Seeking piano teacher for special needs teen beginner

[kitwhitfield]

Hi,

Our son is 15, on the autism spectrum with (medicated) ADHD, very cheerful and friendly. He's developed an interest in music and has been 'teaching' himself to play piano by picking out tunes on his iPad for a while, so by way of experiment we got him a high-range toy piano (full size keys, just not the full range), which he's also playing. We took him for an assessment with an SN-specialist piano teacher who said he had a good feel for it, and he loved the lesson, so now we're seeking someone who lives locally.

Experience with autism/ADHD is an advantage but not a necessity; teachers used to younger children will probably do fine with him. He's keen to learn, and would have a parent with him in the lesson to help support any SN issues. 

If this would work for anyone, please get in touch! Or if you know anyone you'd recommend, do let me know.

[MissB]

Hi there

It was really lovely to read about your son’s growing interest in music. As an online English and Maths tutor who works with many SEND students, I’ve seen how much difference the right learning setup can make for focus and confidence.

One thing I often mention to parents is to stay open to online lessons as well as local ones. Many autistic learners actually concentrate better when they’re not sharing physical space with a new adult, and online sessions can reduce a lot of the sensory and social pressure. With a flexible online piano tutor, you can also do two shorter sessions a week, which often supports faster progress. And of course, online learning gives you access to a much wider pool of teachers who really understand SEND needs.

If you find someone local who’s a great fit, that’s brilliant — I just wanted to share an option that has worked incredibly well for many of my students. I hope your son finds the perfect piano teacher to help him enjoy music even more.

Miss B