Teaching piano... 13 years old?

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Question:

im currently grade 7/8 and i really want to start teaching piano to get a bit of money!. I definitely have the resources and im pretty sure i have the skills but i was just wondering how i would go about in doing this!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I, too, am going to try to be a little more encouraging than most!. I am a piano teacher, with a degree in piano pedagogy!. Honestly, the most valuable training I've had to be a good teacher has come from actually teaching!.

First, I'll share that my 13-yr-old daughter is taking french horn lessons from a 16-yr-old student!. He is doing an excellent job teaching her!. He's still learning, obviously, and the tuition reflects that!. But he's several steps ahead of her and has taken her from a frustrated student who couldn't figure out how to work the trigger (in September of 07) to an all-region band member in December and now a candidate for the youth orchestra in Fort Worth!.

Next!.!.!.!.a bit about my daughter as a suggestion of how you might get started teaching !.!.!.!.!.!. I have another daughter who is 11 years old!. Has been playing piano all her life, but has only actually had 3 years of lessons!. She is usually the one who helps her 6-yr-old sister with her piano practice time!. She is very good with children and a very patient "teacher"!. I am in the process of "grooming" her to be a piano teacher!. The assignment to be the one to help her sister practice is part of this!. This summer, she will become my assistant in some group lessons and a 2-week piano camp that I will be teaching!. This will give her an opportunity to observe how I teach various concepts and respond to various situations!. Next fall, I will have her sit in on some of my private lessons with very young students (4-6 years old)!. Meanwhile, she will continue her own piano lessons!.!.!.!. which are being taught very thoroughly!. My goal is to have her ready to teach her own beginner lessons to young students by the time she's in high school!.!.!.!. under my supervision!.

This might be something for you to consider!. Talk to your own teacher about your desire to teach!. See if he/she would be willing to take you on as an apprentice-type arrangement and teach you how to be a teacher!. When you do start teaching, though, don't expect to make anywhere near what other teachers make in your area!. And be honest with yourself and your students!.!.!.!.!. when you feel they have reached a level you are not competent to teach at, refer them to someone who is!.

Good luck to you!Www@QuestionHome@Com

I will be honest with you: I would not pay a 13 year old to teach my child the piano!. I'm an elementary music teacher and have also taught high school for a few years!. I just don't think you have enough experience at this age, even if you've been playing since you were little!. also, I assume you would want to teach younger kids who are beginners, but I just don't think you'll get a lot of parents who are willing to pay you to teach piano at your age!. Keep studying piano and wait until you're in later high school to start giving lessons!. People may be more willing to pay you for your skills then!. Good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com

I am a piano competition judge in NY, have 3 degrees, and 37 years of teaching experience!. You do NOT have the resources; you most CERTAINLY do not have the skills!. You do not even have spelling and punctuation skills! Nobody in their right mind would allow you to teach their child, no matter how cheap you are, than they would allow ME to perform brain surgery on their kid! Once you have at least a degree in music, then ask again!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

its great that you want to teach but unfortunately you don't possess the resources needed to teach!. At the Royal Conservatory of Music, we have a Piano Pedagogy Teaching Certificate and I examine prospective teachers who want to obtain the degree!. These are questions I ask those candidates who all happen to be either in grade 12 school for the Elementary Certificate to older students for the Intermediate and Advanced Certificate!.

1!. How would you teach different touches on the piano and how would you explain them to a student!? i!.e!. portato, staccato, staccatissimo, accent, and two note slurs!.!.!.

2!. What is the difference between these method books - Music Tree, Alfred, Bastien, Celebrate Piano and Faber!? Of these what do you like about them and what do you disagree with!?

3!. A student has been taking lessons with you for 7 weeks now, they are beginners and continue not to have good hand position!. What would you do to teach this!? Keep in mind you have already suggested using a tennis ball to form the hand, shown them diagrams of good hand position, and given them finger exercises!.

4!. Please describe what the following dances are and the performance practice tempo for them - Gavotte, Allemande, Sarabande, Gigue and Courante!. In addition is their a difference between the Italian and German Courante!?

5!. At what point to you introduce scales to a student and why!?

6!. In a piano studio, what are necessary supplies you need to have a functional studio!?

7!. Of the 12 major and 12 minor scales, group the scales based on the fingering pattern!.

8!. How do you teach aural/oral skills!?

Now, some of the questions have correct answers, others are in the grey area and we want to know how you think!.

If you are teaching for money, you are in it for the wrong thing!. As a teacher myself, I can guarantee that no one would study with a 13 year old!. If parents had a choice to study with you a 13 year with no experience or me someone who has played piano longer than you have been alive, there is no question where they would go!.

You simply do not have the skills, even at a Grade 7/8 level!. You have not played all the scales, chords and arpeggios!. You have taken probably limited music theory and history!. You do not know the repertoire and method books!. And you as a teenager do not understand what a child is like when they are learning!. There is much music for you to learn, skills to develop and technique to build!. It's great you want to teach but you need to get yourself a degree!. There are too many weak teachers in this profession who teach poorly and the students don't get what they truly deserve!. In the end, teachers like myself have to correct years of bad habits and poor teaching because there are kids like you who just don't have all the knowledge!. Down the road you will develop and learn them but for now, you should spend time practicing and learning your skills!. Leave the teaching to people like me who have degrees, performing experience and pedagogical knowledge!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Okay, everyone here is being quite discouraging!. To encourage you, though, I'd like to tell you that my guitar teacher is only 13, like you, and he's only been playing for about 4 years!. He charges 10 dollars for a half hour, which is a reasonable rate, and he teaches about 3-4 other people besides me!. Maybe you should talk to the band teacher at school, friends who want to learn, et!. cetera!. Many people would actually want a younger teacher, simply because it is not so absurdly expensive as a professional!.

Don't give up, and best of luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com