To be pretty pissed off with DS's music teacher?

[Cookethenookms]

DS learns guitar through school. It's an outside company run by quite a young guy who is an absolute nightmare with communication.

I sent a question via email at the beginning of the year, can't remember what, but it was something fairly trivial and could have been answered in 5 minutes. No reply.

About a month ago, i had a HUGE issue with one of the songs my DS (8yo) was playing in his lessons. It was totally inappropriate (think misogyny and date rape) and i emailed him saying i wasn't happy and i would rather he picked the kids songs with this in mind in future. I was really polite and straight to the point. My whole family are teachers, so i'm really aware of not being a whiney pain in the arse when i have a problem with school. Again, no reply.

Last week i had a problem with my emails which meant that some things had been put into my spam folders, including the invoice for next term. I had missed the payment date by two days and when i went to log into the website to pay, i couldn't get in. I called and left a phone message telling him this and asked him to give me a call so that i could put DS back onto the waiting list if there were no spaces left.


It's been 5 days and STILL NO BLOODY REPLY!

What the hell am i supposed to do!? We also don't receive reports, so have no idea how he's doing, what he needs to work on or what they're learning about that term. DS is desperate to do guitar. We bought him a guitar, case and a really snazzy strap and plectrums. We can't afford private tuition, but i'm getting absolutely sick to death of the total lack of communication.

FGS!

[hiddenhome]

You need a new guitar teacher.

[Nomama]

Write and email both school and outside company with your issues.

And then wait...

[morethanpotatoprints]

I would imagine you'd get a very experienced professional teacher privately for what you are paying for this unsuitable teacher.
check out adverts in local music shops, or yell, especially word of mouth recommendations.
He certainly wouldn't have received any bookings from me after ignoring the first email

[WorraLiberty]

If you have his phone number, why do you keep emailing him?

Not everyone likes email contact or thinks to check them.

[Littleturkish]

Keep looking for private tutors and let the school know how unprofessional he is. Sounds like a nightmare.

[whois]

Not everyone likes email contact or thinks to check them

You do bloody check and reply to work emails! Seriously unprofessional not to.

[DoJo]

I agree that if your provide a work email then you should use it, especially teachers who often have their phones off or on silent when teaching.

Have you checked that you have the correct email address and that he is actually receiving the emails you send? If so, then I would speak to the school and see what they suggest.

[Mrsjayy]

Phone him dont see why you dont its quick er saying that he does sound quite lax could you email the company or is it his company, tell us what the song was im nosey

[greenfolder]

what is the actual difference in price between a good teacher and a bad one? where i am there is a saturday morning music school where kids can go and learn.

[WorraLiberty]

Yes but my point is, has he actually provided it for contact?

Or has the OP simply found the company email on Google?

[Cookethenookms]

I did call the last time. There was no answer, that's why I left a voicemail.

He charges £30 per term, we'd be looking at £15 per half hour lesson around these parts!

[phantomnamechanger]

maybe he is on holiday? if the lessons are in school I am sure the head would be interested to know about an inappropriate song. round here most teachers are self employed and it makes no difference if you are taught at your school or at their home - its the same price. I don't know any music teacher (and between them my DC have 3) who writes reports, though we get notes in an exercise book but thats largely to remind them of the teachers comments and what to practise, not a progress report for us.

[phantomnamechanger]

£30 a term for how long/how many lessons? that is very very cheap indeed! is that in a large group then, not 1-to-1?

[hiddenhome]

We pay about £30 a term for ds2's clarinet lessons thru school, but £14.00 per half hour for his private piano lessons.

[Purplepoodle]

Complain to the school

[WorraLiberty]

I didn't know you had to pay anything?

Maybe it's different here in London but the LA pays the outside company to deliver the lessons and supply the instruments.

My DC have learnt violin, guitar and clarinet and all we've had to pay is the annual insurance, which is about £22.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

Wow! We had to pay £175 for ds1 to have one 1/2 hour guitar lesson a week with 3 others (was 6 others as it was free for children who receive free school meals, but those 3 dropped out in the first half term despite school stressing that anyone signing up should realise that they were committing for the entire school year. That's a different story).

We have had a report about his progress and they did a concert at the end of term. I do not have an email address for his teacher, but I sent a letter in, and received a reply a fortnight later (was typed, I think that was probably the cause of the delay).

Your lessons seem ridiculously cheap, but if the teacher offers them at that price they really need to offer a professional service. I would ask around if other parents have had the same problems, or found a better way of communications with the teacher.

[peanutbutterandoreos]

£30 a term! We pay that per 1hr lesson! Have you tried calling him? He could be on holiday and can't get to his email. If it's definitely him just not checking it and being lazy then find another teacher. And ask for references.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Instrumental tuition is the same as any other individual tuition though surely. £30 is very reasonable and although I realise not everybody can afford it, even in the less affluent parts of the country its the same.
I know specialist music teachers who charge upwards of £100 per hour, not always, but generally speaking you get what you pay for.

[whydidyoudothat]

In my dd's school, lessons used to be free, with free instrument loan. We just had to make sure it was covered on our house insurance. This year there was a charge of 1 per session. Full report provided at the end of school year. Any exams that are taken are paid for seperately.