How long have you had your students?

[Bob]

In terms of calendar time.

And in terms of age.

Because I imagine that the majority of students are young, roughly 8-18, and that they study for a period of time and then drop it.

For my own students, either things have changed in my life or they have dropped or moved so I haven't had a lot of "long-term" students.  I'm just wondering if this is unusual -- ie Does it make me a bad teacher?

[luvslive]

I haven't been teaching that long, just graduated from the university.  My students I have had the longest have been with me 3 years.  And they seem to be enjoying themselves and sticking around.  But I imagine that after some time they might require a new situation and move on.  They are in junior high, so there will be that difficult time when they go off to college and leave me..I'd never thought how sad that will be!    But I imagine I will be very proud of their accomplishments.
My worst week teaching was when 3 students left me for different reasons.  I become very self-consious and worried..now I look back at it and realize all the motives were valid and it was just a terrible coincidence.

[arensky]

I haven't been teaching that long, just graduated from the university.  My students I have had the longest have been with me 3 years.  And they seem to be enjoying themselves and sticking around.  But I imagine that after some time they might require a new situation and move on.  They are in junior high, so there will be that difficult time when they go off to college and leave me..I'd never thought how sad that will be!    But I imagine I will be very proud of their accomplishments.
My worst week teaching was when 3 students left me for different reasons.  I become very self-consious and worried..now I look back at it and realize all the motives were valid and it was just a terrible coincidence.

Glad that was a coincidence! Time to use a new deodorant, stock up on breath mints etc. .... 

I've been in the same place for 7 years, and moved here with the intention of starting a piano studio for younger ( 6-18) people who were serious about music and piano. It's worked out quite well, my students frequently win prizes in competitions, appear as soloists with local orchestras, and it's usually arensky's students who are playing the piano in the high school jazz bands, or playing piano/keyboards in independent jazz and "pop" bands. But the important thing is that all of my students who stay in my studio are getting something more important than prizes in a piano horse race or fleeting fame in high school  .
 
They are musicians and the piano will always (probably I hope ) be a part of their lives, and they love to play. I hope I have helped to foster that love in them, and they will go forth and share it with others, whether through playing, teaching, their own children, or have it just as a private place for themselves where they can go, and find peace and truth.

The student I have had the longest (since 1999) is graduating from High School in May and will major in piano at a university. I have two other students who are graduating, I expect that my studio recital coming up this Saturday will be their final performances as my students. I should be sad, but I am very proud of their accomlishments and that makes me happy, hey are they going to take lessons forever? I hope not, my goal with every student is to make myself obsolete. The 7 year veteran has heard everything I have to say by now anyway; it's time for him to hear it from someone else, and start making his own desicions about music. I've helped him, and now it's time for us to move along.

I need some new recruits, I already have my eye out. There is another 18 year old I've taught for a year and a half, wish I'd found him when I moved here, but that's how things are. He will be with me another year, then he must go on, after all you have to be under 30 to enter the big competitions, I can only do so much here. I have two talented 11th graders, four 10th graders, they all came on board within the past one and a half to three years (one 10th grader has been with me for 4 years now). Oh, and "The Powerpuff Girls", three 10 year olds I've been teaching for 3 or 4 years now  . I expect they will stick with piano. At that time I had six 7-8 year olds, I still have half of them. Out of the quitters two quit, and another is with another teacher, my rates got to high for the family. Oh well, at least she is with a good teacher.

Bob, students come and go; if you can keep half of each age group as time marches on, you are doing well. And always keep room in your studio in case a real talent shows up. Try to develop a core group who like you and who you like too, and who make progress and get better; they will be an anchor for your studio, and will attract similair kids and their parents, who are the ones you want....