| I never imagined that I would have a career as a piano | | | | you already have the musical skills needed to begin |
| teacher. In fact, the thought never even crossed my | | | | teaching first-year piano to children ages 6 -9. |
| mind until the age of 27, when a misunderstood | | | | If you understand most, but not all of the book, or if |
| conversation one afternoon at a noisy pub in Green | | | | you are unsure if you are playing the songs correctly, |
| Bay, Wisconsin got me to thinking. While enjoying lunch | | | | find a local piano teacher willing to give you one or two |
| at a local hotspot with my piano teacher, I looked | | | | (paid) lessons to help you with the first book. |
| across the table and asked her "Do you like teaching | | | | If you can't work your way through the book at all, |
| piano?" She looked me right in the eye (after hearing | | | | simply find yourself a good private teacher and he/she |
| me incorrectly) and answered "Yes, I think you could | | | | can likely get you up to speed with a handful of private |
| teach piano!" | | | | lessons. |
| Nineteen years later, I look back on that conversation | | | | 3) Make a business plan - it doesn't have to be fancy |
| and see more than 18 years' worth of smiling faces | | | | or formal. Simply sketch out a plan in writing to prepare |
| set to music. And every time I reflect on my career as | | | | yourself to start teaching. Here are a few things you'll |
| a piano teacher, I say a quiet "thank you" for a journey | | | | want to include in your business plan: |
| that has offered me not only the freedom and | | | | - What is your teaching philosophy? |
| flexibility to be my own boss, but also the opportunity | | | | - Will you teach at home, from a music studio, or in |
| to embed my life into the history and memories of my | | | | other people's homes? |
| community. | | | | - How much will you charge? |
| If you are interested in becoming a piano teacher, it | | | | - How will you handle cancellations and makeup |
| might surprise you to know that it is possible to | | | | policies? |
| become a good piano teacher even if you have little | | | | - How will you get the lesson books and lesson |
| or no experience playing the piano. There are two | | | | materials into the hands of your students? Will you |
| areas of piano pedagogy that are wide-open to | | | | have them purchase the materials, or will you buy the |
| newcomers with little or no experience: | | | | materials for them and have them reimburse you? |
| If you have taken one or more years of piano lessons | | | | - How will you get students? |
| at some point during your life (even if it was decades | | | | You can find (free) ideas, guidance and information by |
| ago), consider teaching Elementary First-Year Piano. | | | | visiting piano teacher forums and a multitude of |
| You could specialize in the first year of piano training | | | | websites designed to help new piano teachers. The |
| for children ages 6 -9, and then transfer your students | | | | "How to Teach Piano" video series, and Faber |
| to a more experienced teacher when they "graduate" | | | | Teachers' Forum forum are good places for new |
| your program at the end of one year. | | | | teachers to start. |
| If you have never learned to play piano, but you love | | | | 4) Finally, the most important step to take if you'd like |
| music and are good with preschool-aged children, you | | | | to become a professional teacher is to become a |
| would probably enjoy teaching Preschool Piano to | | | | student yourself. You can even wait until you've |
| children ages 4-6. | | | | earned enough income from your first few students to |
| The above niches are areas of this industry that are | | | | begin taking lessons for yourself. It's important that you |
| always in need of good teachers, because during the | | | | find a good private piano teacher and do your own |
| earliest years of piano training the educator's ability to | | | | daily music practice so that can stay one step ahead |
| *teach* far outweighs the importance of his or her | | | | of your students and learn about the music theory |
| musical background. | | | | you'll need to offer them. |
| Here's how to self-evaluate your musical abilities and | | | | Even though you can get started teaching piano with |
| get started teaching piano: | | | | little or no experience, that doesn't mean your job as a |
| 1) Make a trip to the local sheet music store, or go to | | | | teacher will be an easy ride. But if you invest your |
| one of the many online sheet music stores that carry | | | | personal time developing business and musical skills, |
| "piano method" books (piano lesson books). Purchase | | | | ask for help along the way, and show the highest level |
| one or two piano lesson books that seem to be | | | | of respect to your students and their parents, then you |
| "user-friendly" for new teachers. | | | | have a good chance of becoming successful at a job |
| 2) Once you have the book(s) in hand, take them to | | | | that truly rewards your efforts with a tremendous |
| your piano or keyboard and go through them cover to | | | | amount of meaning and fulfillment. |
| cover to see if you can play through and understand | | | | Cherish your vision; cherish your ideals; cherish the |
| all of the concepts in at least one of the books. | | | | music that stirs in your heart...If you remain true to |
| If you can easily play and understand the book, then | | | | them, your world will at last be built. |