Many teachers fall into the trap of just pleasing students at the cost of sticking to a proven program. I am all about keeping things positive but if a teachers only goal is making someone happy in the moment this can be a problem. Think of children. If your child wants to eat sweets every meal saying yes to them may keep them happy in the moment but it won't serve them well in years to come. They will end up a very sick adult probably with diabetes. Good teaching is basically like good parenting. We need to balance what students want with what is actually good for them.
Often we see learning guitar as a fun hobby. Somewhat like bike riding. Its true that it doesn't take long to learn some basic chords and songs but this can be deceiving. Guitar is actually quite challenging if you plan to get past the beginner stage and should be seen as an ongoing challenge where constant improvement is the focus. Taking this approach will keep frustrations at bay and you will soon find yourself loving the practice. If your focus is on the challenge opposed to the results you will end up a far better guitarist.
Note for parents.
If you are a parent paying money for your child to learn guitar you should feel free to ask questions either directly with your teacher or by contacting our student coordinator. This is especially important in the first year. I can assure you that no matter how good the teacher or the method of learning a curious parent can be the difference between success and failure. A parent who asks questions gets answers and is in a better position to help their child. Many of my blogs are motivated by parents who ask questions. As a teenager when I first began teaching I would dread the parents who ask questions for fear of not having the answer. But over time I realised that the parents who asked questions were the same parents whose children were my best students. There was an 'Aha!' moment in there somewhere. I realised at that point that parents who were involved made a difference.
So please, feel free to to ask questions of your child's guitar teacher. It is for the good of all.
Kind regards,
David Hart - Program Director
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