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The perfect student would be one where I could find absolutely nothing to criticize.

The students I enjoy teaching most and really look forward to their lessons are the ones who always try their best. It doesn't matter about the level of playing or even their ability. If they have tried and are willing to learn then there is always plenty to do. It also helps if they communicate with you, particularly if there is something they don't understand.

So as a student, if you want to keep your teacher happy it's pretty simple. Try your best, communicate with them, be polite and courteous, show respect by turning up for lessons on time and paying fees promptly.

On the flip side the only lessons I don't enjoy are the ones where the student shows up unprepared and gives the impression they would rather not be there.

1) loves music
2) loves piano
3) practices regularly
4) remembers what I say
5) shows up to lessons and pays tuition on time
6) enjoys playing in front of an audience
7) is creative, imaginative, and artistic/musical
8) respects people
9) keeps an open mind for new ideas
10) thinks for him/herself instead of just imitating, copying, and/or emulating a model

In that case I think you will have a very long wait. Even the most experied of pianists get criticized, from their mannerisms, to the way they play.

There is not a single pianist alive today that anybody does not criticize.

Then again, perfect teachers might be almost as rare.
And here we are again - I agree with you, and this is exactly why the "perfect student" doesn't exist.

I would think that a question like this has a pragmatic purpose, rather than being an invitation to philosophical debate. A student asking this question wants to know what kinds of things to do and not to do. Rather than getting hung up on a particular word, it makes more sense to address the purpose. If you are teaching, and a student needs your help, are you going to respond literally to a poorly phrased question, or are you going to surmise where the help is needed, and respond accordingly?

Here's my definition of a "perfect student."

1) loves music
2) loves piano
3) practices regularly
4) remembers what I say
5) shows up to lessons and pays tuition on time
6) enjoys playing in front of an audience
7) is creative, imaginative, and artistic/musical
8) respects people
9) keeps an open mind for new ideas
10) thinks for him/herself instead of just imitating, copying, and/or emulating a model

I will answer (almost) any question a student asks me to the best of my ability. And yes, I will take their question at face value - I will answer what they asked, not what they might have meant to ask.

I'm no piano teacher by any means. But my job is very similar to that of a piano teacher, from a teaching perspective. I teach people how to generate and install SSL certificates (computer security stuff). I get people that have a great idea of what they are doing and i get people that have 0 idea. What makes me good at my job is that i understand the IDEA the person is trying to convey to me, not beat them up for using incorrect verbiage. I'll clarify what they said with an easy to understand analogy to check with them for my understanding of what they are trying to convey to me. I feel these are good techniques for communicating to people on a personal level and accomplishes more. Communication is about conveying ideas and thoughts to another person, the method of doing so is moot in my humble opinion. How one uses that method DOES help convey your thoughts more efficiently, I don't disagree with you there. I used a poor word choice, most definitely. However, as a teacher myself, I find I'm THAT much of a better teacher for knowing how to "read between the lines" if you will.
I believe everyone should, teachers especially, should strive for this quality.

And for the record, I think "perfect student" is perfectly understandable It's an adjective - a "perfect student" is about someone who is learning, and so it is talking about someone who learns, and someone in the role of student and all that entails. A student who "has no faults" as a student is a different person than a performer whose performance has no faults.

Cathy

and comes back each week with intelligent questions.

I think the correct word for what we are seeking (as opposed to perfect) is "ideal."

I agree. I think there is no perfect students or perfect teachers in this world, only "ideal".