Should I care about a "bad" teacher at my school?
Hey everyone, had my three recitals this weekend, and they were amazing and fun! Tiny 5-year-old girl stood to play her two pieces, all the way up to high school students that I could have set out a tip jar for them because they did so well! Expressive, dynamic, poignant, just...amazing.
People stayed after for the receptions and parents helped clean up after the last one. Kids did not want to leave because they were friends with each other and sharing music stories.
The private school where I teach after school lessons 3 days a week allows me to have my home studio students attend recitals in a lovely recital hall for free and even prints the programs for me for free! I've been with this school over 20 years.
School pays over $50 an hour. I make more at my home studio, but the school provides great benefits and amenities.
All the after school teachers make the same rate. Whether they teach strings or voice or percussion or piano or brass. No matter their years of experience or degree.
Here's my concern-
In 2021, a third piano teacher was hired. In 2026, she still only gets beginners because her students keep quitting. I have had 10 students transfer from her to me. The other two teachers, yes, more have been hired, have also had several transfers from her.
All the transfer families are saying the same thing-
She does not communicate
She always seems to be on her phone
She does not explain how to practice
We do not know the expectations
My child does not know what to do
She is difficult to talk to- off putting
And, this year, she listed herself playing Reverie by Dubussy. Yes, U.
She credits Jingle Bells to Alfred.
When I pointed it out to the Fine Arts director before, I was told it's not my business so I said nothing this year.
This year, due to scheduling, she and I shared a couple of families. I would have one sibling and she would have the other.
A parent shared much of the other teacher's recital video with me. Half her students needed her to show them the start key. None of her students were able to play chords. The majority were single note pieces, And bizarrely, for at least two pieces, half the piece was cut out! Old MacDonald did not have the second part to it!
I talked to another parent at the school and they told me she was no longer allowed to sub for the school during the day, which she was doing as a side job, because she was caught too many times on her phone, even once with headphones in.
And yet, she got a raise. All the co-curricular teachers were just given a raise for the fall. She is on the email list.
From one of those conversations, the head of Fine Arts has said that as long as she is getting students, it doesn't matter if they transfer or quit, she keeps getting students so therefore the school keeps getting money.
The school sets up the schedule, and most of us have had the same students for years and years. She often has openings for new students because every semester/ every year students quit so she has openings.
Never mind that some of her students flat out quit and maybe feel like they cannot do music, cannot understand, assume they have no talent.
Every student should have a good teacher.
Again, she has been at this school since 2021. Her highest level student was playing from Piano Adventures level 1.
But, should I care?
When I get her transfer students, they did not know anything. I had to go back to day one. Like, they copy what she does but had no idea what she was doing. I had to teach the names of the keys!
We could be growing our fine arts program even more and having students eager to join band or choir or orchestra because they are confident in their music abilities.
But she is depressing!
It's not my business, but any advice?
Thank you!