If you or your child is looking for a new private piano teacher, you’ve come to the right place. Finding a teacher isn’t the easiest process; however, this blog post aims to break down the process into actionable steps.
The first step is to gather a list of potential teachers that you feel meet the qualifications and have experience that you’re looking for (see Part 1 for more details). The next step is to contact the teachers on your list. Depending on the prospective teacher’s preferences or your preferences, you might have an interview, trial lesson, or both.
If you or your prospective teacher prefer to have a standalone interview before committing to a trial lesson, I’ve compiled some questions that you can ask regarding studio policies, materials, curriculum and more. Some may be applicable to you, while others not at all. Your personal preferences will determine which answer to the questions you consider acceptable or not. I’ve also included the purpose of asking these questions in an interview.
If you or your prospective teacher prefer to schedule a trial lesson first, read this blog post instead.

Questions to ask the teacher in an interview
For all ages and experience levels of students
What is your teaching experience and qualifications?
A teacher with many years of experience will be more knowledgeable about how to handle different types and ages of students and will most often have a sound teaching structure in place with proven methods of success. Qualifications, such as a diploma or degree, can be a good indication of a teacher’s commitment to their own learning. You can also ask if they regularly participate in professional development activities to improve their skills.
What age groups and/or levels do you specialize in?
Many teachers specialize in teaching in certain age groups and levels. Some claim to teach all ages, when in fact they teach ages 8 – 60 and aren’t good with preschoolers or seniors. Other teachers will choose only to teach children and not adults, or vice versa, so knowing what their teaching speciality is can be helpful when making a decision.
What is your studio policy?
Asking about a studio policy can be a deal breaker for some prospective students as it may come across too strict without any room for leniency. On the other hand, respecting that the prospective teacher needs a policy to protect their business is also needed. Typically, a studio policy will include details about how frequent lessons are (weekly, bi-weekly, ad-hoc), how often payment is expected (per-lesson, monthly, per-semester, yearly), whether make-up lessons/rescheduling is offered, what days there are no lessons, and how much notice is required to terminate lessons.
Is there a certain expectation for practicing?
Some teachers are very strict about how much a student practices between lessons while others can be more lenient. You need to decide what level of pressure you or your child are comfortable with having.
What books or series of books are you familiar teaching with?
Be aware that some teachers use one series of books for teaching all of their students and have become very specialized in that curriculum, while other teachers will have several series of books that they teach from or will choose not to use a series at all. It will depend on your preference which way you prefer to go.
Do your students have opportunities to explore other music genres?
If a teacher is trained in a specific genre (eg. classical), they may not be comfortable teaching outside of that genre as they don’t know enough about it. Knowing this ahead of time before making your final decision is helpful.
Do your students perform in recitals, competitions, or festivals? Is it mandatory?
Performing opportunities are great for goal-oriented students. However, some students do not thrive under pressure, so you’ll have to decide whether it is best if you want a teacher who makes performing mandatory or not.
Are there opportunities for collaboration with other students? How about group lessons?
Group lessons and collaboration add a social element to playing, but it isn’t something that everyone enjoys, so it’s up to you to determine whether you or your child would like this environment if it is offered.
What is your lesson structure and is it flexible?
There are students who thrive on routine and structure while others prefer to have variation. How much input the student will have on the structure may vary from teacher to teacher. Also assess how you learn best and whether you want a fully structured lesson or prefer more flexibility.
For parents/guardians to ask
How involved do the parents/guardians need to be? Do parents/guardians need to participate in the lesson?
Depending on the age of the student, some teachers will ask that the parent/guardian be involved to varying degrees during the lesson. This would mean that the same parent/guardian has to be in attendance at every lesson. If you’re not ready for that commitment as a parent/guardian, then choose a teacher who does not need you to be involved.
How do you work with parents who have no musical knowledge?
You need to know if you’re expected to learn alongside your child, to take a separate lesson yourself, or to just facilitate bringing them to and from lessons without any involvement. If you are there to learn, you’ll need to know what time commitment is expected.
Are parents expected to help with practicing?
You have to ask yourself if you have that time commitment to dedicate to your child multiple days of the week. Depending on the level of the student, this may range from 10 to 45 minutes each day. You would be expected to go through the lesson assignment with your child ensuring that each task is accomplished. During this, you may aid your child in activities such as following the music on the page, completing a theory assignment, answering questions (to the best of your ability), or clapping the beat.
What do you do to make lessons fun and engaging for those with short attention spans?
Depending on the age/ability of your child, you‘ll want to know that the teacher can supplement the lesson with a variety of different activities (games, apps, worksheets, etc.) to keep the child engaged depending on the length of their attention span.
Do you teach students with learning disabilities?
This would be applicable if your child has a learning disability so you know whether the prospective teacher has experience with the same or similar learning disability to your child.
What happens if my child loses interest?
You need to know what strategies the teacher has in place for helping to retain students who are losing interest. Also, you need to know how much notice the teacher needs in advance to terminate lessons if your child does not want to continue.
How often do you evaluate a child’s progress?
Children progress at different speeds, but it is important to know if your child is doing enough practice at home to meet the expectations of the teacher. If expectations are not being met, how will the teacher choose to convey the message and what is their policy on dismissal from their studio.
For students who have had another teacher previously
Will you use the same book series or need to switch to a new series of books?
Some teachers will immediately change the book/series on the first lesson, while others will continue with the book until the end and then change series or continue with the series and possibly supplement it. You have to ask yourself what your preference is and whether you trust your new teacher’s approach.
Do you need an assessment period to determine if the student is at the correct level?
Progressing through levels feels fantastic, but when the prospective teacher realizes that you’ve gone too fast or are missing elements, it can feel frustrating to go backwards. You need to ask what the teacher will do to supplement your learning and/or help strengthen your weaker elements.
Upon completion of the interview, you may decide to also have a trial lesson with this prospective teacher. Read Part 3 of this series to help you with the trial lesson process.
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