Young Children Learning Piano: Group or Private Lessons

Children have the choice of learning keyboard or piano as a group with several other peers or privately with a piano teacher. It’s often a difficult choice for parents to make, as some don’t know what method is the better choice for their child. Here’s a background on what to expect for group and private lessons for younger children.

Class sessions mostly highlight lively activities for students that are under the age of six that include playing with percussion toys, learning childrens’ songs, dancing and learning short pieces on the piano or keyboard. Some children that are older will be able to spend more class time on the piano, but they also get some skills in rhythm and learning new songs.

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.

Some classroom lesson sessions and a few private instructors may require that parents attend the lesson with the child. The reason is that the parent can study their child’s behavior during the learning process, and possibly learn some music themselves if they don’t have any musical training. By observing lessons, a parent will be able to help their child if they do not understand and need help.

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.

Children that attend group lessons with others may not learn as much as they could in a one-to-one lesson situation. Young students tend to be distracted by other children and their attention will be focused away from the class, so if they have private lessons the teacher can help them focus on the learning. Parent attendance will help both types of lessons, and they can see if the classes or lessons are really effective and that their child is learning.

What does your child prefer? Do they have friends that are attending classes or taking private lessons, and what does their friends and parents think? A good strategy would be to take you child to a sample music class, then to a private lesson to see if they are ready for a private teacher.

Keep in mind that your child must want to be at the lessons. Don’t force them to be there, as they will be much more productive if they look forward to the lessons. As a parent, decide what your intuition tells you: it’s alright to wait until your child is older, like 7 or 8 years old to begin piano lessons.