Parents often have trouble deciding between sending their children to a music school or have them learn under private home tutors.
Let’s separate the two different options.
1. Fees
Music Schools
If you send your child to a music school for violin classes,
it is mostly set at a fixed price and it would not be highly expensive.
Since it’s a music school, there wouldn’t be a comparison of music calibre and there
would not be a variation of prices. Thus, if you are looking for a less pricey violin lesson for your child,
especially if it’s for exploration purposes, you might want to opt for music schools.
Private
Fees vary if you are looking for a private teacher to coach your child.
Different teachers you seek may quote different prices based on their qualification thus you may
come across a huge range of fees that may confuse you a little.
For example, you may think… “ Why is this teacher quoting at such a high price?
What about the other teacher, why is it less expensive to have lesson with her?”
If you are interested in having your child coached by a very highly experienced teacher,
the fees would definitely be costly. Hence, you make the choice of choosing the fees that you want to accept.
2. Teachers
Music Schools
At a music school, there is no way you can handpick the teachers you want to have for your child.
You may not understand the teaching methods the teacher employs because
you may not be seated in class to observe. Hence, you wouldn’t know if the teacher is doing a good job or not.
Thus, this may seem to be a disadvantage when it comes to the quality of teachers.
However, if you, as a parent, is able to have communication or interact with the school’s teachers after every lesson,
it may not be a bad thing since you are constantly updated by your child’s violin teacher.
This is only if….. The school’s teacher is willing to have communication with you. Because you see… they aren’t obliged to
update you on your child’s progress.
Private
If your child is having private violin lessons at the comfort of your own home,
you will be able to monitor your child’s progress and also be able to see what the teacher has to offer.
In that sense, you will know if the teacher is experienced and if he/she is a good one.
If in the event, your child’s lesson is at the teacher’s studio,
some private teacher may also allow you to sit in in his/her lessons with your child.
Because you see…. Private teachers are flexible.
They make their own choices and calls and they are able to constantly make contact with you and have many interactions.
In this sense, you are the employer of the violin teacher.
Thus, these violin teachers who teach privately have the obligation to update you on your child’s progress and this would
definitely help you understand the teacher’s teaching methods
and also help your child progress quickly!
3. Flexibility
Music Schools
The one thing that everyone is always worried about, timings!
If you want to change your child’s lesson timing at the last hour, there might be a chance
where you won’t be able to have a make-up class unless you have an MC with you.
Since, it is the music school’s policy, all teachers at the music school has to stick to it
because this concerns other students that may be affected by the change of timing.
Not only it will be a problem to other students, there may be a problem when music studios are not available for use.
Another thing to add, is if you need to make a lesson change, you go through the admin at the centre,
who then need to approach the teacher in charge of your child and the waiting process might take a while.
However, change is definitely possible if it’s said beforehand.
So, if there is a need to make a change of lessons, just be sure to let the admin
and also your child’s violin teacher know so that the process of changing the lesson schedule would be faster.
Private
Ah! The pleasure of flexibility for private lessons! To be fair to private violin teachers,
if there is any plans you would like to make, it’s best to schedule at least a day before.
As private violin teachers, they are able to switch their timings around with ease as they are their own bosses.
This will then definitely work to your advantage if you need to make necessary changes.
There is no need to worry about the lack of music studios as lessons are either
held at the teacher’s or your’s. Another great thing when rescheduling lesson timings,
you as a parent need not go through the trouble of going through a third party.
You make direct calls to the teacher.
4. Lesson Plans
Music Schools
Next, think about what your child may need. To learn the violin leisurely or
to learn violin to take graded examinations? At music schools, a fixed set of curriculum is
employed by teachers so that the students follow the curriculum closely,
mostly targeted towards ABRSM examinations.
Therefore, there is lesser opportunities to expand their repertoire such as pop violin, disney songs, etc.
Private
If your child learns privately under a private violin teacher,
he/she will be able to expand his/her repertoire better because private violin teachers
tend to have a varied set of curriculum(music teaching books)
so that their teaching method varies from child to child.
Therefore, if you want your child to be more geared towards ABRSM violin examinations
or to learn at a relaxed pace, the teacher will adjust accordingly with no strings attached!
With these comparisons, I hope that parents are clearer in their options
and to keep in mind that these are little guidelines to help decide between
music schools and private lessons. If you are keen to start your child with a private violin teacher,
please feel free to contact us.