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Well maybe. Maybe you have hit the jackpot and found a great teacher. But how do you know?

Did you know that piano teaching is completely unregulated? Literally no-one is checking on whether the teacher is qualified, can actually play the instrument or has even taken any lessons themselves. Not to mention, whether they have a criminal record.

Rightly or wrongly, this is on you, the parent (or the student, as an adult).

So the secret to avoiding a bad piano teacher? Ask questions. Delve deeper. Find out about that person.

I would say that if lessons don’t necessarily go smoothly with a particular teacher, it doesn’t necessarily mean that teacher is ‘bad’. It may not just be the right match between the teacher and the student. The relationship here is key to a successful piano journey. And this aspect won’t necessarily be known until lessons have started. In this situation, it’s fine to move on and find a different teacher.

What can you ask to help check you are finding the right teacher for you? Hopefully most teachers will offer an opportunity for an introductory chat, or a trial lesson where you can speak to the teacher. This is the time to ask questions. In the next part of this article, I will give some specific questions you could ask. They key is to think about your goals in taking lessons, and see if the teacher seems a good match. They might be just down the road, and charging a low lesson rate but do they have the skills, interest and experience to help you or your child be successful on their piano journey?