By Paul Kwo

"When can my child start teaching piano?" A parent ask. The short answer: "Your child can teach whenever someone is willing to pay them to do so."

I have been asked this question many times over the years by parents who wants to enroll their child in music lesson, especially those who inquire about the level testing that are offered by organizations such as the Royal School of Music or the Music Teachers Association of California. Some parents have the notion that if their child finishes a certain level, they are ready to teach music. I recall a classic Simpsons episode where Marge tried to be a piano teacher. Even though she couldn't play the piano herself, all she had to do is stay one lesson ahead of the child who's learning. The sad reality is that there are a lot of unqualified music teachers around and parents have no idea what they are getting themselves into.

I must admit when I first began teaching, I was one of those half-qualified teacher who was still a High School student having studied piano all my life. So I taught my first couple of students at the age of 16. Actually I taught a student that my dad found for me for six months when I was 12, but I had to give up because I just wasn't ready to teach. When I took up teaching again, I taught my students the way I was taught. It may sound like the logical thing to do, but later as I studied piano pedagogy (which is the study of the teaching of piano) with a renowned teacher of pedagogy in Northridge, did I realize that the methods that I was taught with is antiquated and much better systems have since emerged.

Without going into too much details on methodologies as that can fill volumes of books, I want to help parents able to pick out a good teacher from a bad teacher here. Here are a few helpful hints:

1. Is your prospective teacher still in High School?

Though I began teaching while I was in High School, knowing what I know now, I cannot recommend any High School students as a qualified music teacher no matter how talented they are. Being able to perform and being able to teach is two completely different things. High School age students are just not mentally ready to take on this position as a private one on one instructor.
Teaching music is not simply an exercise of transferring information to a student from a teacher, but also one that involves mentorship and guidance. Every student has a unique life and reason for being at their lesson, and it is the teacher's job to get to know where the student's coming from to help guide them to accomplish their goals.
Furthermore, the majority of High School music students only know how they were taught, which isn't necessarily the best way to teach. Most likely they have not studied extensively on music pedagogy and could teach students bad techniques that can lead them to harmful places.

2. Is your prospective teacher concerned about health and safety?

By safety, I am not talking about having a studio that is in a safe neighborhood, which I would assume most students would already take that into high consideration. Rather I am referring to fostering a safe environment for your child to develop in. Does your prospective teacher create a safe haven for their students to take risks and explore creatively? This includes does your teacher allow students to explore music beyond Classical or Jazz or whatever the teacher themselves personally favor. Or will they shun a student for wanting to explore music that the teacher deem less worthy?
Furthermore, does the teacher emphasize safe techniques? I value my students physical health above all else. I rather they sing or play with proper healthy techniques than to teach them some trick that may potentially lead them down a dangerous road of vocal nodes or carpal tunnel syndrome. So make sure your voice teachers promotes healthy vocal habits and your instrumental teachers promotes healthy techniques.

3. Is your prospective music teacher versatile?

Your teacher doesn't need to be an expert in everything, but some versatility is important. We are in an age where good music gigs are harder and harder to come by. The more you know the better your chances to getting a job. As a music director of a church, I have the hardest time finding a proper accompanist for the church because the position requires Classical piano skills, as well as contemporary chord chart reading and organ skills. I had turned down so many good pianist because they lack one or two of the above. Students just can't afford not to know enough about everything to at least get by.

4. Performance, competitions and testings

So many teachers and parents push their students and kids to perform, compete or test before they are ready. This eventually puts such a bad taste in the mouths of the student they end up hating music when they grow up. What's the point of spending thousands of dollars only to end up with the child hating it in the future.
But if done in the correct manner, these three things can help a student grow. I personally favor performances, especially in house recitals. They are great opportunities for students to perform for a receptive audience. In house recitals are filled with parents and other students who are in the same boat and understand the difficulties the students have to face when studying piano. This is the best way for students to enjoy the fruits of their labor in a positive environment. Then once a student is ready, a teacher then can consider sending them to public performances, testings and other competitions where the scrutiny is higher.

The truth is a parents who has never studied music in their lives are just not going to be able to fully understand what technical methods the teachers are using. Especially if a music teacher knows how to sell themselves, parents are going to be overwhelmed with what exactly are they teaching their students with what school of thought. Sure it does make a difference, but you as a parent will have to do way more research to figure out what is the best school of technique out there for your child. And the truth is different student do respond to different school of teachings differently and that's why there isn't one way to teach music. They all can result in great musicians. But no one can predict which child will become that next great thing. All we can do in the beginning is to make sure the student is doing it in a safe and positive manner that will ensure their continued studies in the long term.