Why great music teachers communicate more than what happens during a lesson.
As music teachers, we get to see some pretty amazing things happen.
Helping Parents See What We See
Why great music teachers communicate more than what happens during a lesson.
As music teachers, we get to see some pretty amazing things happen. We watch a student struggle with something for weeks and then, almost unexpectedly, figure it out. We notice when a young pianist starts playing with more confidence, when a guitarist finally changes chords without stopping, or when a singer begins using their voice more freely.
Sometimes these are big accomplishments. Other times they’re so small that someone without our experience might not even recognize them. But we do. And that’s part of what makes us good teachers.
There’s something else, though, that I think is just as important as recognizing progress. Helping the families we teach recognize it too.
We Know What We’re Looking For. Parents Often Don’t.
Think about a typical music lesson. A piano teacher might spend several weeks helping a student develop proper hand position. A violin teacher might be working on bow control. A guitar teacher could be helping a student develop finger strength and coordination.
These aren’t always the kinds of improvements that someone listening from the next room is going to notice. In fact, sometimes a student might spend several lessons working on the same piece of music, and to a parent, it sounds pretty much the same as it did a few weeks ago.
But we know better. We know that the student is developing skills that will allow them to play more challenging music in the future. We recognize that their technique is improving, that they’re becoming more comfortable with their instrument, and that they’re learning how to learn.
These are important accomplishments. The problem is that parents don’t always know what we’re working on or why it matters.
And why would they? They’ve hired us because we’re the experts. They’re trusting us to guide their child’s musical education. Part of honoring that trust is helping them understand what we’re doing.
What Parents Really Want to Know
When a family signs up for music lessons, they’re making an investment in their child. Of course, they’re paying for lessons, but they’re also investing their time, rearranging schedules, encouraging practice, and making music education part of their family’s life.
Naturally, they want to know how things are going. And while we might think parents want to know whether their child is playing harder music or moving through a method book, I believe what they’re really looking for is something a little more personal.
They want to know that their child is learning. They want to know that their child is enjoying the experience. And perhaps most importantly, they want to know that their teacher cares.
This is where communication becomes such an important part of teaching. A parent doesn’t need a detailed explanation of every exercise or technical concept we’re introducing. But hearing something like, “I was really proud of how hard Olivia worked on that difficult section today. She didn’t give up, and by the end of the lesson she was getting it,” can mean a lot.
Not only does that parent know something about the lesson, but they also know their child’s teacher is paying attention. And that’s important.
A Little Communication Goes a Long Way
At Lessons In Your Home, one of our six core values is Communicating With A Purpose. I think it’s important to understand what that really means.
It doesn’t mean we need to send lengthy emails after every lesson or write formal progress reports every month. It means that when we communicate, we’re doing so for a reason. We’re helping a family understand something. We’re showing appreciation. We’re celebrating a student’s accomplishment. We’re helping a parent support their child’s learning. And sometimes we’re simply letting someone know that we care.
Imagine finishing a guitar lesson and saying to a parent:
“Hey, I wanted to tell you that Ethan is doing a really nice job with his chord changes. We’ve been working on them for a while, and today he was able to play through the whole song without stopping.”
That conversation might take twenty seconds. But think about what the parent just learned. Their child is making progress. Their teacher recognizes that progress. And the work they’re doing between lessons is paying off.
Now imagine that same lesson ending with the teacher packing up, saying goodbye, and heading out the door. The teaching was exactly the same. The student’s progress was exactly the same. But the family’s understanding of what happened is completely different.
That’s the power of communicating with a purpose.
Don’t Just Tell Parents What Needs Work
As teachers, we’re trained to identify things that need improvement. That’s a big part of what we do. We hear a rhythm that isn’t quite right. We notice a hand position that needs adjusting. We recognize when a student hasn’t practiced enough to be prepared for the next lesson.
And naturally, we want to fix those things. But there’s a difference between recognizing what needs improvement and making that the focus of every conversation with a family.
Think about how a parent might feel if the only time they hear from their child’s teacher is when something isn’t going well.
“She’s not practicing enough.”
“He’s still struggling with his scales.”
“We’re having trouble getting through the music.”
These might all be accurate observations, but they’re not the complete story of what’s happening in the lessons.
What about the student who showed more patience this week? What about the child who finally played something without asking for help? What about the student who arrived excited to show you something they’d figured out on their own?
Those things matter too. And when we share them with parents, we’re helping them see their child’s musical education as something more than a list of skills that still need improvement.
That doesn’t mean we avoid difficult conversations. If a student needs more practice, we should absolutely communicate that. But we can do it in a way that recognizes what the student is accomplishing while also explaining what will help them continue growing.
For example:
“Jackson is starting to get a really good understanding of rhythm, and I love how he’s approaching new music. I think if we can get him practicing a little more consistently, he’s going to start seeing some exciting results.”
We’re still communicating what needs to happen. But we’re doing it in a way that encourages the student and invites the family to help.
The Best Communication Often Happens Naturally
One of the wonderful things about teaching music lessons in a student’s home is the opportunity to develop relationships with the entire family. We get to know the parents. We sometimes meet siblings, grandparents, and even the family pets.
Over time, we become part of the family’s weekly routine. And that gives us opportunities to communicate that teachers in other settings don’t always have.
Sometimes it’s a quick conversation as we’re packing up our instrument. Sometimes it’s a text later in the afternoon. And sometimes it’s inviting a parent into the lesson for a moment.
“Hey, come listen to what we’ve been working on!”
I love that last one. Not only does the parent get to hear what their child is learning, but the student gets an opportunity to share something they’re proud of. And the teacher gets to help create that moment.
Of course, not every family is available to talk after a lesson. Parents are busy, and we have schedules to keep. That’s okay. A short text can accomplish the same thing.
The important part isn’t how we communicate. It’s that we make communicating part of how we teach.
Communication Is Also About Listening
There’s another side to Communicating With A Purpose that deserves attention. Good communication isn’t just telling parents what we think they need to know. It’s also listening.
Sometimes a parent will tell us their child has been practicing without being reminded. Sometimes they’ll mention that their child seems frustrated. Or maybe they’ll share that their child has been playing songs for relatives or showing an interest in a different kind of music.
These little pieces of information can tell us a lot. They can help us understand what motivates a student, what challenges they’re facing, and how we can make lessons more meaningful.
And when parents see that we’re listening, they become more comfortable sharing. That’s how relationships grow. Not through one big conversation, but through lots of little ones.
Three Things Every Family Should Feel
When I think about our core value of Communicating With A Purpose, I keep coming back to three messages that I believe every family should receive from their music teacher.
We’re paying attention.
We recognize the little things. We notice when a student is struggling, when they’re improving, and when something finally clicks.
We care about your child.
We’re interested in more than how many songs they can play. We care about their confidence, their enjoyment, their challenges, and their growth.
This matters to us.
We’re invested in the student’s success, and we want the family to know that the time we spend together each week is meaningful.
I don’t think we need to say those exact words to parents. In fact, I think it’s much better when our actions and communication demonstrate them.
A quick note celebrating an accomplishment says we’re paying attention. Remembering something important about a student says we care. Taking the time to explain why we’re working on a particular skill says this matters to us.
And when families consistently receive those messages, something pretty wonderful happens. They begin to trust us not just as music teachers, but as people who genuinely care about their children.
Great Teaching Is Something We Share
I believe one of the most rewarding parts of being a music teacher is watching students grow. We get to witness accomplishments that sometimes take weeks, months, or even years to develop.
And because we’re the teachers, we understand how meaningful those accomplishments really are. But we shouldn’t keep that excitement to ourselves.
When a student makes progress, share it. When a child demonstrates patience or determination, tell their parents. When something finally clicks after weeks of hard work, let the family celebrate it too. And when a student is struggling, help the family understand what’s happening and how they can support them.
At Lessons In Your Home, we believe that the connections we make with students and families are more valuable than the music we’re teaching. Communicating With A Purpose is one of the ways we build those connections.
It doesn’t require more paperwork, complicated systems, or hours of extra work. Sometimes all it takes is a thoughtful conversation, a quick text, or a moment of encouragement.
Because being a great music teacher isn’t just about helping a student make progress. It’s also about helping the people who love that student see it, understand it, and celebrate it.
