Teaching piano lessons to challenging students can be… challenging. Every piano teacher has that student. The one that won’t sit still, the one that won’t practice, the one that never wanted to take piano lessons in the first place… you know the one.
What you might not know though, is that this same student could be your golden ticket to successful advertising for your piano teaching business.
Like the old saying goes… “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger”
The same applies with your challenging piano student. Win this child over, and his or her parents (who I assure you know the challenges that you are facing) will tell everyone and anyone about your triumph against the odds! And that’s great for your piano teaching business!
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I am actually fairly good at dealing with the difficult student IF I can get some cooperation from the parents BUT as of late, when I try to address the issue, the parent has been no help. My latest issue that actually has me stymied is a new student who supposedly absolutely loved me but didn’t do much of what I asked her to do. Her mother acted like she was looking for a friend, role-model, mentor etc. for her 12-year old child (I am over 50) and since her daughter just LOVED coming to my house, that was all that was really required. Long story. I claimed to ‘retire’ since I really wanted out. When I make this announcement the student still wants to take summer lessons from me so that we can say goodbye. I indicate that this is not wise since the summer should be spent looking for another teacher. Then Mother does LOTS of research and finds out I am lying and wants the real reason. I supply it in one of those emails that I wish I had not sent the next morning. Oh well…. Has anyone out there had a situation like this?
You’re not a baby-sitter. You’re a piano teacher. I get students all the time whose parents want them “in” piano lessons but could care less whether they learn to play the piano or not. I won’t tolerate this and tell them I’m not the teacher for them.
I’ve learned to weed most of those out from the beginning. I usually say something like, “If you are just wanting to try piano lessons, then I’m probably not the teacher for you. Piano lessons are a commitment and you need to make a ‘contract’ with your child for a certain period of time. All students go through a “honeymoon” phase and want to quit after awhile. I believe piano lessons are more than pushing the black and white keys. I do not advocate teaching a child if things become difficult or you don’t like something any more it’s OK to quit. If you as a parent do not subscribe to that same philosophy, that’s all right….but I just want you to know where I stand.” Usually they will say they agree whole-heartedly or they will say, “Let me think it over”.