Do you think it is better (more productive) to be friends with your piano teacher or to...?

Question

have a strictly teacher student relationship?

Answer 1

I would have to say that it depends on the age of the student as well as the personality. Regarding age, younger students should feel comfortable with their teacher, so I would expect the teacher to act more caring when interacting with the student. Older more experienced students do not need the teacher to do anything other than to teach. In fact, it may be counterproductive to the student to feel to at ease with the teacher. When I started studying piano, my father was my teacher, and because I felt so at ease around him, I didn't work as hard as I should have. I happen to be a piano teacher, and teach a variety of different aged students, and find that for each student, one must take a different approach to teaching.
good luck

Answer 2

You ask a great question. In today's society, I would say it is MORE HEALTHY to keep the teacher/student relationship. Being friends with a teacher can cross that very thin line. It is not necessarily what YOU or the TEACHER thinks, but what OTHERS will think. You need a piano teacher that you can believe in and has YOUR best interest at heart. You can't just take from a teacher if you aren't progressing. You can only play Fur Elise so many times. You have to want it and your teacher has to be the impedus. I had a great teacher and she worked me hard, but she was just that, my teacher. that's just my take on it. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Answer 3

I just switched piano teachers because I felt like my teacher and I were too close as friends. He wasn't teaching me anything anymore, because he would spend the lesson chatting me up. I don't know what your particular situation is, or if this is just a random question. In my case however, I think that it's much more productive to have a student/teacher relationship. However, that doesn't mean you can't be friendly towards one another.

Answer 4

I agree with the opinion teacher/student. I'm a piano teacher and may say I'm very friendly with my students, but not a friend. I can give them some worthy advice as an experience person and help with everything regarding my subject, not more. Once my international girl - student helped me with my daily market purchases. Her behavior immediately changed into the friend like.
No necessaty to be too strict with young generation. You have to feel your audience and behave yourself correspondently. If you think, you are a real teacher, of course.

Answer 5

Perhaps the poster that said "in between" said it best. Teachers and students usually work together best with some professionalism in their relationship. But a teacher can be most effective if he/she is just close enough to the student to know what goes on in his/her private life. In my years of experience both as a music student and music teacher, I can vouch for the fact that what happens in a student's private life directly affects their performance and amount of learning in any given lesson.

Answer 6

Anything that has to do with music! Like a necklace with a piano or a treble clef sign, there's a website called things remembered where they engrave stuff, maybe you could get something there? I know that really has nothing do with the piano, but you'll figure it out. :)

Answer 7

One fundamental issue here - you are paying for these lessons, right? It would seem that being friends means that you are paying for friendship. In some circles, men get arrested for that, you know!

C'mon, be real! Keep it teacher-student and get your money's worth!

Answer 8

You can be friends with anyone. Why restrict yourself b/c he/she is your teacher? You can be friends. Why not? I believe if you and your teacher are friends this positive relationship can be reflected in your work.

Answer 9

In between...that's what i am with mine,....