How to confont piano teacher with issues without upseting each other?

[dora96]

Hi everyone,

I am not very good at confronting, or talking about issues with my teacher. I hope someone can help me. First of all, I am diploma level and I have only 30 minutes lesson each week. It is very limited time for me and I am eager to learn. Every minute is very precious to me. Sometimes, my teacher will talk about her students, the style they are playing, the way they are practicing their piano. I am not very interested in it. I am more concerned how I am going really. I like to play more and want her to correct me during the lesson. It seems very rude to stop teacher talking about thing. I don't mind her talking about after the lesson. At once time, I said to her that we don't have much time, can we get on with the piano? She looked at me in unpleasant way ( like how dare you interrupted   me !). How to avoid sidetracking during lesson, specially when the teacher won't get on with it  please help!

Second issue, my teacher has very old piano virtually antique, the sound of the piano is very nice, but the keyboard is shocking, little uneven, some wobble keys. very loud sound, there is dull key in the lower part of the piano. She has grand piano in other room. I said to her that why can you teach in the grand piano? Her answer she doesn't want to spoil her students besides, few students had broken the string in the past. The grand piano only uses in the performance or before the exam phrasal. I felt frustrated sometimes, I don't want to be a bad worker man always complains about his tool. But it is hard for me to control her piano. That's why I can never play as well as at home. Her comment is it doesn't matter about the piano, I should be able to play in any piano if I have practiced well. In other word, if I can play well in crappy piano, imagine how good I will play in good piano ! What do you think guys?

I feel that she is a good teacher in general, but sometimes, it is hard to predict about her. I want to learn as much as possible during my lesson not to sidetrack, it is same as in the school, if there is some issues  the teacher and the student . You make appointment to see the teacher. Am I unreasonable or not ?

[Bob]

Maybe the teacher has some point related to the stories about her students.


  Introduce them to Piano Street and ask if they saw this thread.


If they're off topic, you can say something like "What about this part?" Ask about something.  Or more bold would be to say you want to get through the whole piece this week.  They might catch on to a comment like that.


If she's easy insulted, I wouldn't make that comment then, to imply that she's holding things up (even if she is).  Just ask a pointed detailed question that needs an answer.


Ah, she's saving the good piano.  For whatever reason.  Not much you can do about that.


I've heard those ideas about a bad piano.  Your supposed to make a bad piano sound good.  If you can play well on a bad piano, it will be so great on a good one.  Somewhat true, but a bad instrument is a bad instrument.  There's only so much you can expect.  However, maybe you can figure out how to deal with that problem on the piano.  That's tough though with only 30 minutes a week.  An hour still wouldn't do it for me though either.   That would be a question to ask (and imply the piano sucks but she probably already knows that).  Ask how she deals with the particulars of that piano and what you'll need to do to adjust to a decent one (or to adjust to one like they use in a performance situation).  Maybe she's trying to save the tuning on the good piano.


Your teacher sounds a bit tempermental to me. 


Maybe the teacher is trying to train you to teach?  To tell about what her students are doing if the situation is remotely similar.  She's probably just tired though and wants to talk. 


Maybe just focus on being tactful about steering the lesson back on track.  If she's offtopic for real, there are things you can do.  Looking at the music, checking your watch, writing something down.  In other words, not being quite as good of a listener when she's off topic.  It might depends on how she goes off topic.  If she just breaks the flow and dives into another topic, I would feel free to throw out a direct question about the piece.  If it flows better though something like, "Oh, are they playing a piece by this composer too?  Did they have the same issue?"  If it's a no, then the teacher might be left hanging.  But then you could continue on with a question about the piece. 


An easy question is always, "What did you think of how I played this section/spot?"  That will either pull the teacher back on track (your track though) or the teacher will ask to have you play it again. Either way, you're back on focus.


It sounds like maybe the teacher isn't thinking too much about you outside the lessons maybe.  That's not good, but...  what can you do?  Maybe you could go in with a list of questions or problem spots.  Plop that list up on the piano so it's obvious you have things to talk about and cover (even though that might take several lessons).  Then when she's off topic, just dive into the next concern.  Some teachers have had my heead spinning when they have certain things they want me to focus on.  Whether they thought about it outside the lesson, or whether they just knew during the lesson, either way its on topic and deals with my direction of playing.

[dora96]

Thank you Bob ! You have given some idea how to deal with my teacher. I am learning 3 repertoires ( Mendelssohn, Chopin nocturne op9 No1, and Beethoven pathetic).   You know, when I  am in lesson, I am eager to learn because I just want to get through the whole Sonata specially I diligently practiced the whole week. Of course, I want to see progress and her approval.  Somehow, when I play in her piano, just lose control. I had said to her if this piano is easy  to play. How about you play the Beethoven pathetique for me, and see how is sound like? Of course, she never play or demonstrate for me.  It is easy for her to sit next to the crappy piano to listen someone to play like a  professional. You see this is issue to me. She won't acknowledge this is problem for me.  Just like you say " I can't do very much about it". When my teacher talks, she just rambles on. I feel like 30 minutes lesson. Come in. sit down, get up, paid and leave.

Due to such a limited time, I really want her to just focus on the repertoires. I guess that my teacher must be in her late 60. Sometimes, old people do thing slow, they like to take their time. How to hurry them without pressuring my teacher? I have been thinking changing teacher, finding somebody else. It is hard to find experienced and can teach high level. I think that she knows herself very experienced teacher that's why she is as hard as a nail. She said she doesn't want to spoil her students. She knows she has no shortage of students. I also find that my teacher with great experience not always understand and really know how to teach student in most effective way. 

[tsagari]

Well my friend,

If you cannot increase the duration of your lesson, change the piano or even the teacher the only thing that you can do is just relax. Do let the situation effect your perfomance as you play - for example do not think "I am play bad on a bad piano ect" just concentrate on the comments that you get from your teacher while your are playing even that you know that this is not your best, thengo home and work on her comments.  Also find out whether or not  she is confident about your progress towards the diploma so do not bother if you do not  play as good as you would like to during your session.

[atticus]

Hi Dora96,

For what's it's worth, I think you should consider changing teachers.  You are obviously very eager to learn so you deserve a teacher who will appreciate your enthusiasm and do everything they can to help you accomplish your goals! 

I agree that finding a new teacher is very difficult (if you're not careful you could end up with someone worse ).  Could you call the local university/college and see what teachers are available?  These teachers are used to teaching adults and have great credentials.  You could meet with one for a single lesson and if you hit it off then you could cancel your lessons with your current teacher...

Best of luck,
atticus

[quantum]

I had a teacher in uni who loved to talk.  Lessons were 1 hr. - sometimes it was 45 min talk, 15 min play.  There was a saying that her students knew so much about her from taking piano lessons that they could write her biography. 

At first it was so very annoying to me to listen about all this stuff and not get to play what I practised.  I even took a year off piano in frustration.  But alas, I got used to the idea of story time and soaked up as much as I could.  This teacher is a very nice person, and it is quite pleasant being in their company.   

I learnt to take the bits of information that were useful to me and apply them, while filtering out all the other stuff.

As for the piano, the argument can go both ways.  You should learn to play on not so great pianos, as when you come across one in the real world you would be able to adapt and not be handicapped.  On the other hand, in order to learn sensitivity and how to play on great piano you need to practise playing one as well. 

[kyliec]

Hi, if I was in your shoes I would consider changing teachers. She sounds pretty unprofessional and it's going to be pretty frustrating continually re directing her. I found out a few years ago that my then teacher actually had a grand piano upstairs while I (a reasonably advanced adult student) was learning on her crappy , tinny upright!!

I would look around for someone who teaches on a decent piano (preferably a grand) and who shows a bit more professionalism... while your teacher may be nice, it's not doing your muscial development much good to have to deal with the issues, and you're the one shelling out the cash for this !
You won' regret it
Kylie

[amelialw]

I think that 30 mins is too short for someone who is prepping for their dip exam.

About the piano, I understand how you feel but in a way, the training that your teacher gives you is good and I agree with her that playing on a grand to often can spoil anyone, maybe not everyone but most students.
My old teacher had a lousy yamaha upright, still I took lessons from her for 9 years and did not switch teachers for that reason, to add to that I had an old yamaha upright at home which never stayed in tune.When I 1st moved here and stayed at my uncle's home, I practised on an antique upright. All that time I was already leaning towards majoring in music but practising on these instruments helped me, now I can play well on any piano so it has proved to have a good effect on me.

I still think however that you should talk it out with your teacher, see what she has to say and then make choices from there.

All the best!

[guendola]

It is hard to say anything while it isn't sure if she is talking about other studens in order to explain something to you or just for chatting. It is not good to ask her that straight away, it will sound ruder than anything else. It also depends a lot on what you get during her lessons.

Basically, you should ask her if she thinks you are on schedule and tell her that you feel, that you could learn more if the lessons were a bit more concentrated (30 minutes a week isn't much indeed). But don't ask me for good wording, I can't even speak proper English. She will be huffy anyway but that's live. If you don't talk to her, nothing will ever change.

As for the crappy piano: Enjoy the idea that the next time you play on a good piano it will feel so much better. Don't think about it in any other way. It must be her little precious baby and she won't let anyone else play with it. At least you don't have to practise on that bad piano

Changing teachers is definitely second choice only since you said that what she teaches is good.