Hey everyone,

I'm teaching a few students, who I've been teaching quite recently. I'm 17, and teaching 4 students at the moment, all beginners. I haven't done my teaching diploma so I thought it would be reasonable not to charge too much, and also because of my age, I didn't think many parents would be interested in their children being taught by a young, inexperienced teacher.

However, word of mouth got round. I currently charge £7 for 40 minutes. One parent I spoke to was rather shocked, saying that she had heard of one piano teacher charging £15 for half hour. Because it seems like I'm charging less than most teachers, I've had a lot of interest. However, as I'm a student and that, I can't help thinking if I should charge more.

What do you think?

I think in view of your age and experience your charging is sensible. Don't worry too much, I haven't heard of many people charging £30 per hour outside London.

Also, bear in mind that there are at least three environments in which teachers teach, which affects the fee.
Many teachers teach in their own homes, or in schools, and some travel to the pupils' homes. Three different services being provided for different circumstances.
Maybe the £15 fee is for someone teaching in the pupil's home, where travel fees are included in the lesson fee (I do this version of the job), which are not applicable where the pupil travels to the teacher's home/studio, or are spread between many pupils when teaching at a school.
Something to bear in mind when setting your fees.
The ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians) has a helpful series of rates on its website (which also helps with increases each year - for this also see www.incomesdata.co.uk - and go to "statistics" then "pay settlements"). For ISM see www.ism.org and look for information sheet 02/13 "Private Tuition: Rates". They also give lots of advice on things that should and shouldn't make a difference to your fee.
Best wishes.

QUOTE (DomRUK @ Jul 8 2004, 11:31 PM)

Something to bear in mind when setting your fees. The ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians) has a helpful series of rates on its website fee. Best wishes.

Helpful? Possibly but not very practical, the MU also has suggested rates which compare favourably to the ISM however living in the real world which both of these organisation do not you will find your teaching fee will be more likely based and dictated by the economics of the area you live in. If you live in a esp afluent area thats great however if you live in a not so afluent area then thats unlucky.

QUOTE

I think in view of your age and experience your charging is sensible. Don't worry too much

I agree with Digby. If you want to compare fees, you could go to Musicteachers.co.uk and you'll find listings of other teachers; not all post their fees, but some do, and quite a few state that they are students and their reasonable fees reflect that.
When you have more experience you can charge more.
There are teachers in my area who charge around £15 for half an hour, but they are (or should be! ) qualified and experienced. There are also students charging between £6 and £9.
Happy teaching

Maggie

QUOTE

Also, bear in mind that there are at least three environments in which teachers teach, which affects the fee. Many teachers teach in their own homes, or in schools, and some travel to the pupils' homes.

How much do you charge for your travel.

I agree with Tenorclef - ISM and MU rates are just a starting point for other considerations of area etc.
Thankyou Maggiemay for mentioning musicteachers.co.uk - a very good website.

QUOTE

How much do you charge for your travel.

When I worked it out a few years ago, it was just under a £1 per 30 minute lesson I think (to cover all car costs), but I just include it in my fee, as I teach most of my lessons in pupils' homes - so I charge no separate travel fee, rather I have a reduced fee for lessons in my own home, which is the same fee as extra lessons in the same family, or for extended (ie 45min / 1 hour) lessons.

I now just increase my fee each year from what I worked out, taking into account earnings inflation and increased experience (so just the usual thing - see ISM website).

My actual working out of my fee was rather more complicated - see the above entries from other people as to the types of things considered! Another idea I also found helpful was to work out first what I felt my earnings should be if I have a full quota of pupils (e.g. a 35 hour week like office jobs, but allowing for travel time between lessons), and compare it to other jobs, then add on expenses - that way you get a real picture of earnings. It's just another figure to work out and add into one's thinking. Then of course, divide it by lessons taught in that full quota to find a lesson fee. Area considerations may be important too, as well as other things.

QUOTE (DomRUK @ Jul 9 2004, 01:10 PM)

QUOTE How much do you charge for your travel.

I charge an extra 2.50 per lesson if I have to travel to a student's home-unless it's very near-ie walking distance. It's not so much the petrol costs they are paying for as the time it takes getting there and back-I worked out that I could fit in twice as many pupils if they came to me at home-which makes the 2.50 extra charge seem very reasonable.

Actually, I've just realised that I do know exactly how much I charge for travel as, in a sense, it is the difference between my full fee and my reduced fee. The difference is £1.60 per half hour lesson. However, as I said earlier, I found it very helpful to think of it in terms of total earnings I would expect to earn for a certain number of hours at work, and compare that to what I would earn in a different job, or working at home, and take expenses into account also. This way I can make sure I would earn the same amount working "full time" at home or as a travelling teacher. (See my entry at Jul 9 2004, 01:10 PM)