I keep wondering what is the best time to start out teaching. I've prepared for the DipABRSM and will do that at the next session. I will be doing a teaching course very similar in content to the LRSM at the same time (just an unfortunate overlap of terms and exam dates). Most courses need you to be teaching before you do them, the ESTA courses, the CTABRSM, the online teaching course with ABRSM and the university course.

I have met with a few people who already teach and their advice does seem to be pretty universally yes you have the skills do it. I suppose I am having a crisis of confidence after being severely bullied during a school teaching placement by a couple of teachers who had a problem with the fact there was a shortage of RC placements and I'd been put in one despite not being RC (coming over here and taking our jobs...). I don't want to start off teaching feeling good lord who am I to try to teach someone, what if I don't know what I am doing, but heck there must be people out there with much less qualification and experience than me, in fact I have been taught by some!

When did you feel like you knew what you were doing? Before or after you started doing it? (!) How did you get going, did you start out with some friends and relatives or just print out a load of cards, get a website and go for it?



(I'm not entirely sure when to register as self-employed either, becuase I won't be working until I get some work but I wouldn't want people to see my card advertising for work and report me to the government for working when I am not working yet!!. Either way I will probably get small earnings exception at the end of the tax year anyway, but last time I registered as SE to start a business I never started it took 27 months to get them to stop asking me to pay NI. )

Being able to play an instrument and being able to teach are definitely not 'yes/no', 'black/white' things. I'm happy I can do each to an extent but by no means do I think there's not a lot more for me to learn. I started teaching before I even got Grade 8. I did it for a friend of the family (two separate families actually, who both lived on the same street). I figured that I wasn't going to try and bluff my way through, but I genuinely knew enough to give them a few pointers, and when I felt that I didn't have enough to say to them, I could pass them on to a more able teacher. I was honest with myself and the pupils and the parents. So far, though, I've not needed to pass any stuents on: I've always wanted to learn more and tried to stay at least one step ahead of my students! Once I started teaching, I loved it. It boosted my confidence and I realised it's something I can do.

As for registering as self-employed, you should do it asap. By doing this, you're not declaring any earnings, but just saving yourself a potential ?100 fine if they see you're advertising and not registered. If I were you, I'd firstly try to think of anyone you know who might want to learn*, if you're feeling a bit scared! But otherwise, just put an ad in your local music shop. Business cards and websites are additional things you can invest in later but so far I've managed to run a successful business without either.


* not close friends or family though... perhaps a friend or colleague's daughter/son, if you don't know them too well.

Aren't you allowed to advertise for potential work without being registered then? It's like saying that someone who has sent in their CV to apply for a job is employed! It's an extra £2 something or other a week in NI contributions that I can live without. It sounds like not a lot, but when you are literally earning nothing at all then being charged ?2.55 a week to advertise for work and having no idea when and whether you may ever see a penny of it back again it's a big deal.

First of all, deep breaths, and panic not, which is hysterically funny really, coming from me who can do a very good impression of a headless chicken when the occasion doesn't call for it.

What is most important is registering as a self-employed person for National Insurance contributions, regardless of whether or not you are earning enough to pay them. Also do as advised above make sure that the good old tax man knows you are planning on working for yourself, and will need a self assessment form. And also, don't forget, any forms you need to fill in for earnings on a self-employed basis will not need to be filled in until after the tax year finishes. So for the tax year ending next April, the earliest you will need to get a form off will be next October.

No tax or NI contributions will be collected until you are earning enough, they just like to know that you are working for yourself. And if you tell them, no one else can! Start off with a tax office, they will point you in the right direction, and do remember to ask them for the contact number to report your self-employed status to the NI bods.

That is good advice there. Two years ago I left my full time job to start a career in teaching, I wasn't sure how it would turn out and whether I would get any pupils. I decided to quit the job and have a go. Looking back on it now, I have no regrets and I find teaching very rewarding, but, there have been many times where I have lacked confidence and had doubts about my own ability as a teacher. I think that we all feel like that sometimes, even the most experienced practitioners do!

The main thing is that if you are not sure about anything then ask. You are doing the right thing by posting on this forum and putting forward your concerns and there are lots of experienced teachers here to help.

Teaching certainly feels like a big responsibility to begin with but after time you will get into the swing of things.

And as per previous posts - register as self employed asap!

Probably a few reasons for that. Primarily that if I do anything I generally want to do an absolutely perfect job of it and I like to know everything before I start. Second that when your situation is in any way unconventional you tend to have to be much, much better than everyone else just to seem as if you might be on the same level. There's a lot of prejudice about, even when I was in schools teaching reading and maths rather than something practical like an instrument I had people say "how can you possibly teach in a wheelchair?" (answer - sitting down).

And the other part is that whatever can go wrong goes wrong for me. Administrative processes do not like me. I have been issued with a death certificate by mistake, for example - ever tried proving with paper ID that you are you and that you are not dead? All ID issued before you "died" is automatically invalid. Last time I registered self-employed because it was a requirement of the local company that helped small businesses with starting up to prove you were registered before they would help you with even a speculative business. But that went wrong, like everything else 'government official' I ever touch and they claimed that I filed a tax return thus it was impossible for them to shut the business down as never having traded and could I provide full receipts and an audit trail for the business that never existed, never traded, had no equipment and resources, no income and no outgoings! And during the time it took to sort that out they wouldn't close off the NI account so while they were at it could I pay back a year and a bit of benefits I received because obviously I had been "working", when all I did was register a potential self-employment and then register not to do it after all, approximately 8 weeks later. I await them sending me a copy of the tax return they allege I filed, which for some reason they are having some trouble locating!! I've been arrested for using a false passport (yes, it was my passport, there had been a stop put on it by accident) and kept in security for hours for allegedly trying to carry a gun on an aircraft (it was a mistake).

It's a hard job to still look ahead with confidence and positivity when this sort of thing just keeps happening.

RoseRodent - have you considered writing a book? Truth really is stanger than fiction, isn't it? I reckon you'd have a best seller!
Now, back to your original question. I spent all day on the loo before my first ever student came. But it was fine - I was the "expert" and she treated me that way. If you wait until you know everything and everything about teaching, then you'll never do it. I'm still learning about teaching, both from books and courses and from my students - we learn a lot from them!
Do have some basic plans in place, as David advises. For sure your first student won't be available when you want to teach, for instance. Life is never black and white. But in the end, just go for it. You don't legally have to register as self-employed with HM Revenue and Customs until you have been trading for three months. Just be disciplined and put aside any NI contribution money and tax money when you do trade. Note that if you plan on minimal earnings, as I believe I read on another thread that you will only want to teach for a few hours a week, you may be eligible for low earnings exemption from NI payments - but this has to be agreed with the authorities IN ADVANCE. If you believe your earnings won't reach a certain level (can't remember what that is, but I'm sure it's easy to find on Google), then yes, register asap and claim the exemption.
Good luck!

I am also teaching although I do not have any grade so far. (I estimate myself to be grade 7 standard, and able to play several 8+ pieces). You will never gain confidence until you have actually done it.

I started with 3 children of friends, for free. After 2 years I put an ad on internet, on a buy and sell advertisement site (a local one, just one province). That was free. And I offered one free first lesson/interview, and after that almost 50% of a normal private lesson price. (I teach part time, and have another job)

You will have experienced the feed back of a real life student that talks to you and laughs and is happy to learn. And who is nervous and shy for their first lesson, so that you have to support them instead of worrying about your own capacities.
That alone can give you the confidence you need. Like Twinkle says, it is a matter of being honest. I charge less, and I will only teach what I can, and otherwise refer them to another teacher.

You will probably start of with only a few students. That meant for me that I had all week to ponder over what I did, should have done, should not have done, should have explained differently, etc. And the next week I could always make up for it. So no damage done.

Just make a list of activities you will do on the first lesson, that would make a total beginner enthousiastic about playing, parents will sit in on a first lesson, and when they see their child happy and enthousiastic, you have a deal. They must have the feeling that they have learned something right away. On their instrument that is, no dry theory. So PREPARE. To appear professional.

Nice you mentioned the ABRSM online course. I am going to do that too. You need to have at least one student by then ....
Good luck and just jump into it. You will gain confidence when you experienced you can do it.

I think David has given some good advice, be as prepared as you can, do your homework, have more than one way of teaching or explaining something, and then go for it.

Having professional membership, even at a student or affiliate level is also good, and do look around, MU and ISM are good, and for me EPTA, so do your homework there too.

Personally, and I'm not having a go at you Prins, I don't recommend teaching anyone for free, or offering discounts at below market rates. It is not fair on the other teachers out there, and you don't want to be considered 'cheap' and not very good. A proportionately lower rate, say taking into consideration experience or qualifications, but not too cheap! But no matter what you do, regardless of qualifications or not, make sure you regularly record, review and assess your own and alternative teaching methods. IF you are a very very busy person, what is your plan to develop as a musician. Even one new piece a month, which technically and musically stretches you will help your own teaching too.

Personally, and I'm not having a go at you Prins, I don't recommend teaching anyone for free, or offering discounts at below market rates. It is not fair on the other teachers out there, and you don't want to be considered 'cheap' and not very good. A proportionately lower rate, say taking into consideration experience or qualifications, but not too cheap! But no matter what you do, regardless of qualifications or not, make sure you regularly record, review and assess your own and alternative teaching methods. IF you are a very very busy person, what is your plan to develop as a musician. Even one new piece a month, which technically and musically stretches you will help your own teaching too.
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I know you are right about the free lessons, my teacher warned me for it as well, but it occurred very informal, and I do not wish to change that for personal reasons between me and those families. It is not that I recommend it, but I have done it and have no regrets. It works fine.

The cheap rate: I have based my rate on some other ads I saw with persons without official qualifications and thought that was reasonable and I chose the same rate. Most charge between 5 and 10 euro per half hour (I do 7.50) and teachers with diploma 15-17 euros.
I point this out to every parent that calls, and some choose me, and some decide they want to go with a more expensive teacher who has an official diploma. In either case it is fine I think. When I have grade 8 or even DipABRSM I will increase my rate. I am building experience now.

And I am still having lessons, practice a lot and am preparing for grades 6-8 in 2010. I took Grade 5 theory last week .... waiting for the result. I am really serious about it, but unfortunately in Holland there aren't any possibilites for professional development / teaching courses etc. outside the conservatories, so I discovered ABRSM only recently (this year), and am looking forward to the teaching course.

Good for you Prins, you are clearly taking your teaching very seriously, I just have a thing about teachers working for free, which is my own little foible! And I'm impressed you are working hard at your own instrumental playing too.

Thanks Jane
And best of luck to RoseRodent

I might just count my daughter! I wish the AB would apply for ILA accreditation, though, as I can't afford any of their course fees! I have up to £1,000 of funding available over 2 years and it can't be spent with AB or ESTA or indeed anyone that teaches what I want to learn!



Darnit, people keep saying that! I have a friend whom this sort of thing happens to also. He is forever calling me in bits because he is not allowed to pick up his mail from the university mail desk until he presents his university ID card, which is inside the envelope they refuse to give him because they posted it to him at the university. My husband has such a simple life, goes to work, gets paid. It never goes wrong for him. I often wonder what I would do with the extra time not having to gather evidence of non-deadness and such. Perhaps write a book!

If it makes you feel better, I've no qualifications towards music yet I'm putting students through grades after a year of being a teacher.

Good luck, and I hope all goes well, if the exama haven't already taken place!!

I did the same at one time - the examiner's feedback is good evidence of whether or not you know what you're at, for both you and pupils.

I would advise thinking ahead to when your pupils will be on higher grades too though. I said something about this in the thread about teaching instruments you don't play. (It's not really relevant to how many instruments you teach, though!) I can't speak for instruments other than piano, but it's possible to get a good mark in, say, Grade 4 or 5 with techniques that won't work at Grade 8. Even when you're teaching fairly simple repertoire, do be sure that your pupils have techniques that won't have to be changed or rethought when they start tackling harder/faster/ more subtle music - whether you keep the pupils yourself for higher grades or intend to pass them on to somebody else.