Teaching piano
Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano
Teaching piano
I have recently taken Grade 8 piano and am still learning the piano. I wish to teach basic piano for fun to young children (5-9 years) and only wish to take on about 4 or 5 pupils. Are there any regulations in piano teaching? What about insurance, and health and safety?
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Gill the Piano
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Why would you need to insur yourself? Would you injure them, or would they injure you?! 
I started teaching in a small informal way from Grade VI onwards...it depends whether you're doing this for a career or pocket money. If it's as a career then the Incorporated Society of Musicians would probably be a good start with regard to insurnce and so on - they are THE professional body for most teachers. It's not cheap to join, but there are benefits which make it worthwhile to the full-time teacher. If you're using your car to go to pupils then that could affect your inrsurance - check!
If you're only doing this in a small way then I'd just get on with it and see if you like it before weighing in with any complications. I loathed it, but then I have no patience and am not particularly child-oriented. That's why I tune pianos - inanimate objects don't answer back and say they've practised when they haven't...
I started teaching in a small informal way from Grade VI onwards...it depends whether you're doing this for a career or pocket money. If it's as a career then the Incorporated Society of Musicians would probably be a good start with regard to insurnce and so on - they are THE professional body for most teachers. It's not cheap to join, but there are benefits which make it worthwhile to the full-time teacher. If you're using your car to go to pupils then that could affect your inrsurance - check!
If you're only doing this in a small way then I'd just get on with it and see if you like it before weighing in with any complications. I loathed it, but then I have no patience and am not particularly child-oriented. That's why I tune pianos - inanimate objects don't answer back and say they've practised when they haven't...
teaching piano
If you like kids and have oodles and oodles of patience ...go for it...one talented student can make it worthwhile.
Like Gill I am not particularly child orientated...I did start teaching my 5 grandchildren but only one showed any promise...but in the end skateboards and surfboards became more important than practice and he quit.
I tried teaching a teenager...that was the worst experience....I think her mother was the one who wanted to learn, but didn't want lessons so she sent her totally disinterested daughter for the lessons in the hope she would bring home her new found knowledge....frustrating didn't begin to describe it.
In the end I gave up.
Like Gill I am not particularly child orientated...I did start teaching my 5 grandchildren but only one showed any promise...but in the end skateboards and surfboards became more important than practice and he quit.
I tried teaching a teenager...that was the worst experience....I think her mother was the one who wanted to learn, but didn't want lessons so she sent her totally disinterested daughter for the lessons in the hope she would bring home her new found knowledge....frustrating didn't begin to describe it.
In the end I gave up.
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Gill the Piano
- Moderator
- Posts: 4032
- Joined: 25 Oct 2003, 19:39
- Location: Thames Valley
They ALL lie about practising at some point (God knows I did...and sometimes still do 
) but some of them do it all the time and look at you as though they want to call Childline if you suggest half an hour's practice a day would be beneficial. I once tried to teach a four year old who had the attention span of a flea on acid, and many grown-up men expect the piano fairy to come in the night and wave a wand to make them play. (Now let's sit back and wait for the howls of outrage from the ones who practise regularly! ) Most teachers prefer to start kids off from the age of seven because of the attention span thing and also because by then children are more or less secure in the order of the alphabet. However, sweeping generalisations - although fun! - are dangerous, and every person is different. You could always talk to an established teacher for a few pointers, and some teachers might offload (?!) some beginners on to you on the understanding that you can come to them for advice.
Have fun; I deeply admire people who can teach, and enthusiastic teachers are worth their weight in gold!
) but some of them do it all the time and look at you as though they want to call Childline if you suggest half an hour's practice a day would be beneficial. I once tried to teach a four year old who had the attention span of a flea on acid, and many grown-up men expect the piano fairy to come in the night and wave a wand to make them play. (Now let's sit back and wait for the howls of outrage from the ones who practise regularly! ) Most teachers prefer to start kids off from the age of seven because of the attention span thing and also because by then children are more or less secure in the order of the alphabet. However, sweeping generalisations - although fun! - are dangerous, and every person is different. You could always talk to an established teacher for a few pointers, and some teachers might offload (?!) some beginners on to you on the understanding that you can come to them for advice.Have fun; I deeply admire people who can teach, and enthusiastic teachers are worth their weight in gold!