For some years I've been toying with the idea of instrumental teaching - in fact I'd quite like to do classroom teaching but I don't have a music degree so I guess that's out unless I can afford to go back to college for years.

So, if I was going to give instrumental teaching a shot, what would I need to do, what qualifications (if any) would I need to have and how would I go about getting pupils? Oh, and would I need to work on my currently very basic piano skills?

Assumptions I am making are that I need to have Grade 8 on the instrument(s) that I intend to teach and that I need to get myself CRB checked if I'm going to be teaching children. Any other information will be welcome.

You don't need any qualifications as such to start teaching privately, as long as people are prepared to come to you - lots of people start with one or two students - usually the children of friends, and build up from there by word of mouth. As well as a decent level of proficiency on your instrument (ie post grade 8) and some basic keyboard skills for accompanying, aural work etc, you need some knowledge of how to teach and how students learn. There are many excellent books that can help and the AB run introductory courses for new teachers (see the teachers' area of the website). If you want to work for a music service or school, you will almost certainly need some paper qualifications eg diploma.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. Is it essential to be CRB checked for teaching children of people you know, or is it just advisable? I've heard they can take up to a couple of months to come through.

Not essential. I haven't got a CRB check and I've never been asked for one. I have between 20 and 30 pupils and regularly get enquiries via the internet from people who don't know me from Adam - as well as via recommendations.

I guess the worst that can happen is that a parent will ask and decide to go elsewhere. Good luck if you decide to give teaching a go.

After 25 years of playing my instrument and only an ABRSM theory grade 1 under my school belt I took some lessons, enjoyed them and a few years later took 12 more with another teacher. However, after the 9th lesson, I started to teach this teacher a few things and so the seed was sown that I could teach as well.

Luckily, I was approached by a friend for lessons and word of mouth has spread (I have never advertised) and now I have a full book of students with a 100% success rate of passing their grades. So I must be doing it right. I completed the City & Guilds introduction to teaching, which I can recommend as it has helped my lesson planning etc. Also the certificate looks good on the studio wall. It's not as comprehensive as the ABRSM with regards to music but having read the course content for both, they cover the same basics.
I did have one parent call me to enquire about lessons and when she asked me for qualifications (I had none at the time) she ended the call.

So to sum up, you don't need Grade 8 eight to teach, but I would recommend obtaining the highest grade possible for your own experience and qualifications. Get a teaching certificate, their not expensive and the C&G course took 6 months to complete. Finally, retaining students is harder than getting them in the first place. Put a small add in the post office window or the local free paper and start with one student. Keep good records of their progress and plan lessons ahead.

Enjoy.

Thanks for the replies, folks. It never occurred to me that City & Guilds might do a teaching course. I'll look into that and compare costs with that of the (obviously more specialised) AB teaching course.

Thanks again x

I have a diploma (the first stage, DipABRSM with distinction) but no experience yet. Do people think there would be any point applying to music services/schools until I actually have some existing pupils?