As someone who has never touched a single music note, I thought learning music would be a mountain-climbing feat. But as it turns out, it was more like skipping over a crack in the road—thanks to a couple of amazing teachers here at Tutti.
That’s the thing about learning music: it’s not as hard as one might think. However, the ease or difficulty of the process depends on various factors, one of which is whether your teacher is truly capable. This leads to the question you’re probably wondering about: what qualifications should you look for when choosing a music teacher?
Education Background
Specifically, their credentials that demonstrate whether they know their music inside out. It’s not just about good grades or exam certificates—you should check if they’ve completed Grade 8 music, which is considered an advanced level. Reaching this level shows that they’ve truly mastered their craft.
Look for certifications like ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music), Rockschool, or Trinity Music in Malaysia, which solidify their credibility as a musician.
Additionally, you should consider whether they’ve earned music diplomas, degrees, or even master’s degrees. Prestigious institutions such as Akademi Seni Budaya Dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA), UCSI University, and the International College of Music (ICOM) are known for producing highly qualified musicians.
Experience
Once you’ve confirmed their educational background, you know they have the technical knowledge. But theory alone isn’t enough. Do they have experience beyond exams and study sessions?
That’s a critical question you should ask as well. Ideally, the teacher should have experience performing music on stage, or better yet, performing internationally. A performer will have valuable insights into the music industry and can share those with their students.
Also, look for teaching experience. A skilled musician can play flawlessly, but if they lack teaching skills or struggle to connect with students, learning will be difficult. The more experience they have teaching, the more likely they’ll be able to handle students with different learning styles and needs.
Teaching Philosophies
Every teacher has their own approach to teaching, and some methods work better than others—depending on the student. Since every student learns at their own pace and has unique preferences, it’s essential to find a teacher whose philosophy suits you. Psychology isn’t one that I am quite adept at, therefore I did some digging in the world wide web and found Twinkl’s 5 Pedagogical Approaches which gave me a better understanding of this, so be sure to check them out for more info!
Here are a few teaching philosophies that can vary from teacher to teacher:
- Constructivist Approach: This is my personal favourite. It focuses on learning through experience. Students learn by playing music, then build on that experience to gather more knowledge. It’s a hands-on, practical way to learn.
- Collaborative Approach: As the name suggests, this approach involves learning through collaboration. Students work together to solve problems or learn new information. By sharing their knowledge, they fill in gaps in each other’s understanding—and maybe even make a friend or two.
- Reflective Approach: This method focuses on what happens in the classroom. Teachers guide students to reflect on what they did right or wrong, helping them continually improve their skills and musical understanding.
- Integrative Approach: Teachers using this method encourage students to make connections between the topic they’re learning and other subjects they’ll encounter throughout their music education. By weaving together different concepts, students can gain a deeper understanding of music.
- Inquiry-Based Approach: This approach encourages students to ask questions and think critically. Rather than simply presenting facts, teachers pose questions or problems that challenge students’ minds, fostering deeper engagement.
From my conversations with a few teachers here at Tutti, they all agree that teaching different age groups requires adapting their teaching style. It’s all about how well a teacher can adjust to meet the needs of their students while sharing the beauty of music.
Plus, there’s the main key teaching criterias that Tutti here always put on the podium for the teachers to follow: great communication skills so that they could not only talk to their students well about their performance, motivational skills to push the students into doing the best they can at music and a deep understanding of age groups so they can adapt and handle students with the right teaching style. With these three emphasis (and my observation throughout my time here), I say Tutti is doing a great job paving the way for what music can be and hopefully will be.
And there you have it, folks! Those are three key qualifications to look for if you want a music teacher you can trust. I hope this helps you make an informed decision in choosing the right teacher. Good luck!
