I am beginning to have doubts about my current teacher. She is trained to Grade 8 standard and at the music school where I go, you are not allowed to be employed uniess you are Grade 8.

However, I am not entirely sure I agree with her teaching methods. I also realise it is also down to the student to put in the effort, or however good the teacher, you will not get anywhere. I have been learning for just over two years and when I do things wrong my teacher corrects me, but does not go over why I am making the mistakes I am makking. I am fine with time signature, scales, aural, but the thing I am weakest on is sight reading. I seem to have a mental block with some notes and she does not seem to want to get to the bottom of why and how we can correct it so I can sight read with ease. I have just taken my Grade 1 which I am waiting for the results of. I think maybe I should find another teacher because I do not want to be soft soaped. I want to have a teacher who questions me in what I do. Having done some research, I have an appointment with a music director who also teaches the piano and he has a degree in music and has been teaching pupils of all levels for 20 years. This teacher is a church organist as well as a piano teacher so he is of a very good standard and the church he plays in has a large pipe organ, so you can see he is top notch.

Does it really matter if your teacher has a degree or not when you look for a good teacher? This teacher charges a little bit less than what I am paying now and to be honest I really do not feel I am getting good value for money where I am at.

I know what you mean! I had an ok teacher throughout primary school, but I didn't know he was medioka because I was 7 when I started! At the end of primary, I had to change, and I changed to a man who is our church organist who used to teach music at my secondary for many years! He is soooo much better than my old teacher because he has better teaching methods! E.g. Grade 4 is my next grade, but instead of diving in, he's learnt my weakness is scales, and i'm learning them slowly!
I do not recommend online piano lessons, because you don't have someone watching you play and correcting your technique, or suggesting good music for your level etc...
This man you're meeting sounds good, so give him a try!
Good Luck!