Should My Child Have a Private Teacher?

by John Fryar

Each year we are asked many questions regarding private instruction. We would like to give you the information necessary to address those questions so that you can make a proper decision as to if and when a private teacher is needed.

A private teacher is helpful for any or all of the following reasons:

  • Remedial instruction

    A private teacher can help those students who are having difficulty in the string class situation. Some students may learn concepts better when presented and reinforced by a private teacher.

  • Individual attention

    While we feel that we do as well as possible teaching within a class setting, we will never be able to give the kind of individual attention available in a private lesson. Time constraints and class size simply do not allow us to spend as much time with each student as we would like. A private teacher will spend the entire lesson time with your child and will be able to focus on his or her specific needs. This can be especially helpful in when a student is in the middle school or high school orchestra and needs help in learning their individual parts.

  • Extended exposure and playing time

    A private lesson is one more opportunity to pick up the instrument and play within a week's time. A private lesson involves more focused playing time than in the class lesson or home practice session.

  • Reinforcement of learned concepts

    A private teacher can be very helpful in reinforcing the concepts taught in our classes such as correct instrument position, posture, finger and hand placement, note reading, and finger position within keys, just to mention just a few. Private instruction is valuable in helping to establish good playing habits, especially when done in the beginning stages of playing.

  • Enhanced instruction for the serious or gifted student

    Some students will have the desire and/or ability to further their playing opportunities. If a student wishes to become a serious musician and take advantage of all of his or her talent, then a private teacher is a must. A good private teacher will design a program that will enhance and accelerate playing proficiency through more advanced materials than we can offer in our classes or orchestras.

The next question, of course, is when should my child start private instruction? The answer is very easy - at any time As one can see from the reasons stated above, private instruction can be beneficial at all levels of instruction.

While we completely endorse private instruction, there are some things to keep in mind when selecting a private teacher. They are:

  • Be sure the private teacher is qualified to teach the instrument. This may seem obvious, but some teachers try to extend their teaching beyond their expertise. We prefer that you use a teacher selected from our recommended list. We are familiar with these teachers because of students' past experience with them or through a thorough inquiry into their qualifications. We can provide you with a comprehensive list of teachers.
  • We would prefer that private teachers not use the same book that we use in our class instruction unlessit is to reinforce what we are teaching. If the private teacher moves the student further ahead in the book than what the class is doing, then the student will be bored with the activities of the class. There are many supplemental materials available to enhance and further the student's instruction without having to use the class book.
  • We also prefer that the private teacher subscribe to the same teaching philosophy that we do. There are a number of ways to approach the teaching of stringed instruments, and most arrive at the same results. Occasionally, however, the class teacher and the private teacher may disagree on a particular method. An example might be the use of tape to mark the finger position on the finger board. We all use tape in our instruction, while some private teachers may not. It helps immensely in our classroom setting, and to not use it puts the student at a definite disadvantage. We ask that if there is a discrepancy that we be allowed to use our method so that all students are being taught in the same way within our class setting.

We hope that this information has been helpful. As always, we will be glad to help you in your decision to obtain a private teacher.

The String Staff