after learning a different instrument for a little while. Then they will have other musical knowledge to fall back on.

Comments in notebook today include: "- this needs more work" (about the study that I started the child on over half term) Not a very motivating comment for an 8-year-old who has only just started learning the piece.

And: "Find out what tempo the scales need to be".

I think I need say no more.

I think that "This needs more work" needs to be supported by instructions on what needs doing and how to approach it. This could be covered in the lesson but it helps if there are reminders in the book and if you know that there is a musical parent who can help these reminders good for that parent to have as guidelines.
It's also better if there has been a reference in the lesson at least to what was done well.
I'd expect the teacher to be looking at what tempo the scales should be.

Obviously I've never met this teacher or watched one of their lessons, but as a teacher and a parent myself, it sounds like lazy teaching. I set one or two scales at a time and make it very clear which one(s) - I write it down, go over it in the lesson, get the child to memorise the key signature and point out any tricky bits. I'd also choose one objective per piece per week, and write down exactly what I'm looking for - often in pencil at the top of the music, so that the child and the parents are in no doubt as to what they're meant to be working on. This teacher's comments don't sound very constructive. Has the exam entry gone in yet? If not, would you consider teaching them and entering them yourself until you can find another teacher? (Presuming that you do give up lessons with their current teacher).

Do you think that the teacher is expecting you to be involved with the practising more heavily than you want to be? It sounds like miscommunication to me. But again, if you are not happy, they are your children, then put them with someone else, or just let them enjoy their other instrument for a while, and then go back to the piano. Again as people have posted above, without knowing the teacher or your children it is difficult to give definitive advice.

You are not being fussy and to me some of your points sound very familiar,

I'd not be too worried about the aural tests aspect since I do this with my son. We have a certain amount of communication and support from the trumpet teacher. But he's a good teacher and I'm willing to overlook this aspect.

In your case though, it sounds as though teacher is not being very specific and I think I'd be inclined to find a new teacher, and interview them soundly before you sign up. I have never been interviewed as a teacher, but I would not object and I would explain exactly how I work to any prospective parent and pupil.

I honestly think Alison needs to talk directly with the teacher about her concerns. It can be difficult for teachers in private practice, and to a certain extent telling us is one thing, solving the problem with the teacher can only be done with a face to face chat. Could you ring him and mention you have a couple of concerns, mention what they are, give him the opportunity to say he is busy and arrange to talk in more detail later. This way he will be able to think through and come up with solutions rather than have to defend himself. If after a month you feel there has been no real change then it is clear that it is unlikely to happen.

The major fall outs I've had with parents have always been down to the parents thinking we have agreed one thing, and me being convinced differently. You need to clear the air with him, tactfully and without any form of confrontation.