How do you spot an excellent guitar teacher, one who cares about you, one who who wants to know how you are doing with learning guitar? How do you know if a guitar teacher is truly interested in making you happy? This post goes over five signposts that mark awesome teachers. If you find a teacher that hits all five of these, hold on tight: you've found the needle in the haystack.

1. Your guitar teacher remembers what you worked on in the previous lesson

The best way to spot a great teacher is if he or she remembers what you have worked on in the previous lesson, week after week. This type of teacher is awesome because:

1. It's stupendously difficult to keep track of what each student is doing unless a teacher has a flawless memory or a system for keeping track of what students worked on each week. Good systems, as I've mentioned before, are an indicator of an immensely valuable teacher.
2. It's hard to not care about students when a guitar teacher is prepared for each lesson. When a teacher knows which way to help you, the teacher has demonstrated that she cares about you and your progress.
3. When guitar teachers remember what you worked on previously, they are keeping the direction, the space in which you learn, and the goals you have at the forefront of their minds. Your needs are going to be met more times than not.

If you'd like to find a teacher who remembers what you worked on in the previous lesson, week after week, ask any potential teacher if he or she keeps a journal with notes about what students are working on. If not? The teacher is relying on memory, which can be faulty. 

2. The space you learn in is inspiring

Guitar teachers who take the time to create an excellent learning atmosphere tend to also be concerned with making your experience awesome. 

If a teacher creates an inspiring space for you to learn guitar in, he or she is just as concerned with making sure to present you with materials and skills that you want to learn. There's something about being concerned with a student's experience and enjoyment. If the space that you take lessons in inspires you to keep going forward, this is a great sign of a guitar teacher worth working with, long term.

3. Your guitar teacher is present in the lessons

People who are totally present in each moment are addictive to be around. They aren't concerned with what their phones want of them. They don't care if emails are stacking up. They care about being present with whomever they are with at that moment. If you had a teacher that you absolutely loved from childhood, chances are that this teacher had this type of presence. 

When a guitar teacher is present with you, not checking email or text messages, not doing anything except helping you out, keep this teacher close. You will do good work together.

4. You feel incredibly welcome

You might already have an appreciation for how difficult it is to find the type of person who is warm and welcoming. They are rare, afterall. These people are the types who make you feel at ease with, comfortable. Great personalities have a sense of helping people around them feel at ease. If your teacher does this, again, hold on tight.

5. You love to play and practice guitar

If you love playing and practicing guitar as a result of taking guitar lessons week after week, this is a big indicator of your teacher's ability. If he or she can make learning fun, helps you play in such a way that time disappears, and helps you love the process of learning guitar, your teacher is amazing: keep this person around.

At the end of each lesson with your teacher, if you're humming the song you were playing and working on, this is an good sign. Your teacher will have made the hour completely disappear. You'll be dying to get home to practice just a little bit more before bed. With a great teacher, you'll feel completely energized after each lesson, and ready to face the other challenges in your life too. 

A great teacher makes all the difference. Choose wisely.

Photo Cred: First guitar lesson with Dad - 1984 by Kristina M. Curi, Attribution 2.0 Generic]