The teacher only does things “one way”

Red Flag #4

It’s important to note here that teachers who only do things “one way” usually aren’t malicious.  They aren’t trying to make things hard for your child.  They usually are people who are truly convinced either that the “one way” is the best and highest ideal way to do something, or that doing something in another way might compromise the quality of the outcome for the student.

However, only teaching in “one way” is a surefire method to make sure that very few people get to engage with music.  You can usually tell who the “one way” teachers are:

• They have “favorites”

• These students are the ones that “prove” the method they use, because they thrive in it.

• They have a low student retention percentage

• This means that, even if they have a high number of students walking through the  front door, they also have a high number walking out the back door.

• Usually they will talk about students who “don’t practice,” “weren’t ready,” or “couldn’t keep up.”  A green-flag teacher is able to help those students by giving them the resources they need to practice, be ready, and keep up.

• They might seem a little conceited.

When people believe that they have the “one way” to do something, they usually think that it’s the one right way.  If you see this in a teacher, run the other direction.  They will likely be more interested in their own “one right way” than they will be in your child.