When You Are Considering Changing Teachers

While changing teachers should be a relatively rare event in each child’s life, there comes a time when students can benefit from the perspectives and experience that another teacher may provide.

Have a conversation

Before deciding to look for another teacher, please take time to have a conversation with your current teacher. There may be meaningful advantages to continuing the existing relationship; your current teacher is intimately familiar with your child’s history, experience, and learning process. Good teachers are flexible and can adjust their teaching style as needed. When you let the current teacher know your child’s current wishes and needs, a change of teachers may prove to be unnecessary. If you and your child do choose to move to another studio, your current teacher can help guide you in finding another teacher that is well-qualified and will be a good fit for your child.

Making the transition

Parents often approach changing teachers like changing jobs, and try to have the new teacher lined up before informing the previous one. However, quietly pursuing lessons with another teacher is often experienced as a betrayal of trust by the current teacher, who has a deep emotional investment in your child. In contrast, approaching the transition openly honors the relationship and ensures that the relationship ends with positive feelings for all involved.

If you choose to move to a new teacher, please provide ample notice to your current teacher so they can plan appropriately, and plan on a final lesson to say goodbye and fully acknowledge the significant contribution your teacher has made in your child’s life.

If you are wishing to transfer your child into my studio, you are welcome to come observe lessons to get a sense of my teaching, and / or talk over email or phone. I am only able to offer a trial lesson only once you have given notice to the existing teacher (please be discreet and let them know you are looking at various teachers), or if they have given their permission for us to meet. This helps me keep positive relationships with my colleagues.

Studio Transfer Policy

If you are a student in my studio, please complete your recital for the concluding semester and make any changes before the new semester begins.

If you give notice within the first month of the upcoming semester, you are responsible for one month of tuition from the date notice was given (partial month is prorated). After the first calendar month, families are required to complete the entire semester.