teachers behaving badly

[ada]

I'm not sure if this is comment, question or just a gripe, but here goes...

About nine weeks ago I returned to lessons (as an adult) at grade 5. I've found myself a teacher who has been fantastic in terms of picking up a lot of bad habits and getting me to work at technique and giving me a good solid rep to learn.

The problem is he is SO poorly organised. He never starts on time and the other night he called half an hour before the lesson and said he was running late, could I come 45 minutes later.  Even then he was still another 15 minutes late.

When I finally got my lesson, the next student arrived 5 minutes after I had sat down and was there for my whole lesson waiting for hers to start, which was off-putting. My teacher seemed stressed and harried and finished the lesson after half an hour rather than one hour. (I felt I couldn't complain because our lessons have stretched on for three hours at a time in the past and he's trying to prepare students for exams, which I'm not doing, so it's fair enough they should get priority.)

However, I'd rather he stuck to the lesson times we arranged or just canceled if he really can't fit me in. I'd look elsewhere if he hasn't resulted in such a big improvement in my playing over the last few weeks...

[pianistimo]

i used to get irritated by this kind of thing, too.  but, as i've gotten older, i just use the extra time to practice.  and, like you, realize the times they've gone overtime.

don't fret.  just practice.  you've got a good teacher it sounds.  maybe you just put up with it now.  rescheduling just puts the lesson off.

[ranakor]

i'd say you should live with it seeing how happy you seem with your progression , when you pay for tuition you really pay for the knownledge you gain not for the amount of seriousness or anything even tho it may feel otherwise at 1st so just ask yourself if you'd get more knownledge per year with a serious teacher that is always on time or with that one

[donjuan]

if the teacher is really good at what they do, that is, a teacher "who has been fantastic in terms of picking up a lot of bad habits and getting me to work at technique and giving me a good solid rep to learn.
"
, you must have patience!  when a teacher is really, REALLY good, they should not be begging for you to come to the lesson, but you should feel really happy that the teacher has time in their schedule to fit you in.

Of course, if you feel that the teacher has been slipping a little bit, compared to how they were before, I cant see any harm in talking to the teacher about it.  However, be diplomatic - say something like "I notice that you are very busy nowadays with more students than you can handle.  If it would be easier for your teaching schedule, maybe you have a good friend who teaches piano and has more time for lil ol' me."

if the teacher says yes, then you say "I still would really like to see you!  Perhaps we could split my lessons between you two teachers, so neither of you are swamped with too many students"

the key - make their mistakes seem like your fault.  They cant get angry at you for that because they will realize whos fault it really is.

talk talk talk.  It's the only way to have a good relationship with your teacher

[jeremyjchilds]

ask yourself if you'd get more knownledge per year with a serious teacher that is always on time or with that one

That's exactly it right there...

You could try asking him to be on time...first, but don't expect him to change, if he does then it is a bonus.

Otherwise, you need to decide if this is hindering your  progress, or if it is just a nuisance.

[lostinidlewonder]

The problem is he is SO poorly organised. He never starts on time....

I'd look elsewhere if he hasn't resulted in such a big improvement in my playing over the last few weeks...

How many teachers have you had? If this guy works for you and really helps your ability then great fine fantastic, if you get 30mins here, 3 hours there! That is good. But keep a mental note of the time he is actually giving you and write down concepts and ideas he explains to you after every lesson.

There may be other teachers out there who respect the time for a lesson and are more organised. They may also help you develop incredibly as well. However before you search for new teachers you should talk to your present teacher and say that you cannot deal with the erratic times and would really love to keep working with him but with more solidly set times. If he cannot help you then you simply can move on. You shouldn't be worried about hard feelings because it is a lesson that the teacher himself has to learn, that some people cannot work with his erratic time schedules. The more people do this to him the more he will try to improve his own organisation.

[ada]

Ah, words of wisdom. Thanks guys. It's true, he's a terrific teacher - or at least he works for me. Probably because he's an absolute stickler for technique, which I'm lacking in.

cheers

[jeremyjchilds]

Ah, words of wisdom. Thanks guys. It's true, he's a terrific teacher - or at least he works for me. Probably because he's an absolute stickler for technique, which I'm lacking in.

cheers

I am glad to hear that you have a teacher who specializes in the areas of your weaknesses. THis is a match made in heaven

[gaer]

When I finally got my lesson, the next student arrived 5 minutes after I had sat down and was there for my whole lesson waiting for hers to start, which was off-putting. My teacher seemed stressed and harried and finished the lesson after half an hour rather than one hour. (I felt I couldn't complain because our lessons have stretched on for three hours at a time in the past and he's trying to prepare students for exams, which I'm not doing, so it's fair enough they should get priority.)

First, when you finished after one half hour, did you pay for an hour? If so, this is bad.

Second, if you prior lessons have stretched to as much as three hours, how often has this happened? This shows incredible personal interest from the teacher.

If in general you are getting much more time than you are paying for, have you taken that into consideration?

I'm a piano teacher. I'm rarely more than one or two minutes late. I rarely go over more then five minutes, even if I have extra time. In the rare circumstances when I do go over time, I find, surprisingly, that it is rarely appreciated. Soon it is expected.

You have to balance the inconvenience of waiting against the extra time and the fact that you feel the teacher is helpful. Frankly, I'd think VERY carefully before changing.

Gaer

[ada]

How many teachers have you had?

He's my third. The second had a studio in the city and said he once taught Roger Woodward (a well known aussie pianist for those who may not know). But when I went in for a lesson one day - it was about 10am - he was completely drunk. He always seemed like a very sad man. That was the last time I went to him.

gaer:
I pay for lessons upfront, but I didn't quibble about the short lesson because as I said he has been  incredibly generous with his time previously, ie, giving me three hours. I was even prepared to pay for a lesson I missed because he was sick on the basis of all the overtime he'd given me. (so don't think you teachers aren't appreciated!)

Anyhow, I think he was just stressed out because it was exam time. So no changes for now .



onwards

[gaer]

gaer:
I pay for lessons upfront, but I didn't quibble about the short lesson because as I said he has been  incredibly generous with his time previously, ie, giving me three hours. I was even prepared to pay for a lesson I missed because he was sick on the basis of all the overtime he'd given me. (so don't think you teachers aren't appreciated!)

Anyhow, I think he was just stressed out because it was exam time. So no changes for now .

Good to hear. It sounded like a good match, which is why I was concerned.

Gaer



onwards

[Jacey1973]

He's my third. The second had a studio in the city and said he once taught Roger Woodward (a well known aussie pianist for those who may not know). But when I went in for a lesson one day - it was about 10am - he was completely drunk. He always seemed like a very sad man. That was the last time I went to him.

gaer:
I pay for lessons upfront, but I didn't quibble about the short lesson because as I said he has been  incredibly generous with his time previously, ie, giving me three hours. I was even prepared to pay for a lesson I missed because he was sick on the basis of all the overtime he'd given me. (so don't think you teachers aren't appreciated!)

Anyhow, I think he was just stressed out because it was exam time. So no changes for now .



onwards

I think i've heard of Roger Woodward - isn't he one of the pianist's in "Shine"? Or am i mixing him up?

[ada]

I think you're thinking of David Helfgott. There's a blurb about woodward here
https://artworksmusic.com/bio/rogerbio.html

[donjuan]

I think you're thinking of David Helfgott. There's a blurb about woodward here
https://artworksmusic.com/bio/rogerbio.html

no no no, Jenni's right... in Shine, they show Roger Woodward competing against David Helfgott at some competition, and Woodward won.

later, they show Woodward playing the ending of Appasionata, and at the end, he does some "Yes! I did it!!" pose and I laughed out loud

donjuan

[ada]

no no no, Jenni's right... in Shine, they show Roger Woodward competing against David Helfgott at some competition, and Woodward won.

later, they show Woodward playing the ending of Appasionata, and at the end, he does some "Yes! I did it!!" pose and I laughed out loud

donjuan

oooooohhhhhh right . Tks donjuan. guess who shoots off their mouth without seeing the movie we're talking about...... I'll just shut up.