Teaching music often involves four groups who have their own wants and desires. These groups are students, parents (if the student is young), Hip Cat, and myself. Giving lessons is about balancing the needs of these four groups. I'd like to focus on what I want for my students.
My number one goal is for my students to play music for the rest of their lives. This might look like anything from recording your own music to playing in bands. This can also look like thinking more deeply about the music they listen to or pulling their guitar out of its case when they're stressed and getting a little comfort from strumming some chords.
I want to give my students the tools to go wherever they like. This means I start with a foundation that fits most musical styles before honing in on style specific techniques or theory. I also see myself more as a music teacher than a "guitar" teacher, so much of what I teach can be applied to any instrument.
From an economic standpoint, I want to provide value worth what I'm paid. Music lessons aren't cheap and many people don't have much disposable income. I hope that I can provide a service worth paying for.
I want my students to enjoy taking lessons. This does not mean that every moment will be fun (it certainly won't be), but that overall my students enjoy the process and outcome.
It's great when students like the same music I do. I love sharing my passion for my favorite musicians. Whatever music a student likes is fine by me, though. I try to give students the right direction to play the kind of music they want. If a student does not like a piece we're learning, that's fine. We can find a piece they like that teaches the same concepts.
If a student decides that they want to part ways with me, that's fine. Maybe paying for lessons became too much, or a student's schedule changed and we couldn't find a new time. If a student ever became so good at a style they're learning that I'm not an expert in and wanted to find a teacher better suited to that style, I'd see that as a cause for celebration.
The only reason that a student leaving would concern me is if they thought I'm a bad teacher. In that case I'd like feedback so I can improve.
Becoming a good musician takes a lot of work. How long that takes doesn't concern me, though. If a concept takes a student 4 months to master that's fine. There's no set schedule or course syllabus dictating what we have to learn and when. The pace that's right for the individual student is what we'll move at.
I care deeply about my students' development, but the amount of practice they want to put in and the pace they want to go at is up to them.
If a student is invested enough that they want to make it their career that's fantastic. The lessons of students who don't want to be professionals are just as important, though. I want my students to have life-long relationships with music, whatever that ends up looking like.