The co-founder of music school »Eva music«, Vesna Surčulija Radić, as many of her other colleagues, has an enormous experience in teaching children in music schools, as well as giving private lessons at home, and she is just the right person to talk to regarding this very important topic- how to choose between the two options in the child`s best interest.
Highly motivated children and private lessons?
Our experience showed us that it takes a very strong internal motivation for a child in order to perform to his potential, make progress and achieve desired results while taking private lessons at home.
And what about the rest of the children?
Most of the children that have private lessons at home usually make progress very slowly, and based on our experience so far, the great number of children drops out of further music education and pursue some other hobby. If this is what happened or it is currently happening to your child, you should know it is nothing unusual, yet quite common.
Why is that so?
First of all, when we come to somebody`s house for private tutoring, we are entering that child`s private space, the space where he plays, entertains, relaxes and spends time with his family. In that kind of environment it is very hard to keep child`s attention. Besides, the child is all alone, without other children, meaning, there is no healthy competition.
And what about music schools?
On the other hand, going to music school is for children like going to any other school, so they take that seriously and behave accordingly. The child is well aware that at any given moment, his work could be systematically and objectively evaluated by his proffesors, and as an ultimate goal, there is a final year exam in front of the examination comission, whose assessment is crucial for child`s transition to the next grade. The school grades and diplomas represent an additional motivation for the child as one of the many reasons for their further progress, and it also boost child`s confidence.
Of course, there are other students there, and regardless of the fact that classes in music schools are mostly individual, children can hear each other playing instruments during rehersals or in concerts, and that creates a healthy competition.
Finally, what to choose?
Private tutoring could be beneficial as an additional help when the child is already going to music school, but he is still not being able to practice on his own, as well as in case when parents don`t have enough time or competence to be fully commited to child`s practice at home. Besides, private lessons could be a kind of introduction to a further music education, and what is more important, an assessment of child`s musical potentials.
However, if you want your child to take learning how to play an instrument more seriously, thus, make use of such a noble activity in the best possible way, going to music school, although less comfortable option for parents, definitely is the right option for your child.