The importance of a teacher.
A teacher should be equipping us to be the best we can be. They should be encouraging and correcting us as we progress. Instilling a good work ethos and discipline.
A teacher can correct you when you are developing playing habits that are detrimental to your development. Hopefully the teacher can also introduce you to many new players and genres that you may never have encountered otherwise.
And they should also be instructing you on the art of teaching yourself.
How to find one
Word of mouth is always a good thing. I also find a lot of people approach me at gigs after they have seen me play, so you could always approach someone at a gig too.
A lot of teachers advertise in local papers and music shops, and on various websites.
What to expect
In addition to the introductory points above, a teacher should be professional in all aspects of the approach. As a teenager I went to a guy's house for a lesson, and he told me had to smoke a bong before we could start. I did not return.
It is important to find a teacher that can work with you, and you can work with them. If you are just starting out you may find that most teachers can get you started, but as you progress you may desire more specialised knowledge. I inform people of the styles I am confident to teach, and if they ask for more advanced lessons on sub-genres of metal, country guitar or 'true' classical or flamenco ( I play a lot of fingerstyle but not classical or flamenco) then I encourage them to look elsewhere. I believe it is good for a teacher to knwo their limitations as well.
What a teacher looks for
A willing attiude, the desire to learn, I appreciate courtesy too as I attempt to show that to everyone. Some kids are pretty rude. I had an adult turn up once drunk, and he started abusing me saying I thought I was so damn good, but he would be better than me soon. Being punctual is also a good thing. SOme people I teach arrive late all the time, and then complain when I cut the time of their lesson. I normally only do this when I have someone else straight after them,though I did it to one kid whose mother kept dropping him off late and then epxecting me to look after him until she came back - normally way past his lesson time. I had to go somewhere else, and so he arrived 5 minutes before he was supposed to finish and I had to be somehwere not long after. We had a 10 minute lesson, and then I left him to wait on the street for his mum. I had warned her of this several times, and she kept ignoring it. I felt awkward but I really did have to go.
It is also nice when people pay!
How to maximise your session
Make sure you practice during the week. keep a diary of your practice, and write down any quesiotns you may have as they come to you. You will probably forget by the time the next lesson comes around. Don't get up in talking to the teacher. Be there to play and learn. respect the teacher and their opinion, but also consider what they are saying against your own desires/needs. I encourage all my students to quesiton me at anytime they like, but I expect them to have a reason to support their argument.
'You know, 'cause, whatever' don't make me reconsider my position on something that often.
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