Why Should I Pay for Mahjong Lessons?

Paying for mahjong lessons seems to always stir up a debate. So I’m here to shed a little light… But first, can I get a woot woot for all the teachers out there?

I’m curious, have you heard of tennis lessons? Have your kids taken piano lessons? Does your community offer oil painting classes? I’m guessing you were required to pay for all of those. If not…please share with me where you live. I want in.

Paying for someone’s time and skills, in this case, a mahjong teacher, should not even be a question. It is a hobby, just like any other, that requires quite some time to learn & perfect. There’s occasionally the need to travel to teach, there’s often handouts, not to mention all the time involved for preparing & giving lessons, advertising, and quite a few more expenses. So why should it be considered any different than the activities I listed above?

As an instructor, I have made it my mission to teach American Mah Jongg using the NMJL rules as my guide, and in such a way that my students leave with a full understanding of the game. They have had many hours to learn and play with an experienced teacher. They learn the most important rules of play, as well as defensive strategies. They meet and are sometimes matched with other players through the mahjong community, that I have worked very hard to build. They are provided with handouts. They are guided on how to choose a mahjong set, where to purchase the NMJL card, and even given information on online play. Every student of mine leaves extremely happy with what they paid for. None have ever questioned the idea of paying for a good teacher. Oh, did I mention that they can reach me at any time with questions?

Here's the thing. Do you need to pay for a teacher? Heck no. If you have a friend who knows the game very well, knows all the rules and is happy & willing to give you his/her time to teach you, then go for it. But if you are looking to teach in a more regular way to people outside of your friends’ circle, or looking to learn in a more classroom-like setting …

Then here’s a couple of things to consider;

• ·When people don’t pay for lessons, they are often not fully invested or committed. If you are the one teaching, be prepared to have lots of cancellations, and lots of your time wasted. And if you’re the student, get ready for the ‘teacher’ to move your lessons thirteen times to accommodate their ever-changing schedules. And no complaints please…

• ·When the lesson is not given in a structured way, there’s a lot more chatter and a lot less ‘paying attention’ and learning. And if you’re learning in a group, you may not appreciate the fact that some are just as happy to chit chat the entire time, taking time away from your objective.

• ·If you’re the one learning, you may not get the full deal. You might be missing on important information that your friend forgets to share since they are not necessarily following a syllabus or are experienced enough to know all the rules.

• ·Not everyone can teach

But yes, it can be done.

If you enjoy teaching others, and are on the side of ‘You don’t have to pay for lessons’, that’s perfectly fine. You are entitled to your opinion. You are more than welcome to generously give up hundreds of hours of your time to teach lessons, spend your own money on gas to drive around the city for someone else’s benefit, provide expensive photocopies, use your own mahjong set, and more.  But I choose not to. Many other teachers choose not to. And I don’t believe there's a need to justify why. Even if, I just did.

Little Miss Mahjong is my business. I charge for lessons. I am a proud teacher of the game. I am fully immersed in the mahjong community. I am up to date with the new rules. I continue learning through a mentor, who guides me to best practices to follow. I have taught hundreds of students. I have developed a community. I host mahjong parties. I offer a lot of myself, like so many other teachers out there. We do not need to apologize for charging for lessons and knowing our self-worth. And I know I speak for lots of mahjong teachers who deserve the same respect, and acknowledgment for what they do.

Now please don’t get me started on how much to pay for lessons… that’s another hot topic LOL.

If you are looking to learn mahjong and live in the Montreal area, feel free to contact me for more details. I also offer virtual lessons and advanced strategy classes for those wanting to improve their game and who don’t have a qualified teacher nearby.

If you are seeking a local teacher, there are numerous mahjong websites/pages that offer a teacher’s list. As long as you’re learning the game, you’re golden.