| 1. They worry too much about their guitar skills | | | | these ideas appear to ignore the harsh truth that |
| and not enough about their teaching skills. | | | | there is a vast difference between the learning |
| Far and away the most common reason why | | | | ability of different individuals who take up guitar. I |
| someone stops going to see a guitar teacher is | | | | have had students never having played before, |
| typically voiced like this: | | | | successfully improvise a blues guitar solo by the |
| "They sat there showing me all kinds of amazing | | | | end of their first ever lesson. But I have also had |
| stuff that they could do on their guitar, but I | | | | guys who were still trying to get a single clean |
| came away having learned nothing myself" | | | | fretted note out of the instrument at the end of |
| Yet when I talk to people who are considering | | | | that first hour. And I have taught people of every |
| starting out as guitar teachers, they are inevitably | | | | shade of learning ability in between those two |
| concerned about their own perceived lack of | | | | extremes. So the first thing I train guitar teachers |
| musical ability or comprehension of music theory; | | | | to put into their lesson planning, is adaptability. |
| never their lack of teaching skills or experience. | | | | Never make assumptions about the rate of |
| One of the main reasons it is so easy to set up | | | | progress that will be made by a new student. |
| as a guitar teacher and become really successful | | | | After a few lessons you will get a feel for how |
| at it, is that there are so many people out there | | | | fast or how slow to take an individual student |
| doing it really badly. They're not doing it badly | | | | over the jumps and through the hoops. |
| because they are bad people - they are doing it | | | | 4. They don't allow enough time or enough |
| badly because they make the assumption that it | | | | repetitions |
| is all about being a great musician and seem to | | | | As a newbie guitar teacher, you are probably a |
| completely miss the point that it's actually about | | | | hundred times more likely to attempt to teach |
| being a good teacher. | | | | too much, too fast, than you are likely to err in |
| 2. They overteach | | | | the opposite direction. Sensible teachers consult |
| When someone is paying you by the hour it is | | | | their students. "Are you happy with your progress |
| very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you | | | | on that tune/exercise/riff/lick/ sequence, or |
| must be seen to be doing something to earn your | | | | would you like to run through it another couple of |
| fee throughout the hour that is being paid for. | | | | times?" Almost always, I have found that |
| Skilled teachers however, know that the doing | | | | students need, and want, to go over things more |
| must come mostly from the student. | | | | often than might appear necessary to the |
| The point is that students need time and space to | | | | inexperienced teacher. |
| take in what you have asked them to do, to | | | | 5. They don't take time to assess |
| repeat it enough times to get it into | | | | This one is mostly applicable to teaching people |
| 'muscle-memory' and to satisfy themselves that | | | | who have already been playing for a while. |
| they have really got on top of it. While all this is | | | | Someone comes to me for lessons and, |
| going on, the very kindest thing the teacher can | | | | regardless of whether they describe themselves |
| do is sit back in their chair and project the sense | | | | as a beginner, intermediate or advanced guitarist, |
| that they are happy to wait patiently for as long | | | | I will always spend the first 10-30 minutes |
| as it takes. And the best way to project that, is | | | | assessing what they can and can't do; what they |
| to do and say nothing other than to quietly | | | | do and don't know and most vitally, what they |
| observe the student's progress. New teachers | | | | aspire to. There is little more irritating for a |
| though, have a nasty habit of sitting forward on | | | | student than to work with a teacher who makes |
| the edge of their seat, making all kinds of | | | | assumptions about these things. Teachers who |
| remarks intended to encourage the student, | | | | assume you must have learnt to read tab or |
| gesticulating with their hands and even - the | | | | standard notation, when maybe all you have ever |
| worst of all crimes - attempting to solo over | | | | done is learn by ear. Teachers who assume that |
| what the student is playing for no reason other | | | | you know the names of all the chord shapes you |
| than because they cannot feel comfortable just | | | | play when you have just picked them all up by |
| to sit and observe. | | | | watching videos of your favourite guitar players. |
| 3. They underestimate the range of differences in | | | | Teachers who assume that you want to play in a |
| learning rates | | | | band, when actually your main purpose is to use |
| I have seen quite a few posts on various forums | | | | the guitar to record your own music on your |
| about guitar teaching that recommend a particular | | | | home computer. |
| way to teach a first lesson on guitar. Many of | | | | |