FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Is instruction from a private instructor less expensive or more expensive than going through a large school?
Well, that depends on the private instructor's qualifications, and on the school's scope and marketing management. The larger the school and the more money it spends on overhead and marketing, the greater the price to you. Private instruction rates vary with the qualifications and the expertise of the instructor. Generally you will need to find a private instructor if you want someone who is highly qualified, has specialized training and really knows how to teach.
Can't I get the same quality of instruction from a language school or music school?
No. These schools make money by using a prepackaged, scripted approach that can be taught quickly to anyone, so that they can use anyone to teach their classes. This enables them to hire people without any educational requirements, specialized training or qualifications to teach a "one size fits all" approach. So not only are you usually not being taught by a professional, but contrary to what they may market, the training is not customized to your needs. The teachers simply follow a book and one prescribed method, regardless of whether this works well for you or not. The teacher are thus also not able to assist students with problem areas. It is the teacher and his or her knowledge base and skills that makes the difference.
How long do I need to study to reach my goals using your method?
The method and instructor directly impact the effectiveness of the training, but equally important is how many hours you put in with your teacher per week, and how much study and practice you do on your own each day. Next talent does figure into the mix, as well as learning disabilities, speech impediments or other difficulties. What I can tell you is that given the same amount of time expended, my students have achieved at an accelerated pace, much over what they had experienced in the past. I can also tell you that according to European Council standards one level is expected to take 100 classroom hours. So you can see that the more you do, the faster you progress. In public schools one level takes a school year or more. In most private language schools, with individualized instruction, students typically accomplish this in about three months. Again, quality affects how well the students learn this material whether they are able to apply it. The same is true for vocal instruction.
How often should I take lessons?
As stated above, that depends on your goals and how fast you want to achieve them. It also depends on how much time you have to devote to study. This is another reason I am a big advocate of distance learning. The time you spend getting to and from, and starting and stopping, is totally wasted, and could be converted into productive time. I find that three times per week is a good pace, but if your schedule only allows once per week, do that. I really cannot advocate taking lessons less than once per week.
How soon before I get results?
My students typically demonstrate some sort of improvement after one session. The biggest problem is not the gaining of results, but in being able to witness those results yourself, as you cannot objectively evaluate yourself. Also you should not be trying to evaluate your progress while you are in session or practicing as this actually hinders learning. What you will be able to observe is the outward effect of improvements, such as being understood better and more readily by others. As results in your communications and interactions with others improve, you will gain self-confidence. Attitude plays quite a large role in your results. It determines whether you are willing to make changes in yourself and the way you do things, and are willing to try new things. You cannot keep doing what you have been doing and expect to get different results.
