I worked as a piano teacher at 2 community centres in Greater Vancouver before I became an independent piano teacher. Currently, I teach privately at my own piano studio in West Vancouver near Hollyburn Country Club.
One of the questions, which a parent asked me in the past was whether she should register her child to take lessons at a community centre or at a private piano studio.
The following is a list of pros and cons of taking piano lessons at a private piano studio and at a private piano studio.
The Pros for the Community Centre Piano Lessons:
* You do not have to leave the community centre’s builing to move from one extra-curricular activity to another. If you are trying to determine which extra-curricular activity your child may really become interested in, community centre is great.
* As long as you register early, you can choose the time slot you want for your child to take piano lessons.
* Your child can try different piano teachers after each term and see which piano teacher your child likes.
* If you do not like the piano teacher, you can talk to the program coordinator instead of the piano teacher.
The Cons for the Community Centre Piano Lessons:
When you register your child to take piano lessons at a community centre, you are constrained by the rigid rules and regulations of that organization. The following are some of the examples:
* If you miss your child’s piano lesson, you forfeit the piano lesson fee for that lesson. Before you register, you need to be absolutely certain that you could make it to all the lessons you register your child for.
* You cannot ask to reschedule your child’s piano lesson even if your child becomes sick.
* You cannot choose to study with the same piano teacher all the time.
* You can’t communicate with your piano teacher directly unless you speak with that teacher during the lesson. If you want to contact her, you have to contact the program coordinator (or the administrator) first. Then the program coordinator will contact the piano teacher and then the piano teacher will reply to the program coordinator. It can take up to a week for the program coordinator to get back to you with the piano teacher’s reply.
The Pros for the Private Piano Studio Lessons:
* The private piano studio teacher is more flexible. Under extenuating circumstances, your piano teacher is more likely to consider rescheduling your child’s piano lesson.
* Your child can bond with the piano teacher you choose for the your child.
* Some private piano studio teachers are willing to come to your house to teach if it becomes absolutely necessary.
The Cons for the Private Piano Studio Lessons:
* The piano teacher you choose for your child is probably popular and is most likely to be busy. You cannot necessarily choose the time slot, which would be the most convenient for you and your child.
