i was thinking of taking a few students to teach some basic theory....

Just wandering whether you needed any qualifications to actually teach, or to be a certain age etc...


By the way, I'm 14....

What're your grades and how much experience musically do you have?

I'm

Gr4 Cello
Gr2 Piano
Gr3 Clarinet
Gr5 theory



sorry missed out music experience - playing for about 7 years...played a few gigs....not much really...part of a Wind band and a brass band...

Hi Freddo
No, at present you don't need any qualifications to teach.
It's not even necessary to be a particularly outstanding player yourself.

However, you do need to have plenty of patience, take everything in small steps so that your pupils feel pleased with themselves that they've achieved something, and give your pupils plenty of praise and encouragement. You have to be prepared for the fact that not everyone has the same enthusiasm for theory as you clearly do - they might not do the "homework" you set them and will probably come to the next lesson having forgotten 90% of what you taught them the previous week.

So, taking that into account, if you think you are mature enough to be able to remain cheerful and patient enough under those kind of circumstances, then OK, give it a go. Don't bite off more than you can chew - start with just one pupil. Preferably a friend of yours, or the son/daughter of one of your parents' friends maybe. Don't expect to be paid as such at your age, but maybe you will get some token "thankyou" present for your efforts.

Lots of teachers will throw their hands up in horror at the idea of someone as young as yourself teaching, and I'll probably start World War 3 with this posting! Many hold the view that even adults should be a qualified teacher before they start teaching (which is actually going to be case in the future). I have a teaching qualification and experience under my belt now, but I didn't when I started. Everyone has got to start somewhere. It's OK provided you don't mis-represent yourself - and clearly anyone bringing their child to you for lessons will know you have little experience and will adjust their expectations accordingly. You just need to try with one pupil first and see how you get on before taking on any more. Talk it over with your parents - what do they say about all this?
Best wishes,
Chris

QUOTE

Lots of teachers will throw their hands up in horror at the idea of someone as young as yourself teaching, and I'll probably start World War 3 with this posting

Not at all, at least not with me you won't !!

I agree if you feel confident you could give it a go with one pupil and see how you get on. I started teaching at 15 or 16 (can't quite remember !! ) and yes, you have to start somewhere.

Hope it works out. If it goes well, you need to set a limit on those free lessons, or you 'll be inundated ! Maybe you could decide to start charging at a really low rate after the first two terms or something like that.

Maggie

thanks for all your ideas!!

Yes i agree that i should just take one pupil - and yes perhaps someone that i know.

Patience - yes im ok with patience. i can understand how people can forget 90% of what they learn in previous lessons (i do it lots in school (especially in maths (lol)))

I think I might just give that a go...

Thanks for all your help everyone!!!!!!!

I think you could be a good teacher. I agree that people could be shocked that you're only 14 and teaching....but hey, they're living in the stone age really....



Oddball

QUOTE (cp697 @ Feb 28 2005, 09:09 AM)

Many hold the view that even adults should be a qualified teacher before they start teaching (which is actually going to be case in the future).

Hi

When is this change going to be coming into place?

Joy

If that happens there will be an awful shortage of instrument teachers .....

Hi,

I am 23 and having been teaching for nearlly two years now. And i still feel that people think i may be too young to teach. But with my long-term students i have proved myself. organised a concert, taken them on a trip, had competitions and exam progress, so I am quite happy now that my students know i'm not too young. i do wonder about new students and their parents however. i had one girl start singing lessons, and her mum was always asking the students that she saw before or after if I was any good? but I have proven myself to her now and her daughter thinks im great!

You do learn a lot when you start teaching, my playing has improved, my vocal range has grown, my theory work is now really good (even though I did my grade 5, 10 years ago) I have a degree and grade 7 in singing and piano, and i feel much happier going into my grade 8's and i am looking forward to working on my diplomas.

I have to wait 2 years to do a teaching course for singing because you have to be 25, but i will be confident by then because I will have a lot of experience under my belt.

So I think it's great to start young as long as you can prove yourself. Because when i'm 30 i will have lots of experience and qualifications and will be able to charge top notch

thats my view anyway

QUOTE (Trinity @ Mar 2 2005, 11:05 AM)

You do learn a lot when you start teaching, my playing has improved, my vocal range has grown, my theory work is now really good (even though I did my grade 5, 10 years ago) I have a degree and grade 7 in singing and piano, and i feel much happier going into my grade 8's and i am looking forward to working on my diplomas.

Hi Trinity,

You sound like you have a lot under your belt already... I am also a teacher, I teach piano, and am 22. I love my job, and have been teaching for 5 years now. I felt a bit worried when I first started as I wondered whether people would think I am a good enough teacher etc. However, we all have to start from somewhere, and the children I first started teaching those 5 years ago are still with me now so they must think it's ok!

I agree with the development of yourself, as I feel that since teaching I have really come out of myself musically, I used to be shy with exams etc.. but now I want to take as many as possible to keep challenging myself. I feel that the more I do, the more my students will benefit, as I will have a wider musical knowledge. That's also why I am currently going back and doing my theory grade 7 (tomorrow - arghh! )and grade 8.

It's so rewarding teaching, especially when the students pass exams with good marks, or those who find it hard, to achieve a good thing at their level.

Keep up the good teaching, and enjoy it.

Joy

Hi, re your question about when will instrumental/vocal teachers need to be qualified/approved ....... I don't know! I went on the CTABRSM course last year, and they told us that it was heading towards a situation where people will no longer be able to set themselves up as a teacher, without being on some sort of register. So having a qualification like the CTABRSM or DipABRSM(Teaching) will obviously help someone get approved. The course leader wasn't being pressed on a timescale for these changes, so I wouldn't lose any sleep over it yet! But leaving the actual qualification aside, I did find it really helpful to go through this process - e.g. being videoed teaching, having a mentor observe your lessons in person etc etc.
If anyone is interested in developing themselves as a teacher, then I noticed that there is a new workshop taking place in Autumn 2005 (ring Beth Walthew in Professional Development on 02074678257). It's called "An Intro to Instrumental & Vocal Teaching" - there's a blurb about it on this website somewhere under Teachers, Professional Development Courses. No experience is assumed, but you have to be over 16.
Chris

I don't think its a question of age but a matter of how well someone has been taught and how competent they are.
This year in one of my schools I have been teaching three children who failed pre-grade 1 piano exams, because they were taught by someone who was 15 and about grade 3 standard herself. Its really unfair on the children, and its not easy for the next teacher who has to sort it out.

I started teaching when I was 16 but by then I had three grade 8s - two practical and one theory. My teacher 'supervised' my students at first to make sure everything was ok and gave me lots of advice as I went along.

If you feel confident and know what you are doing then go for it - every teacher has to start somewhere, good luck!