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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Music lessons

23 replies

Bean1234 · 09/08/2023 00:10

Experienced teacher runs a music school privately, teaching some pupils herself and employs other teachers to teach various instruments at her studio. She charges £19.50 per half hour- all well and good. She informed us she will be changing our teacher from herself to a new teacher from September as she is reducing her teaching hours due to family commitments as she has recently had another child. She has been a little cagey about who is taking over and still hasn’t told us anything about the new teacher or even the name. I have just received an invoice and listed on there is the name and I have ascertained she is planning for a school leaver (aged 18) to be the new teacher and we are expected to pay the same price for this inexperienced 18 year old to take over the lessons at the same rate! I am absolutely raging and not happy to pay £39 per hour for an 18 year old school leaver to teach my children piano! AIBU? What is the best way to resolve this? I would be happy to continue at a heavily discounted rate to reflect the lack of experience the potential new teacher has or expect to cease our contract without a notice period if she is expecting us to pay the current rate as stated in the invoice as I feel it is not what I signed up for! What are your thoughts?

OP posts:

Nevermay · 09/08/2023 00:12

go elsewhere if you are not happy, she cant hold you to the notice period if she has changed the conditions.

Or try the teacher and see how it goes.

Azandme · 09/08/2023 00:13

Without knowing what qualifications the new teacher has it's impossible to say if they are capable of teaching piano.

Age is not a determining factor. She could be amazing.

If you aren't happy, move your children elsewhere.

Choufleuretbattenberg · 09/08/2023 00:15

If they have an ABRSM diploma they might be better than someone with a degree from a lesser university. Not a joke.

Badbudgeter · 09/08/2023 00:18

Do you have a written agreement and does it say anything about substitutes? Personally I wouldn’t be impressed.

Walesagogo · 09/08/2023 00:22

But surely someone of 18 wouldn't have the same experience of teaching under her belt? She may be good at playing an instrument that doesn't make her a good teacher. I'd be livid too. I'd look at the contract carefully unless it says something about accepting an alternative teacher then I doubt that the contract can be upheld and I'd walk away and refuse to pay.

Original poster

Bean1234 · 09/08/2023 00:23

Is it possible to achieve an ABRSM diploma alongside their A-Levels? I have no idea at what level this would be attained. They literally finished school in May and passed their grade 8 at the start of this year hence my assumption there is no teaching qualifications/experience which I feel should go beyond their musical experience anyway when working with primary aged kids as they need to be kept on track and motivated. I have asked the main teacher this question about her experience but have not yet received a reply hence I am unsure how to proceed especially as the invoice is due 😬
This has completely blindsided me as I expected her to employ a qualified teacher with experience which if she had I’d not have reservations.

OP posts:

GrumpyOldCrone · 09/08/2023 00:28

It might depend on the level of the student. I taught piano when I was 18, but only to people who were below Grade 5. I wouldn’t have been confident teaching Grade 8. I’m a very good teacher and my understanding of theory was excellent even at 18. Maybe see how it goes?

Original poster

Bean1234 · 09/08/2023 00:28

The agreement doesn’t talk about who the teacher is exactly and we’ve been with this company a few years now and not had these problems up until now so it’s not something I’ve overly looked at. It’s more a generic contract about notice periods and fees etc. I think I’ll have to dig it out and go over the wording in detail. My concerns are my kids are still youngish and still need help to stay on task hence I don’t feel an 18 year old would have sufficient life experience/learnt experience etc to meet their needs sufficiently especially at that cost!

OP posts:

Choufleuretbattenberg · 09/08/2023 00:31

Hi, yes, many talented young musicians get their diploma even before their GCSE. I agree you shouldn't just accept to pay full price for a school leaver, but I would ask to see their diploma and to sit in during 3 or 4 lessons and then decide. Honestly I know one 19 year old who is amazing- and better than most adult music teachers. You might be in this situation. Or you might be right and it's nonsense.

Nevermay · 09/08/2023 00:32

but it is extra curricular. Why would your children be doing an extra curricular activity they were unmotivated in?

I don't know about music lessons, but my children certainly had sports coaches younger than this, and still had great fun, which is what it is all about in extra curricular activities

Cinnamope · 09/08/2023 00:33

I would be upset with this too, it doesn’t matter how good a musician is at 18, they don’t have much teaching experience

Original poster

Bean1234 · 09/08/2023 00:39

Thank you! This is something to consider! It’s so hard that this has all happened without a discussion with the teacher who has made the decision! At the very least I would have expected her to have told me this was this situation and spoken to me about what the teenager can bring to the table particularly considering the amount we are paying and that it is a big change in terms of background experience! If I do decide to carry on I think I will insist on sitting in for a few lessons and have a discussion about notice periods if I don’t feel happy with level of teaching offered.

These are all good things to consider for when she gets back to me about what experience the new teacher has to offer.

OP posts:

Original poster

Bean1234 · 09/08/2023 00:53

Nevermay · 09/08/2023 00:32

but it is extra curricular. Why would your children be doing an extra curricular activity they were unmotivated in?

I don't know about music lessons, but my children certainly had sports coaches younger than this, and still had great fun, which is what it is all about in extra curricular activities

They are motivated generally and really enjoy playing. They had a teacher before who kept them repetitively playing the same music over and over and didn’t move them forward which then became boring and they lost motivation to practice. After that one, the one they have had up until now has been really good at keeping them moving at a steady pace and they have been interested and motivated to keep progressing and practising as the lessons are varied and fun. It takes experience to know at what rate to progress students to keep them stretched but also not overdo it hence my concern about the change to someone with less experience.
Out of interest, would you pay £39 an hour for a school leaver sports coach who wasn’t a professional sports person?

OP posts:

CrotchetyQuaver · 09/08/2023 01:03

No I wouldn't be happy with that at all. I'd start by asking what her qualifications are and experience to date. IF you decide to proceed I'd be asking for the price to be lowered, I bet she's paying her peanuts per hour due to her she and lack of experience.
You could sit in/see what your DC thinks of the new teacher and decide what you do.
Personally I think I'd be voting with my feet as I think it's really cheeky

Sugarfree23 · 09/08/2023 01:05

Op I was paying a little less a couple of years for a teen to give my youngest 121 sports lessons, as he was too young for group lessons.
He was amazing, couldn't have had much experience beyond his coaching qualification. He taught my LO for about 6 mths before I realised he was still in school.

My advice give it a go, and then make your decision.

CrotchetyQuaver · 09/08/2023 01:06

Oh ARSM/Dip ABRSM diplomas are a level 4 qualification, so a bit more than A levels but not a full degree which is level 6

TimeFlysWhenYoureHavingRum · 09/08/2023 01:12

We just got back from the Proms. The soloist playing the Violin Concerto in the 1st half was 25 years old. I've been playing for 35 years and this girl was AMAZING. An 18 year old is likely more than capable of teaching children the basics.

Choufleuretbattenberg · 09/08/2023 01:20

But a full degree might focus on history/ theory / composition. She needs to really see what's on offer.

GabriellaMontez · 14/08/2023 08:43

18 year olds can be phenomenal players.

It would be a very rare 18 year old who could teach and progress to a good standard.

The fact that the owner was cagey about it, says it all.

Moonlaserbearwolf · 14/08/2023 08:57

YABU to be raging before seeing what the new piano teacher is like!
18 year olds can be excellent players and teachers - I know several brilliant ones.
Of course, they could be mediocre, as could a music teacher of ANY age.
Ask to meet the new teacher and see a lesson. Then you can make a judgement based on skill, not age.

BusyMusicMum · 05/01/2024 09:05

Guitar, piano & singing lessons for kids by private tutor of 18 years at own studio in BR5 area (Bromley, Orpington and surrounds). Beginners a specialty. Please PM for more details.

bosher · 05/01/2024 09:24

The best music teacher my DS ever had was an 18 year old school leaver who taught piano alongside his uni studies. He made the lessons fun and my DS looked forward to his lessons every week. Because he was young, my DS could relate to him and he was a great role model. He ended up teaching my son for 3 years and only stopped when he graduated uni and got a full time job in a different field. In that time, he got my DS through a couple of AMEB exams with good results.
I would give the new teacher a try. It can be such a battle to get children to practise and having a great teacher really helps with motivation. There is so much more to teaching than age and experience. Try a couple of lessons, you might be pleasantly surprised.

DonnaBanana · 05/01/2024 09:24

I wouldn’t even be worried about the absolute quality of their playing. I don’t care that my kids maths teacher hasn’t got a PhD in calculus because they don’t need that. Being personable and able to teach the material is more important and them being of a closer age may help them connect better.

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