Music Graded Exams

[Devnahouse]

For me, as a parent, I will want a teacher with all the paper qualifications first, then communications. Look, I’m paying almost $0.80 a minute for now and more later, I simply cannot afford to build rupport or adjusting my kids’ timetable to suit the teacher only to find out months later that the teacher is not suitable. Most teachers nowsaday do not conduct yearly recital/s. Other than the yearly grading exam, there is really not many other platforms for parents (especiously ppl like me with no music background) to gauge the progress. If the teacher is not qualified ‘enough’, you can imagine what our children is getting.


Communications is a two way traffic. I have been wanting to build a relationship with my kids’ piano teacher but 1 1/2 year now, we only know her by her first name. Casual talk on children progress is charged during the lesson time, she can cut short the theory lesson and still leave on the dot. Communications after lesson is always in a rush even though it is 9pm.

Well, I think mine is still not too bad given that my children like her. I have heard some teachers charged a handling fees for registering grading exam. I can only say "Cold Professional".

Sorry… I think I’m out of topic now.

[jce]

No, those with min certification will teach the beginners and grades 1-5, but even then… I’m not saying ALL Yamaha/Cristofori or even other smaller music schools don’t have good teachers, actually, I know of a few who ARE good teachers despite not having ALL the certs, but I just think music schools should really be more stringent with their selection of teachers.

[sleepy]

jce:

I don't buy to the thinking that beginners don't need to be taught by well qualified teachers. Actually on the contrary, they NEED to be taught by a good qualified teacher cos the foundation is being built. But then again, a teacher with all the paper qualifications doesn't equal to a good teacher.

Good point, I strongly believe in that too.
My dd is into her 4th teacher

[peanut_butter]

Speaking from my experience as a teacher in one of those budget schools, there are/were good music teachers teaching there. One of my ex-colleagues was from Yong Siew Toh Conservatory. Another was from Taiwan renowned collage. They had since moved on.


Those teachers were very demanding and spend a great deal of time doing drills and technical staff to build up their beginners’ foundation. For 2 years, I heard only a few notes drawn from his students’ bow. The Taiwanese graduate sometimes spend the entire lesson doing nothing but Hanon and scales. Many students quitted out of boredom. A number of parents also withdrew or transferred their kids over disagreement on the children’s readiness for exams. IMO, when parents demanded instant results, progress ironically slowed down.

Budget schools make profit by charging below market price. Since they have to pay below market rate, they cannot be too selective about whom they hire.

From what I gathered, at least in Southern Queensland, Australia, many teachers do not teach ABRSM. They are not familiar with the syllabus. There are also very limited books on it. Nearly all teachers do AMEB or AMusA. A Japanese teacher there does Trinity, I think because it’ recognized in Japan (meaning could be lost if I misunderstood her). She is not familiar with ABRSM.

I suspect ABRSM is popular in other commonwealth nations. Australia, Canada and America have their own exams boards. Europeans and East Asia are more concern about how well and what a student could play, rather then where the certificates are from, unless we are talking about degrees from conservatories.