Teacher Qualities:

Qualities of the teacher must be determined through a face-to-face interview. You must both agree that he or she is the right match for you or your child.  Education level, performance experience, and teaching experience are all qualities to consider when interviewing your possible teacher.  

Education:

Does your potential teacher have a college degree? The top degree is a D.M.A. or Ph.D. from an accredited university preferably in music with emphasis in either piano, piano performance, collaborative piano, music education, music theory, composition, or musicology/music history. At the very least they should have a bachelor's degree or certificate in piano performance. 

Many teachers are also MTNA certified, meaning that they have achieved a certain level of expertise and are tested by the Music Teacher's National Association based on certain standards of knowledge. If the teacher becomes certified they are required to continually attend workshops that offer credit so they can keep their certification.  Certification is recommended, yet not mandatory, in your selection of a teacher, as many professionals in music have a masters degree or higher and exhibit teaching and performance skills that need no certificate to affirm.  

Some teachers are also fluent in multiple instruments and have basic knowledge of how to tune and maintain their piano and of how to select and purchase a good new or used piano.

Performance experience:

Has she or he performed at the piano within the last year whether solo or collaboratively? How often are the performances wedding, mall, or church related? To keep technical skills up pianists must actively pursue music that challenges them technically and musically. Popular music mainly serves to keep their sight-reading skills up and little else.

Does he or she provide opportunities for students to perform either in the studio, in contests, or in the community?

Teaching experience:

Does the teacher have experience teaching and what ages and levels? Is the teacher able to teach all ages or what ages do they specialize or have experience in? Have they recently attended workshops or conferences related to piano teaching? Does your potential teacher expect a higher aptitude student or are they not trained or experienced in teaching higher aptitudes? Those with prodigious children may need to find a local music conservatory or teachers that are at the top of their educational field. Those with physical/intellectual difficulties will want to bring those items to the teacher's attention as some teachers are not capable or not willing to change and adapt to you or your child's particular circumstance. Some teachers also expect all students to physically perform in the same way even though each person has uniquely different arms, hands, and fingers. 

Teaching environment:

Does your potential teacher provide a fun learning atmosphere? Do they provide a dry learning environment with high expectations? Do they offer a fun learning atmosphere but not provide the student with the knowledge necessary to succeed? What you should search for is a teacher that provides a variety of music to listen and play, computer software, reward system, recital and competition offerings, and all within a fun yet professional atmosphere.  Also look for maturity and responsibility in the teacher. Do they start and end lessons on time? Is the atmosphere chaotic with less emphasis on music making and learning and more on baby-sitting? Do they have knowledge of proper playing technique? Other teachers may provide no opportunities to perform for others and make learning to play music more of a chore than a fun and engaging musical experience.  Also ask to play their studio piano. Is it in tune and have a good solid tone? Is the learning environment well-lit, clean, and free of distraction? Are there pets or small children underfoot?

Is the price per month or semester an amount you can afford? Not all teachers charge the same amount or provide the same quality of instrument and instruction. 

Do they prefer a particular lesson method book over another and why? Piano techniques and teaching styles have changed over time, but many teachers are still teaching from the same books that they learned from as a child. Teachers should use a variety of methods and offer a variety of music to play, particularly music that would most appeal to the student. 

Where does the teacher hold their lessons? The best environment is a private studio out of the home that has been set up with minimal distraction except to focus on making music! The next best location is where the teacher travels to either a music store, church, or school to teach their lessons. Distractions from customers, workers, students, and fellow teachers can occur. The most distractions occur with the traveling teacher who goes to the student's home. While this is convenient for the student, especially in inclement weather, the environment is harder if not impossible for the teacher to control, making distractions difficult to avoid or minimize.