Apologies if this has been done before
How many years have you been teaching music? Privately, in schools, whatever situation..........?
Full Version: How Many Years
Four years 
Started out with one pupil who paid me £3 for a half hour lesson - I was just learing how to teach! Then I got a job in a small music school, then with the local council, then a private school in Aberdeen, then at home privately... Best is at home privately - the whole atmosphere seems much more relaxed and I can talk to parents afterwards which is a plus!!
Started out with one pupil who paid me £3 for a half hour lesson - I was just learing how to teach! Then I got a job in a small music school, then with the local council, then a private school in Aberdeen, then at home privately... Best is at home privately - the whole atmosphere seems much more relaxed and I can talk to parents afterwards which is a plus!!
Thirteen years. I've always taught privately form my own home. My longest standing pupils at the minute are ones who have been there from complete beginners and have have stuck me for eight years.
I taught for 5 years from the age of 14, and I've been combining teaching with trying other jobs. I'm now focusing completely on teaching, since last year. I've only ever taught from home, and prefer that.
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 27 2009, 09:04 AM) 
Apologies if this has been done before
How many years have you been teaching music? Privately, in schools, whatever situation..........?
Seventy years. Started with piano at 15, qualfied at 21, taught piano, singing, 30 years at conservatoire, always privately as well, added recorder when I was 60. school music 12 years. Now only privately. Busylizzie. ARAM, etc.etc.
QUOTE(busylizzy @ Sep 27 2009, 09:51 AM)
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 27 2009, 09:04 AM)
Apologies if this has been done before
How many years have you been teaching music? Privately, in schools, whatever situation..........?
Seventy years. Started with piano at 15, qualfied at 21, taught piano, singing, 30 years at conservatoire, always privately as well, added recorder when I was 60. school music 12 years. Now only privately. Busylizzie. ARAM, etc.etc.
WOW!!
This must be a record amongst current forum members.Congratulations busylizzie!!
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 27 2009, 10:39 AM)
QUOTE(busylizzy @ Sep 27 2009, 09:51 AM)
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 27 2009, 09:04 AM)
Apologies if this has been done before
How many years have you been teaching music? Privately, in schools, whatever situation..........?
Seventy years. Started with piano at 15, qualfied at 21, taught piano, singing, 30 years at conservatoire, always privately as well, added recorder when I was 60. school music 12 years. Now only privately. Busylizzie. ARAM, etc.etc.
WOW!!
This must be a record amongst current forum members.Congratulations busylizzie!!
Indeed!
Have you found things have changed much over that timespan? And are you enjoying it as much as ever?
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 27 2009, 09:04 AM)
How many years have you been teaching music? Privately, in schools, whatever situation..........?
Not as many as you, no doubt...
(15 years - piano, privately, with lots of accompanying and playing also)
Coming up to ten years at home, seven years at college and three years at school.
So far I think I`m the second longest - 22 years!
When my children were little I gave parents a reduced rate because they had to look after mine whilst I taught theirs! Everyone was fine with that arrangement -sometimes even giving my children their tea!!!
When my kids reached their teens the household became a bit too noisy to be able to teach from home, so that was when I begun travelling to pupils` homes.
I`d like to go back to teaching from home, but I only have a one bedroom cottage, with a small front room. No room to swing a cat, if you`ll pardon the expression, let alone teach.
When my children were little I gave parents a reduced rate because they had to look after mine whilst I taught theirs! Everyone was fine with that arrangement -sometimes even giving my children their tea!!!
When my kids reached their teens the household became a bit too noisy to be able to teach from home, so that was when I begun travelling to pupils` homes.
I`d like to go back to teaching from home, but I only have a one bedroom cottage, with a small front room. No room to swing a cat, if you`ll pardon the expression, let alone teach.
15 years.
Classroom teacher for a number of years, including Head of Department.
Started teaching privately as I'd taken a career break to have my children, stuck with it as I found I really enjoy it and am quite good at it. Alongside being Musical Director at a church - very exciting, lots of musicians and singers, including youth and children.
Classroom teacher for a number of years, including Head of Department.
Started teaching privately as I'd taken a career break to have my children, stuck with it as I found I really enjoy it and am quite good at it. Alongside being Musical Director at a church - very exciting, lots of musicians and singers, including youth and children.
About 46 years if I total up right from the very beginning with a bit of piano teaching while a student. Then there were some years when I did both private and class teaching, a short break while we moved, then more class teaching. Then class and individual instrumental teaching in various combinations up to the present.
It's an interesting thread.
It's an interesting thread.
Just over 40 years for me. Most of it teaching piano at home, but I did 4 years as a school music teacher while I lived in Norway, which I really enjoyed.
Still loving my job!
Still loving my job!
..
About 22 years in all: 2 years to 2 children (free of charge) to entice them to keep coming to the church choir - before I was qualified as a teacher of anything at all. 1 year to 2 children while I was teaching science full-time in a school - my original piano teacher asked me to take them on as she was retiring.
Then I began in earnest 18 years ago to save my sanity when I had a small baby, and taught privately from home, later adding teaching in a prep school.
Then I began in earnest 18 years ago to save my sanity when I had a small baby, and taught privately from home, later adding teaching in a prep school.
QUOTE(Mezzo1974 @ Sep 27 2009, 03:43 PM)
QUOTE(just helen @ Sep 27 2009, 01:30 PM)
I`d like to go back to teaching from home, but I only have a one bedroom cottage, with a small front room. No room to swing a cat, if you`ll pardon the expression, let alone teach.
We also only have a one-bedroom flat, but I simply couldn't travel to all my students unless I would charge considerably more to make up for travel expense and lost teaching time. Same applies to available teaching spaces in the neighbourhood - all much too expensive. So it has to be the (rather small) living room for the time being.
What do we do? We always pick our living room tables by their weight, so that I can move them to the bedroom during the day - long live IKEA
The bay window area is blocked with a keyboard, PA/mics and music stuff, all shelving space in the living room is taken by music books and sheetmusic. It's not ideal, but at least it looks like a music room with a sofa and TV (and a little desk area where I do my admin on the PC) *lol*It is quite tight, our living room is really fairly small. We have a big dining kitchen though, so that makes up for it in a way.
MY OH also works from home, so he has another working space in the bedroom. Not ideal either, but it wouldn't work any other way. We simply cannot afford a bigger flat, and renting one just for more space would be stupid, apart from the fact that we would pay probably double as much for a flat not much bigger.
As for teaching years: Just over 5 now, I needed the time for performing and literally finding my feet - I only started teaching when I was 30. I think it was a good idea though, and I couldn't be happier with my job, space or not
I didn`t give the full story!
Since I have no room for a 'normal' piano I had to sell it and buy a digital. the action really isn`t good enough to teach on. And besides, it`s in my bedroom on the dressing table and I`ve no room for a stool, I have to stand when I play.! I can hardly teach my pupils under those circumstances!
Also my husband is unemployed and hangs around the house all day complaining. And he hates my music. We`re only allowed to listen to what he likes. It drives me nuts.
There`s absolutely no way I could teach from home.
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 27 2009, 09:04 AM)
Apologies if this has been done before
How many years have you been teaching music? Privately, in schools, whatever situation..........?
I taught for 21 years in the same borough -17 years in one school and nearly 4 in another.
I took early retirement and have been teaching piano privately for 15 years. Prior to that I was teaching recorder groups at home on a Sunday morning for a few years. I now just teach 3 days a week for a couple of hours after school.
Fifteen years, piano and flute, always from home privately. I started when my second son was one and I gve up my job as a Biomedical Scientist. My plan originally was to go back to my original job at some point but the teaching took over!
Recently completed a degree and am considering PGCE in secondary music.
Love teaching and playing and would not go back to science now.
Recently completed a degree and am considering PGCE in secondary music.
Love teaching and playing and would not go back to science now.
4 years. Took on some private teaching from a friend as I was looking into doing a PGCE. I'm now into my 2nd year of teaching full time since qualifying (having completed my NQT year in July). I love every minute of it and look forward to going to work every day. 
QUOTE(maledictis @ Sep 27 2009, 11:09 AM)
Not as many as you, no doubt...
(15 years - piano, privately, with lots of accompanying and playing also)
And not as many as quite a few others, Madam!!
.............................. As for me, it's been 36 years
QUOTE(Dulciana @ Sep 27 2009, 10:42 AM)
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 27 2009, 10:39 AM)
QUOTE(busylizzy @ Sep 27 2009, 09:51 AM)
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 27 2009, 09:04 AM)
Apologies if this has been done before
How many years have you been teaching music? Privately, in schools, whatever situation..........?
Seventy years. Started with piano at 15, qualfied at 21, taught piano, singing, 30 years at conservatoire, always privately as well, added recorder when I was 60. school music 12 years. Now only privately. Busylizzie. ARAM, etc.etc.
WOW!!
This must be a record amongst current forum members.Congratulations busylizzie!!
The main changes since I started teaching in 1935 are that whereas children were ready to learn classical music straight away, including basic 1.IV,V chords in aural work, nowadays not many take kindly to what I call the nitty gritty side of reading the printed music. I had a short brush with the "look at what notes I play, now you try it" without keeping eyes on the music, but found it held pupils back a great deal when they started to read the page. Once the idea of middle C being on the middle line of the Great Stave, not "in the middle of the keyboard," which of course it isn't, sank in, (and it is still middle C on the recorder etc.) the other notes soon followed. "find all the Cs, Ds," etc, the idea of octaves was easy to explain. The modern trend of playing easy jazz has livened up the repertoire, but I deploire "easy" versions of great pieces, which give students an exaggerated idea of their progress. OK, perhaps that sound stuffy, but I am entitled to my old opinions. Successful exam results, with only 1% failures over the years, seem to have vindicated me! Still Busylizzie.
Indeed!
Have you found things have changed much over that timespan? And are you enjoying it as much as ever?
15 years. I started by helping my own teacher, and also teaching my sister, when I was 17. Music/ psychology degree 1998, PGCE 2000, and have been doing this as my main/only job since 2001.
BusyLizzie - it's amazing to think you started teaching as far back as 1935!
Yes - congratulations ! I thought I was one of the older ones - but by the side of you, Busy Lizzie, I'm a mere babe. Been teaching just a bit less than 40 years - but with gaps so it doesn't really add up to that much.
Still - ahem - better update my siggie!
Yes - congratulations ! I thought I was one of the older ones - but by the side of you, Busy Lizzie, I'm a mere babe. Been teaching just a bit less than 40 years - but with gaps so it doesn't really add up to that much.
Still - ahem - better update my siggie!
Not sure. A total of about 3ish years, but spread out.
Had a couple of pupils off my own teacher (to prep them for a term or two, and then pass them on to her) when I was 13. Then during my A-levels (2 years) I taught 5 - 3 lil'uns, one teenager and one adult (mother of one of the kids).
Only returned to it this year, in Jan - quit my old job, got first pupil on Jan 27th, and now have 17 regular pupils and one sporadic one. Soon to be 21 regulars if the school teaching takes off from next week!
Had a couple of pupils off my own teacher (to prep them for a term or two, and then pass them on to her) when I was 13. Then during my A-levels (2 years) I taught 5 - 3 lil'uns, one teenager and one adult (mother of one of the kids).
Only returned to it this year, in Jan - quit my old job, got first pupil on Jan 27th, and now have 17 regular pupils and one sporadic one. Soon to be 21 regulars if the school teaching takes off from next week!
Hi! I am new around here and this is my first post. I have been teaching piano (and some violin) privately since 1992. Scarily that is 17 years. Surely I cannot be that old - I am but a girl! *Shock*
I've now clocked up 11 years
25 years - both privately and in schools (including 21 years at one school)...
W
W
I'm just starting my 33rd year of teaching *gulp*!!!!
I was a class teacher for 11 years, during which time my interest in music grew and I started to train gradually - then went part-time doing various bits of class cover as well as starting to teach music to primary classes - and slowly the music took over my life, almost without me noticing it happen..
I now only teach Kodály (bliss
) - in a state primary, at a Junior Conservatoire and to adults in both groups and 1-2-1 - also lots of teacher training, designing courses - oh, and writing Jolly Music!!
Heaven.
I was a class teacher for 11 years, during which time my interest in music grew and I started to train gradually - then went part-time doing various bits of class cover as well as starting to teach music to primary classes - and slowly the music took over my life, almost without me noticing it happen..
I now only teach Kodály (bliss
) - in a state primary, at a Junior Conservatoire and to adults in both groups and 1-2-1 - also lots of teacher training, designing courses - oh, and writing Jolly Music!!Heaven.
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 27 2009, 06:02 PM)
QUOTE(maledictis @ Sep 27 2009, 11:09 AM)
Not as many as you, no doubt...
And not as many as quite a few others, Madam!!
.............................. Sorry, couldn't resist - self-control is not my strong point
About 11 years private piano teaching and just starting my 3rd year of junior classroom music aswell.
What a fantastic amount of experience on here!!
What a fantastic amount of experience on here!!
14 plus years.
I would love to know how many ex-pupils continued with piano/music and whether any made it into a career. I know one of my favourite pupils is looking into Music Therapy when he has finished his degree in psychology.
My pupils were recently examined by an ex pupil of my piano teacher - the examiner was a similar age to me so perhaps we crossed paths during lessons
QUOTE(cambiata @ Sep 27 2009, 04:01 PM)
I would love to know how many ex-pupils continued with piano/music and whether any made it into a career. I know one of my favourite pupils is looking into Music Therapy when he has finished his degree in psychology.
My pupils were recently examined by an ex pupil of my piano teacher - the examiner was a similar age to me so perhaps we crossed paths during lessons
QUOTE(cambiata @ Sep 27 2009, 07:55 PM)
BusyLizzie - it's amazing to think you started teaching as far back as 1935! I hope I'm not being presumptious in guessing your age but you must be heading for at least 90 years old! Wonderful that you are still teaching. Good for you and for coping with modern technology on here
My husband's aunt was a piano teacher back then in Manchester and she left him her piano and all her music - including some AB exam music from 1933!I am sorry - I started teaching in 1937 - typing error. I am now nearly 87, but there are several important conductors who are 90+ and still going strong. Music is good for long life! As for technology, I got so tired of writing my compositions by hand that I really had to have Sibelius. It is easier to get published if you have done all the setting-up already! The emails and letter-writing are a bonus. Busylizzie.
QUOTE(busylizzy @ Sep 28 2009, 01:09 PM)
I am sorry - I started teaching in 1937 - typing error. I am now nearly 87, but there are several important conductors who are 90+ and still going strong. Music is good for long life! As for technology, I got so tired of writing my compositions by hand that I really had to have Sibelius. It is easier to get published if you have done all the setting-up already! The emails and letter-writing are a bonus. Busylizzie.
My father-in-law is 89 and has recently learned how to use Finale. We're all so impressed by this.
Great to hear about you, busylizzy. As my son would say - respect!
QUOTE
QUOTE(busylizzy @ Sep 28 2009, 12:09 PM)
I am sorry - I started teaching in 1937 - typing error. I am now nearly 87, but there are several important conductors who are 90+ and still going strong. Music is good for long life! As for technology, I got so tired of writing my compositions by hand that I really had to have Sibelius. It is easier to get published if you have done all the setting-up already! The emails and letter-writing are a bonus. Busylizzie.
busylizzy you have made my day!!! I have just been obliged to retire from part of my work (reached the grand old age of 65) and I am sick to death of people telling me I can't wait to retire from the rest. I can indeed wait and have no intention of giving up until I feel no longer capable. You are a great encouragement to those of us who really do want to live life to the full for as long as possible. Cheers!!
Aquarelle - I had part of that conversation with someone yesterday - I could not imagine giving up work.
Well said!
Well said!
A few years ago I was approached by an adult for lessons. I recognised the name (sort of) and after a bit of hard thinking discovered her name and address on a list of past pupils at my old school. However, as you will see from my name, it was a fairly common one at the time and there were about 4 or 5 of us in my year, so I wasn't quite sure who would turn up!
However, imagine my surprise when it was a particular "Susan" who had been taking lessons at the same time as me, as a child, with my first piano teacher. She hadn't really got very far with her lessons, but I'd pursued it more diligently, and here we were, finding ourselves as teacher and pupil!
Needless to say, her business life took over once again after about 12 months or so and she no longer has lessons, having a rather jet set lifestyle.
However, imagine my surprise when it was a particular "Susan" who had been taking lessons at the same time as me, as a child, with my first piano teacher. She hadn't really got very far with her lessons, but I'd pursued it more diligently, and here we were, finding ourselves as teacher and pupil!
Needless to say, her business life took over once again after about 12 months or so and she no longer has lessons, having a rather jet set lifestyle.
QUOTE(Aquarelle @ Sep 28 2009, 03:23 PM)
QUOTE
QUOTE(busylizzy @ Sep 28 2009, 12:09 PM)
I am sorry - I started teaching in 1937 - typing error. I am now nearly 87, but there are several important conductors who are 90+ and still going strong. Music is good for long life! As for technology, I got so tired of writing my compositions by hand that I really had to have Sibelius. It is easier to get published if you have done all the setting-up already! The emails and letter-writing are a bonus. Busylizzie.
busylizzy you have made my day!!! I have just been obliged to retire from part of my work (reached the grand old age of 65) and I am sick to death of people telling me I can't wait to retire from the rest. I can indeed wait and have no intention of giving up until I feel no longer capable. You are a great encouragement to those of us who really do want to live life to the full for as long as possible. Cheers!!
There are so many people out there who are working because they have to and for whom retirement is something to look forward to. We are a lucky lot who don't fall into this category! Lucky not only in that we enjoy what we make money from, but also in that we can continue to have a social outlet and means of mental stimulation, the lack of which is the reason so many older people fall into decline. So many people have friends who are work friends and interests that depend on them being still working. To have something that has no upper age limit in its pleasures and rewards - financial and otherwise - is a wonderful thing. Independence and self-determination are so very important. Long may it all continue!
QUOTE(Dulciana @ Sep 28 2009, 05:08 PM)
QUOTE(Aquarelle @ Sep 28 2009, 03:23 PM)
busylizzy you have made my day!!! I have just been obliged to retire from part of my work (reached the grand old age of 65) and I am sick to death of people telling me I can't wait to retire from the rest. I can indeed wait and have no intention of giving up until I feel no longer capable. You are a great encouragement to those of us who really do want to live life to the full for as long as possible. Cheers!!
There are so many people out there who are working because they have to and for whom retirement is something to look forward to. We are a lucky lot who don't fall into this category! Lucky not only in that we enjoy what we make money from, but also in that we can continue to have a social outlet and means of mental stimulation, the lack of which is the reason so many older people fall into decline. So many people have friends who are work friends and interests that depend on them being still working. To have something that has no upper age limit in its pleasures and rewards - financial and otherwise - is a wonderful thing. Independence and self-determination are so very important. Long may it all continue!
My husband - also a musician - is quite horrified to think that in 4 years time he has to retire from his University job. He still has boundless energy and enthusiasm for his job, but fortunately, the freelance side of his work can continue.
I've been teaching for 5 1/2 years. I initally taught at home, but since starting medicine (and back living in a student house!) go to pupil's houses.
QUOTE(Aquarelle @ Sep 28 2009, 03:23 PM)
I have just been obliged to retire from part of my work (reached the grand old age of 65) and I am sick to death of people telling me I can't wait to retire from the rest. I can indeed wait and have no intention of giving up until I feel no longer capable.
QUOTE(maggiemay @ Sep 28 2009, 03:25 PM)
Aquarelle - I had part of that conversation with someone yesterday - I could not imagine giving up work.
Well said!
QUOTE(Dulciana @ Sep 28 2009, 05:08 PM)
To have something that has no upper age limit in its pleasures and rewards - financial and otherwise - is a wonderful thing. Independence and self-determination are so very important. Long may it all continue!
I fully intend to keep going until I drop dead
(or lose my marbles)
(comments along the lines of "too late" will not be welcome at this point
)
I'm late 40s, intend to keep going until whenever. I love teaching, because it means I'm still learning. (Listen carefully and you will hear the sound of marbles dropping quietly but persistently)
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