Dumping or "firing" your teacher

[quantum]

Has anyone ever had to fire their teacher?

[m1469]

Yes.

[Bob]

I think I would have eventually, but I didn't right.  I leveled off for progress and wasn't at all happy with it.  Two years.  The teacher didn't change much.  I felt trapped.  Then I finally graduated.  I see a teacher in my future now.

[amelialw]

fortunately, no because I am so pleased with my progress and my teacher knows how to handle me or rather we are very much alike.

[thalberg]

I have fired many, many teachers.  I changed studios once as a kid, twice in my undergrad, and once in grad school.  It's the most awkward thing ever and I wish it had never happened to me.

[quantum]

I have done so several times.  Having a teacher where the teaching and learning style don't get along isn't really that fun. 

I've had some teachers where the first lessons seemed great, then started declining in the amount of interest the teacher provided. 

Fortunately I've also had some really excellent teachers who's teaching I really loved.  Seems like I've had to really search around before I could find the right ones for me.

[m19834]

Anytime I have ended a teacher/student interraction, it has mainly been because of an apparently unsolvable disagreement in fundamental values as an individual and as a musician.  I have learned from each of my experiences and overall, I suppose it has become a bit of a trail that resembles some kind of a "path" or so, but it has taken me quite a while to really find what I have known deep down to exist, and what I have known deep down I have needed.  Now that I have found what I seem to have found, it is my sincere hope that I will not be fired before I am able to open properly and make proper use of what I have found.

[pianochick93]

I effectively dumped my first piano teacher I had when I was 8. She was a boring old granny person, with a cat that I was allergic to, and I never practiced because I found Suzuki boring as well.

[mjin1]

Haha.. My teacher was actually taught by Dr Suzuki at one point I think..I really like her, really couldn't be anymore helpful and nice.

Hell, I'm suprised my teacher hasn't fired me as a student. I never end up doing everything she wants me to do....

[amelialw]

well...even if I never had to dump any of my old teachers, actually in a way I did cauz in order to dump her and get a better&new teacher I left for canada because I realised that she could'nt teach me much more and was'nt that happy anyway.

I hope that I won't have to visit her when I go back because it could get very awkward for me

[pianowolfi]

I fired a teacher after three lessons, after she had suggested me to increase my handspan and touch by putting Champaign korks between my fingers. No joke.

[m19834]

I fired a teacher after three lessons, after she had suggested me to increase my handspan and touch by putting Champaign korks between my fingers. No joke.

I can understand your position here and I would do the same thing if I ran into somebody whom suggested that to me.  In a case like that, I strongly think it is better to be on one's own rather than be in a situation like that.  In all likely hood, her beliefs in this method of "training" your hands are rooted in deeper beliefs (and values) about piano playing, which are fundamentally altered from what is physiologically correct. 

And, while agreeing to study with the teacher despite a request such as she made (and lying to her about fulfilling the request instead of actually doing it) may give spare room to learn whatever else she may have had to offer, her evident roots are "off" enough to wind up showing up in various aspects of her teaching (if not all aspects).  At least there better be a very largely favorable balance to the other end of the spectrum in order to assure me I am signing up for the "right" thing.  What kind of paying student wants to go through the process of fighting a teacher's beliefs ?  I think it's definitely better to just move on, even if it means not having an official teacher for awhile.

I think the same thing for anything that shows a deeply-rooted misbelief about the act of playing.  If I can discern it, they are not the right teacher for me, if I can't discern it, I probably still have something to learn from this teacher.  It's funny though, teachers can have just as many "bad habits" as teachers, as it seems students can have as students !  And, just like some teachers not wanting to deal with students who have habits in need of correction, there are some students who would rather not spend their time dealing with teachers whose habits are in need of correction .

[pianowolfi]

I think the same thing for anything that shows a deeply-rooted misbelief about the act of playing.  If I can discern it, they are not the right teacher for me, if I can't discern it, I probably still have something to learn from this teacher. 

Yes in this case I can learn to discern, as fast as possible, and then fire the teacher . unfortunately not all cases are as easy as this one to discern I once had a discussion with a philosopher friend. He told me that if he were rich he would actually be willing to spend a lot of money and take all the classes and seminars of "Scientology" to find out if there is a truth in this and what their "truth" is about . Pondering this, I think, well, the ability to discern early enough is something pretty important in any case, and worth to practice.

[m19834]

Well, that means one has to know quite a bit in order to know whether or not the teacher is needing to be dumped.  In the example you provided for us above, it was obvious to you because you know better for whatever reason.  However, this teacher obviously did not know any better herself and chances are, she was told to do the same thing, or something very similar, by a teacher of her own.  Think of how many people swear by particular "traditional" methods that are proven to be actually harmful and misleading.  They swear by these things because they don't know any better or they haven't the confidence to act differently even if they do know better.

Along with needing to become more versed in the art of discerning, I think the ability to act appropriately on what is being discerned is even more important and is definitely something in need of being practiced !

[pianowolfi]

True. Well of course, now I can laugh about this experience, back then it wasn't that funny. Like Thalberg said above, "firing" a teacher is an awkward thing. Same as firing students.

[slobone]

I effectively dumped my first piano teacher I had when I was 8. She was a boring old granny person, with a cat that I was allergic to, and I never practiced because I found Suzuki boring as well.

The cat was named Suzuki?

[pianochick93]

No, I was learning the Suzuki method.

[dora96]

I  can't wait to dump or fire my teacher. However, I feel trapped. There are good and bad things about my teacher

1. She teaches students in crappy piano. I think the piano must be at least 100 years old. I think it must be her family heirloom. The sound is not too bad, but the keyboard is shocking, wobble keys, dull keys in lower part of keyboard. She won't acknowledge that as a professional piano teacher should not teach such an instrument. I feel so frustrated to play virtuosos music or  high level piece in this lousy piano.

2. she talks a lot about her students even their private lives. Honestly I am not interested in it at all. I find that it is so unprofessional. It is ok to her to talk about her students or criticize other pianists playing piano, but  she is not happy about other students talk about her or even doubt about her teaching.

3. Unpredictable temperament. She brings her personal life into her teaching. She also will talk about her married kids, her grand daughter, how good she is learning the piano, she teaches her every school holiday, her old mother. She whines others but praise her own people.  I am not interested.

4. She hardly praises about her students, even though she does in very mean way. 

Properly you guys must think what the hell I am sticking with her.  My problem is It is hard to find high level teacher in my area. There is some good teachers, but they are out of town, longer travel time, plus their fees are higher than her ( which I can't afford it ),. At the moment, I am committed to do the exam. I think I need to wait until the exam finished. I just don't know what to do at this moment. I am eager to learn, but  it is not fair I have to put up with this crap. I feel sad, I thought I find a good teacher who I can trust, but of course, when time goes by, and I realize the teacher is not the teacher I hope for. I want a teacher to inspire me,  to encourage me, and teach me good solid piano technique. The trouble I have with all my teachers in the past. They all said something e.g. slow practice, stay focus, work harder, practice more and more but never and ever inspire me how and what to do or have a good systematic method. I am so eager to learn, and I want to see more progress. I feel so frustrated, but thank God that I find this forum, so far, I have so much inspiration, encouragement.

Sometimes, you guys problem is very similar to mine. I feel pretty depressed from time to time because the unknown. Can someone help? If you have the similar situation I want to change but I am trapped

[m19834]

Dora, there are both appealing and repelling qualities about every individual, or at the very least, there are aspects of individuals within our lives which affect us in different ways.  It is often difficult to decide whether or not particular interactions are the right ones for us.  For me, I know it's right to move on from whomever it is when I have reached a point where I would rather just be alone than deal with an interaction that brings me a certain degree of anxiety.  At some point, the risk to my well-being of staying with a particular interaction becomes greater than the risk of facing the unknown ... or I just get curious, adventurous, hopeful and inspired and that leads me on .   

I don't know if this helps you much, Dora, but best wishes !

Karli