Today lets discuss how to choose a guitar teacher for your child. What are some of the important things you should look out for etc. Choosing the right guitar teacher for your child is so crucial as it would determine how far your child can go in this guitar journey. A mis-fit guitar teacher might kill the child’s interest in music and they might just give up half way.

Here are things to look out for in a guitar teacher:

1. Does the guitar teacher have any guitar or theory certification? Which exam board and grade? If they don’t have any certification, ask them do they have any performing experiences? I know of many good guitarist who have been performing their whole lives but have no certification. Therefore do not use certification as the only benchmark.
2. Does the guitar teacher have any teaching experience? How many years and how many guitar students is he/she currently teaching?
3. Does the guitar teacher belong to a music school that teaches guitar? Being employed under a music school means they have certain standard of teaching as the music school’s brand is at stake. No music school will hire lousy, unqualified teachers.
4. Is the guitar teacher equipped to teach both acoustic guitar & electric guitar? I find students like to try different instruments when they are young and having a guitar teacher that can teach both allows flexibility in changing instrument half way.
5. Can the guitar teacher and your child click? Is your child comfortable with the guitar teacher. 1 trial lesson ain’t going to show you this. Give them at least 3 months to build a friendship. Best learning takes place when the child is comfortable and trust the guitar teacher.
6. Are you looking for leisure guitar lessons for your child or graded exam guitar lessons for your child? Some guitar teachers are good at both and some guitar teachers only specialises in preparing students for exam. Some other guitar teachers are good at preparing kids to perform. Therefore knowing your end goal and objective would then help in finding the right guitar teacher.
7. The potential guitar teacher should show a love for music. That can be felt, heard and seen during the classes when they play the guitar and sing 🙂
8. Generally good teachers tend to charge more. Most part time new guitar teachers will just charge a cheap rate. As the saying goes, pay peanuts, get peanuts. You don’t want to risk your child’s musical journey by saving just $10 a lesson.

We hope these tips do help you choose the right guitar teacher for your child.
Cheers!
Lebbeus Lau
www.guitaremerge.com
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