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Brookline, MA 02445
Phone: 617.277.4593
Fax: 617.277.4437
info@bmsmusic.org
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“Beyond Scheduling—When, Why and How to Make a
Move to a New Teacher”
by Margaret Denton, Director of Education
Learning a musical instrument
is an undertaking that often involves a commitment of ten years or more of
study. Although some students stay with the same teacher for their entire
length of study, many times a student will benefit from guidance from different
teachers as they move from beginner through intermediate to advanced levels.
All too often this transition becomes a needlessly arduous process.
How long should I stay
with one teacher?
Every student moves at a different pace and every teacher/student
relationship will have a unique dynamic, so it’s impossible to give any absolute
answers. However, in general a student should at the very least complete one
academic year of study with the same teacher, and usually two to four years are
more desirable. This time span allows the teacher to set both short and long
term goals for the student and gives time for both student and teacher to
develop a rapport. This also provides a sense of stability and continuity to
lessons that ensures steady progress.
Is it a bad thing to stay
with the same teacher past four years?
Not at all! In fact, many graduating seniors who stayed with the same
teacher since age 8, for example, remark that while everything else around them
changed and they themselves went through physical and emotional changes, the
teacher provided a real sense of stability and support. Many teachers are
equally comfortable teaching all levels and ages of students.
Why switch?
There are many reasons to considering moving to a new teacher. Often, it is
simply a matter of scheduling. Brookline Music School provides a cohesive
curriculum that makes moving to a new teacher a smoother process—curriculum
guidelines provide a graded system that ensures evenness in materials a student
will have covered at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Beyond
scheduling, a student may want to consider a change if their progress has become
stagnant, if they have moved past the level their current teacher works with, or
if the student’s goals do not match the teacher’s expectations.
How do I initiate the
process of moving to a new teacher?
Transitioning is ideally a positive and relatively painless process. The
decision that it’s time for a change may be made in consultation with the
current teacher, or a student may want to arrange to move to a new teacher
before informing the current teacher. Depending on the reason for the switch,
either way works. Most often it is best if the current teacher is notified
before the final lesson so that he or she can provide a sense of closure with
the student. The parents and students will most likely also want to thank the
current teacher for their instruction, and the teacher will want to give best
wishes for the future to the student.
Within Brookline Music School,
transitioning is even easier—all of our teachers are highly qualified and
professional. Parents may consult with the Director of Education at any time if
they are considering a change, and we have a variety of teachers with different
styles including some that specialize with beginners and others that are more
suitable for advanced students.
The important thing to remember
is that it is completely normal to study with different teachers along the way,
and ideally a student will absorb the best of what each teacher has to offer.
Feel free to contact Margaret Denton, Director of Education at Brookline Music
School if you have any questions or are considering moving to a new teacher.
617.277.4593, ext. 243 or
mdenton@bmsmusic.org
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