There are numerous types of musical styles so working with a vocal teacher who is interested in the range of music you want to sing in is great. Of course, a good vocal coach or singing teacher will be able to help you with your system regardless of whether their personal taste aligns with yours. However, it really will help to push your children forward quicker if you find someone who shares the same style.

1.       Do your own research

It’s valuable to ask about former education and experience when narrowing down the list of teachers you want your children to work with. Finding out if your vocal coach has relevant qualifications for trustworthy institutes may make you feel at ease that their background knowledge is definitely in place.

Along with credentials, you can also ask about teaching experience. How long has the teacher been in this industry, years spent with a student? While official education and training isn’t always the most significant factor, it can benefit to have a teacher who has an established track record of working in vocal training.

2.       Look into their credentials

While qualifications are impressive, you should seek vocal coaches that have passion, perseverance and in-depth familiarity and understanding of how the singing voice works.

When first meeting a vocal coach you may be awe-struck by the official terms being thrown around the room, but dig a little deeper. It’s helpful to come to the first gathering with some background knowledge and research on healthy singing techniques of your own. Ask for a pair of suggested exercises and don’t be reluctant when it comes to asking for an explanation of how the exercise will benefit your children.

3.       Make sure you’re being heard

A moral vocal coach should make you feel completely comfortable and at ease in their presence. You want to work with someone you trust, who listens to you and you're compatible with. If someone you are working with makes your child feel uncomfortable, it will show in their voice.  Your confidence will drop, and you won’t be getting the best out of your investment.

You want a teacher who will give you time and space to address your children’s worries, and who will report them and work your goals into a personal program suited to your child’s needs. Take references from others who have worked with vocal instructors, attend a few lessons, ask questions, and always trust your gut instinct when selecting a teacher for your children who you want to go further with.

4.        Is there any progress?

As lessons continue and your child’s singing voice develops, you might want to review their progress to ensure that you are reaching the desired goals. Your child’s teacher should keep adapting their lessons to suit those changing needs. A really good way of following your child’s personal progress is to record their singing. You can then review the recordings to determine if they are making improvement with the music teacher and, most importantly, if you are getting results that you are satisfied with.

5.       Patience is a virtue

Even the best singing teachers in the world won’t be able to work wonders overnight. Prodigious singing and a strong voice aren’t things you can solely leave in the hands of your vocal teacher – you need to be prepared to work, too. Practice is as vital as patience on the street to a great voice. Your child can take lessons, study theory, buy a grand piano and have an awesome voice teacher; but unless they are prepared to practice consistently, their progress will be much slower.

6.       Practical engagement

Music is best learnt by doing, not by reading and writing. Make sure that your children’s lessons are active and that there is some liveliness added to them! Even if your children are learning music theory there are ways to include practical activities. For younger children, games present important elements of music theory in a fun way. This makes new words easy to learn.

There isn’t anything much shorter than the attention span of a child today. New technologies are making it easier for children to read and learn in short spurts. It is getting harder for young people to focus on one topic or task for a long period of time. Fit your children’s lessons to their concentration levels. 

7.       Technology is your best friend

Today’s kids are digital inhabitants, and today’s tech is a great source for learning. Music is the perfect subject for using new technology in the classroom, and clever use of tech can make your learning far more effective.

By using apps like Music Buddy. You can get instant feedback on their performance which will help the children learn faster and in the right way. Watching a video can make a lesson more memorable than listening to the same piece of music without a video. Showing videos of live performances is a great way to teach your children about how instruments are played. It is also a good way to see famous artists performing.

8.   Enhancing their different abilities

Different students have different skill levels and different needs. Make sure the tasks that are set are appropriate for your child. Ideally a task should be understandable to your child, not too difficult but not too simple either. Right from the beginning, your children need to feel that they will be able to complete the task. A task that appears too challenging from the outset can make young children give up and not try their best. Tasks should be made into a fun experience by giving them the tools for success and encouraging collaboration.

9.   Connection is key

Engage your children instantly by helping them learn their favourite songs or genres. All kinds of music can be valuable resources for learning and learning. There is no need to stick to the genres that have traditionally been associated with music lessons, such as classical music.

Budding teenagers? Ask them about the music they enjoy to find out what is current and popular in their community. For younger children, you could use nursery rhymes or even theme song tunes for their favourite TV programmes. Picture the look of recognition and surprise on their faces when you suddenly play them their favourite song!

10.   Creativity is a powerful learning tool

Once your children begin to enjoy completing tasks, it is a decent time to introduce creative tasks. Perhaps they have been learning about a particular piece or style of music. The next stage in learning is to give them the task of composing their own piece in the same style.

Creativity is highly valued by employers for future prospective careers. Additionally, giving children a safe space to be creative can also help with behavioural issues. It provides them with a safe outlet for their feelings and emotions. Incorporating creativity into your lessons combines well with collaborative learning methods.