This is the second part of a two part article entitled, "Finding a Good Music Instructor." The following are some more do’s and don'ts:

Ask a lot of questions. Don’t be intimidated. Most good instructors are happy to tell you their teaching ideas, methods and policies. Don’t settle for answers like "we do whatever we have to do". It’s your consumer dollar and you are entitled to know what you are getting for it. Don’t be taken in by promises to make your child a "star", or offers to teach him to play an instrument "in just a few weeks." Learning music needs time, patience and lots of dedication. Frankly, it takes years, many more years than most people are prepared to put into it. But the good news is that the "musical life" of a musician is practically forever. Athletes have a performing life of 8, 12, maybe 15 years. After that…?????? Many musicians, on the other hand, continue to play well into their 80’s and 90’s. At that rate, learning to be a musician in 10 or 12 years seems comparatively short. And yes, we call it "training" whether it’s for a hobby or a career. Would you really want inferior music education just because you don’t plan to be a professional? A good music teacher teaches well, regardless of the purpose.

The next two points were touched upon in the previous article, but bear repeating because they are particularly important. Does the teacher claim to teach all instruments? Often, a teacher who says he/she can teach/or play all instruments plays and teaches none of them well.

Does the instructor give some kind of evaluation test to determine aptitude, choice of instrument, interest, level, and placement before accepting a student? Such a test often helps a student choose the instrument he or she really wants. Have you ever heard someone say, "My mother made me study the piano when I was a kid, and I hated it." A preliminary test prevents that sort of problem. No student should have to study an instrument he or she hates. If a prospective instructor thinks such a test is unnecessary and a waste of time, perhaps you should look elsewhere for a teacher. An aptitude test gives instructors a sense of the student’s natural strengths and weaknesses, and tells them something about the student’s personality.

It also helps to know in advance if a student is hyperactive or frustrates easily, if he/she lacks a good ear, has a weak sense of timing, or if there are any other special problems that need attention. All in all, a preliminary evaluation makes for better teaching and better learning.

Don’t be swayed by cheap prices. If it takes a student twelve lessons to learn what a more talented teacher can teach in three, you may ultimately end up paying much more for lessons, which seem at first glance, to be cheaper.

What methods does the teacher use? Are they so old-fashioned, or so off-the-wall experimental that they make you uncomfortable? Chances are, if they turn you off, they will turn off the prospective student.

Look for a patient but strict instructor. The more exacting a teacher, the quicker a student learns and the easier he or she understands. Good instructors encourage questions from students and will explain things in many different ways until they are certain that the student understands.