Looking for the best piano instructor can be an overwhelming task.

There’s a ton of options on the internet, your friends have their recommendations…. Who should you choose?!!

But here’s the thing. It will be your child’s piano teacher. Not your neighbor’s kids, not that kid down the street. So you have to make sure that first and foremost, your child will like this teacher, learn from her, and feel good about being her student.

This is why aside from credentials, there are other things to keep in mind. 

First thing to do is to trust your gut.

There will be several options but the most important thing is this:

Do you feel good about hiring this teacher for your child?

Once your child is ready to learn how to play piano, the motivation is already there. But the teacher you get for your little one must continue to spark that motivation in her.

If the teacher’s personality is kind of a mismatch with your child’s character, it won't be long until the desire to learn will wane. She might even end up not wanting to play piano anymore because the teacher’s not suitable for her.

Even if right now, you have an idea of the “perfect” piano instructor as someone who’s super patient, middle-aged, maybe a concert pianist, published composer, keeps abreast with the latest teaching trends, knowledgeable about multiple intelligences, etc….

Sorry to burst your bubble but… There’s no such thing. Or it’s very rare to find one like this.

So if you find someone who seems good enough, you have to keep digging and really make sure she’s the right one. Or else your kid won’t really enjoy going to her music class at all.

Like I said, there’s no such thing as a perfect piano teacher.

You think she’s got everything, then you find one tiny flaw in her.

But that’s okay. Important thing is that she’s good for your child.

So what are these traits to look for when scouting the right piano instructor?

Here are some traits to consider:

You want a teacher that genuinely expresses interest in helping your child learn how to play the piano. One who makes eye contact when your child is speaking and really guides her all throughout is a great piano instructor for your little one.

When your child makes mistakes, the teacher should never put her down or make her feel worse. She is like a cheerleader who continues to motivate your child to keep trying her best. What she sees is a child who is a work in progress and capable of being good at what she does.

You want a teacher who will help your child strive to do their best.  But you want them to do it with grace and kindness. This is the environment that children thrive in.

Playing piano has so many wonderful benefits for children, one of them being the confidence that it builds.  There has to be the right amount of difficulty met with encouragement in order for that confidence to grow.

The best teachers have a healthy balance of these characteristics.

Credentials are important, of course.

You want a teacher who’s got experience teaching piano with solid techniques proven to be effective.

At the same time, you want to make sure she is not someone who’s rigid, burned out, and kind of dry because the passion for music is replaced by the stress in teaching.

Choose a teacher who has that enigmatic enthusiasm to teach and spread to young learners the joy of playing piano.

Search for a teacher with the end goal in mind.

Is your child looking to be a part of an elite or competitive musical environment? Or do you simply want her to be in a healthy, loving environment that caters to a child’s love for music, creativity, and individuality?

If you want your child to be in a high-energy kind of musical training, a conservatory is a good choice. But if you want a learning environment that’s not focused on competition but rather on developing your child’s overall persona and feeding her passion for music, a music class that offers this kind of environment is an excellent option.

There’s really no way of knowing unless she attends her first class.

If this sounds like a risk to you, my suggestion is that you take her to a trial lesson.

Some trial music classes are offered during the summer while others are in specific months of the year, set by the music school. Keep your eye out for these trial lessons that your child can check out to make sure she really likes her potential new teacher.

One more thing, you would want to check out the music school’s website to learn more information about the philosophy, methodologies, and principles of the school. There are also interesting details about the educational background and training of the teachers, so it would helpful in narrowing down your choices.

When searching for a piano instructor, you need to be patient. You have to be sure that your child likes her teacher and the teacher likes your child. Otherwise, it will just be a waste of you and your child’s time, money, and energy.

Another thing is you want to learn about the number of recitals they do per year.  It is definitely important that your child gets to experience performing at a recital since this helps with her confidence level. Recitals also foster social skills, independence, and self-esteem.

So there you go. Now you’ve got the basics on what to look for in the right piano instructor for your child. It’s time to go do your homework and search for that inspiring teacher who will help bring out the best in your child and unleash her potential.

Check out our CMA teachers here.