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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Original poster

Would YOU employ me as a piano teacher?

95 replies

biryani · 21/03/2013 09:44

I currently teach piano a bit, as a hobby, and I am wondering whether I have what it takes to be a teacher. I play a lot, and take lessons, but have no provable qualifications. I studied piano as a child to grade 6, but failed my practical and gave up. I''ve taken it back up again as a hobby. I can play some quite difficult stuff, a lot of which is through muscle memory, and I'mdI'doing a music teacher course through the Abrsm. I feel I lack credibility given the skills and qualifications of piano teachers I know of, but would YOU employ me as a teacher? Be as blunt as you like! Thanks.

OP posts:

mistlethrush · 21/03/2013 09:46

No, I wouldn't. I did grade 8 piano, and am a qualified string teacher, but would only consider teaching piano to about grade 3 !

Dolallytats · 21/03/2013 09:48

I would, but only if I was a beginner. I think if/when I got better, maybe I would want a teacher with the relevant qualifications. This would give me more confidence that I would be able to pass whatever exams I needed.

However, I am talking as someone who has never played the piano so I have no idea what is involved in the learning process!!

flowery · 21/03/2013 09:48

No.

HTH! You did ask for blunt!

I would only use someone with a very high level of practical skill and would want to see at least grade 8. I did grade 5 myself then gave up and picked it up on and off later on, and I would say I'm probably about grade 7 standard, or would be if I didn't have long nails , and I wouldn't teach.

You'd probably be ok for beginners but I'd prefer someone my child could at least potentially stay with long term.

Bonsoir · 21/03/2013 09:51

No. My DD does piano and music theory with a highly qualified and experienced teacher who she would be able to carry on with for years. Since I don't have any music skills myself, I need someone I can trust for the long haul!

flowery · 21/03/2013 09:54

My DS starts violin after Easter. I play myself, grade 8 standard, (again if I didn't have long nails), but won't be teaching him myself. I met his teacher a couple of weeks ago and I think she was slightly taken aback when I quizzed her on her background and qualifications..

devilinside · 21/03/2013 09:58

Maybe for grade one, and if you were cheaper that a properly qualified music teacher. However, I am a great believer that being able to teach well is a talent in itself and not necessarily down to qualifications. I have just ditched a useless piano teacher who had all the qualifications, but was too ditzy and disorganised to be a good teacher.

flowery · 21/03/2013 09:59

"being able to teach well is a talent in itself and not necessarily down to qualifications."

That is very true.

kelda · 21/03/2013 10:02

I employed someone like you, but dd made very little progress unfortunately. Now she has a teacher who has loads of music degrees and is training to be a classical pianist. He is already semi professional. DD has made loads of progress with him.

Maybe go back to lessons with the aim of getting grade 8 and then a teaching diploma?

ReallyTired · 21/03/2013 10:05

What have you got to offer that I haven't? As you said yourself you failed grade 6 so the highest qualification you have is grade 5 piano. You aren't that much qualifed than me.

I have no idea what my son's guitar teacher's qualifications are, but he is good enough to play professionally. He did the backing track for Dr Who and still regular plays in professional gigs. The reason he now teaches guitar in schools to primary school children is that its an easy retirement job.

Prehaps you could do one of these music francises and do a singing group with nursery children.

GoAndDoSomeWork · 21/03/2013 10:08

No, especially as you failed grade 6 and have had no lessons since. I passed grade 7 this summer and know the quality of lessons I could offer would be no where near the same as I get from my teacher who has a music degree. Are you sure you have good enough technique to pass on to a new generation of players and to set them up well for more advanced teachers? If you're serious about it I would first book yourself in for some piano lessons with a well qualified teacher and get a few more grades under your belt.

ZZZenAgain · 21/03/2013 10:08

When you have finished your course you will have a certificate I presume and you could also get your grade 8 in piano. That would look a bit more reassuring. For my dd, I would only have taken someone who had studied piano I'm afraid. It may well be that you are the better teacher because new to it and therefore more enthusiastic, but most parents will be reassured by qualifications. (Especially if like me you don't play the piano yourself).

Hope it works out for you. Doing musik sessions with small children as suggested below is a good start.

ZZZenAgain · 21/03/2013 10:08

musiC

sorry about that.

flowery · 21/03/2013 10:11

The technique is a good point. I'm confident enough in my piano skills to know that if I tried hard enough I could play most things, but although I could learn very difficult pieces and be able to get through them, because I haven't properly studied or been taught at that level, my technique would be rubbish.

SpringtimeForShatner · 21/03/2013 10:16

No, I'd only pay someone if they had expertise.

GooseyLoosey · 21/03/2013 10:18

You are qualified to the same level as me and I would't say I knew enough. Guess for some it would depend on what you are going to charge.

kelda · 21/03/2013 10:19

I'm wondering, what exactly is the course you are doing now? WIll it qulaify you to teach paino?

NotAsNiceAsMyMum · 21/03/2013 10:21

No.
I have grade 7 piano and don't feel in the least bit qualified to teach.
I do teach other subjects and this makes me aware that although I can play piano reasonably well I don't have the necessary theoretical understanding of what are the ciritical basics that need to be instilled in the early stages of learning to play.

BeerTricksPotter · 21/03/2013 10:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flowery · 21/03/2013 10:25

Is it this certificate or
this one day workshop?

Original poster

biryani · 21/03/2013 10:40

Thanks all. I am doing a 15 week course through the Abrsm. I have qts, but I have never taught music. I have been taking lessons for two years as an adult, and started teaching adult friends as a hobby. If I need grade 8 as a minimum, then I'm happy to commit to that as long as it gets me somewhere.

OP posts:

ByTheWay1 · 21/03/2013 10:47

No - would look to a piano teacher who had grade 8 AND some teaching type qualification/experience I'm afraid...

You could market yourself as an "introduction to music" type teacher- but anyone who is going the whole hog for piano lessons usually wants their child to be able to stay with one teacher through the grading process...

We have a piano/keyboards teacher locally who does this - markets themselves in the parish magazine, goes to people's houses with 1/2/3 keyboards (depends on number of kids) and does some fun stuff for younger kids.... charges around £10 for half an hour...

DeWe · 21/03/2013 10:48

No I wouldn't, sorry.

I would want someone that could potentially take my child all the way through to grade 8. Dh had to change teacher at about grade 5 due to her not feeling capable of teaching beyond that (and she had grade 8) and he said he wished he hadn't had to change.

My dd1 did grade 5 last year in year 6, so she's pretty much as qualified as you, and I wouldn't say that was at a stage she was anywhere near being able to teach.

You might manage to get a reputation for getting younger children ready to learn to play. So you'd do rhythm, notes (on a piano), reading music, position (of hands etc.), perhaps a bit of aural work, but I would expect to pay considerably less for that. Probably about half what I'd pay for piano lessons, or even less. And the lessons would need to be short, 20 minutes maximum generally, as they won't have the concentration.

LilyBolero · 21/03/2013 11:39

No, I would only employ as a music teacher someone who had reached well beyond Grade 8 on their instrument - grade 8 is not a professional qualification, and there are plenty of people with grade 8 who do not have decent technique, and bad habits are hard to unlearn.

ShellingPeas · 21/03/2013 14:39

If you're serious about teaching then I recommend you get your grade 8 then start working towards a performance diploma (ATCL, dipABRSM) while taking a teaching course like the CT ABRSM or EPTA PTC. The EPTA PTC, as it is specific to piano teaching, is really worthwhile - it's academically rigorous (it was accredited by Reading University and is at MA level), you need at least grade 8 to take it and and will give you a sound foundation to teach effectively from beginners up to higher level students.

weegiemum · 21/03/2013 14:47

No, sorry.

Our Piano teacher for our 3 dc has grade 8 piano and clarinet and a BMus with specialism in teaching, from RSAMD. I'd not consider anything less. I'm a teacher and if i didnt have a degree and pgce, then I wouldnt teach.

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