Group or Private Lessons for Young Children

Piano can be taught through the one-to-one approach with a private teacher or with a small group of students in a classroom setting. Many parents of young students do not know what is the best option for their child’s lessons. We will describe how the two approaches vary for students of piano.

Group lessons are basically designed for younger children ages 3 to 6 and likely includes other activities such as playing rhythm instruments, singing, movement, and some keyboard activity. Very young children like fun interactive activities because group keyboard lessons for the very young do not emphasize keyboard playing. Older children will get more time at the keyboard, but there are still other activities such as learning rhythm and singing during the lesson session.

Younger children may find private lessons an ordeal to begin with, as they may not have been in a one-to-one teaching situation before. Also, some teachers can be perfectionists and demand lots of practice so they may be impatient if the student does not understand what they are supposed to do. Younger children cannot concentrate for a long period of time and they cannot stretch their hands far on the keys.

Many teachers from both group and private settings expect or insist on the parent to be present at the lesson. As a result, the parent can find out how their child is doing and if they are learning. Also, they can see the interaction between teacher and student and see if the lessons are really working out.

Students should keep taking the lessons if they are learning and liking the instrument. It does not matter if it is a group or private setting, as long as the teacher works well with children and is adept at helping them learn a musical piece then all is well. Teachers that offer stickers give some students some motivation to get the piece practiced after class is over.

Group lessons can be hard to adjust by some young students because they may not like all the activity that goes on in the classroom. Private lessons provide a calmer atmosphere if the teacher is gentle and understanding with the younger student. Again, the parent should watch their child in the private lesson situation to see if they are learning and understand the musical concepts.

Does your child have friends that are taking music classes or private lessons? You can talk to the parents and the other young children to see if they enjoy the classes and are learning anything about music. An excellent idea would be to take the prospective student to a classroom session, then have a sample assessment or private lesson with a qualified piano instructor.

Remember that the child should look forward to the lessons. It’s not a good thing to make them attend the lessons like something they have to do, as they will grow to resent it. Parents should take note and maybe realize that the child may be too young for lessons and as they get older, they may change their minds.