A Girl Playing the Keyboard

There are certain things you should consider before you get your child to take piano lessons. And do let your piano teacher know so that she knows what to expect.

1. What is Your or Your Child’s Goal for Taking Piano Lessons?
Does your child really want to learn to play the piano? It is easy for your child to say, “Yes!” But what exactly does she want to accomplish? Some of the reasons why your child may want to take piano lessons may be as follows:
* Experience what it is like to take piano lessons.
* Learn the basics of music, such as reading notes so that she could later on move on to learning different instruments. For boys, it is usually guitar or drums. And children like to join high school bands when they are older.
* Be able to play certain piano pieces, such as Für Elise by Beethoven or Turkish March by Mozart.
* Wants to take piano exams or theory exams for high school credit.
* Wants to become a piano performer, i.e., a pianist.
* Wants to become a piano teacher.

2. Do You Know How Much You Are Willing to Spend for Your Child’s Piano, Piano Lessons & Piano Technician?
There are all types of pianos, wome of which are acoustic pianos, such as upright pianos and grand pianos, electric pianos and digital pianos. If a parent has high expectations for her child, she is most likely to buy the best piano she could possibly afford for her child. It is a big investment.

If you buy an acoustic piano, you will need to tune your insturment at least once per year so you will need to hire a piano technician as well.

Each piano teacher’s lesson fee is different depending on her piano performance training and piano teaching experience.

3. Will Your Child Have Time to Practise Consistently?
It is not easy for a typical adult to consistently do a workout every day. Similarly, it is not easy for a typical child to consistently practise for piano lessons every day. You may be able to do it but can you get your child to do it as well? Realistically, how often can you get your child to practise playing the piano at home? It would be better if you can get your child to practise a little each day than get her to practise for hours just before each piano lesson. If you register your child for too many extra-curricular activities, you may not be able to give your child enough time to practise piano every day. If that is the case, you may want to reconsider registering your child for piano lessons for a while.

4. Would You Have Time to be Involved When Your Child Learns to Play the Piano?
If your child is very young, you are most likely to be asked to stay at your piano teacher’s studio during the piano lesson. Would you be able to stay? A parent might sit beside the child and not only watch but also take notes during the child’s piano lesson so that the child can do her homework successfully. A parent might watch a little further away so that her child behaves appropriately duruing the child’s piano lesson.

If your child is old enough to learn by herself, then you are most likely to be not asked to stay at your piano teacher’s studio. Would you be able to drop off and pick up your child promptly on time?

Would you have time to discuss your child’s progress or any issues you may have with your child’s piano teacher?

5. What Type of Piano Teacher Do You Want for Your Child?
What type of piano teacher would be the best to teach your child? Some children are better off studying with a piano teacher, who is strict. Some children are better off studying with a piano teacher, who is gentle and empathetic. You should talk to your potential piano teacher and find out how your teacher responds to your questions, suggestions and comments. Do you feel comfortable being with the piano teacher? And does your child feel comfortable with the piano teacher as well?

Your teacher should have considerable hours of experience in teaching and dealing with piano students. The piano teacher’s qualification is most likely to be at least a piano performance or piano teaching certificate, diploma or degree. A typical piano teacher in Canada is most likely to have either an ARCT (Associate of Royal Conservatory of Toronto) or a B.Mus. (Bachelor of Music) degree.

6. At Your Piano Teacher’s Studio or At Your Home?
Will you be going to the piano teacher’s studio or do you want your piano teacher to come to your home? Typically, the piano lesson will be at your piano teacher’s studio. There are not as many piano teachers, who would be willing to come to your home, but some would.

If you go to the piano teacher’s studio, it would be less expensive. But if your child has younger siblings, where will you leave them during your child’s piano lesson? And with whom? Some piano teachers would have a waiting area where your other child or children could wait and play while your child takes her piano lessons. But not all the piano teachers would have a waiting area.

If you can get a piano teacher to come to your home to teach, you do not have to move your child, and you do not have to worry about being late for piano lessons. And during the lesson, you can do whatever you need to do at home. But it costs more for a piano teacher to come to your house.