Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum "Traps" new teachers fall into

Back to the OP, here are some things to consider:

1) Do have a policy that you consider to be fair, and *use* it. It protects you and the student.

2) Do have an idea of what you want each student to achieve, both in the long run and the short run. Plan out the year accordingly, setting milestones and work your daily plans accordingly.

3) Do familiarize yourself with the method books and repertoire that you will be teaching before starting to teach. The more resources that are available to you, the more flexible you can be with each student's needs.

4) Do reflect on your own teachers, what you liked about how they taught and what you didn't like, to help you form your own style of teaching.

5) Do not try to please everyone all the time. You will only succeed in pleasing some people some of the time anyways. Do your best to be understanding when that is warranted, but in the end there will be those who expect everything for nothing.

6) Do consider only teaching beginner students are first. That way you can focus on what they need to learn as a beginner: the technique, repertoire, what should be the order of what is learned, etc. Once you have a handle on that, then you can explore Intermediate levels. If you jump into all levels of playing at first you will be overwhelmed and underprepared.

7) Do be an Encourager, and not a Discourager. Even in rough days where kids don't practice or get frustrated with themselves, try to help them work toward a solution rather than dwell on what is or what isn't.

8) Do consider the learning styles of each student. Children especially may be very oriented in one way: Aurally, visually, or tactically. Understanding this will help you to teach them. Usually by the time a person becomes an adult, they have learned ways to compensate for their different learning styles and can often glean knowledge from two or all 3 styles.

9) Do continue your education by reading, attending classes and seminars, and conventions. I have learned so much from other teachers on how to be a better teacher, and I continue to add these things to my own teaching.

10) Lastly, do join an organization such at MTNA, where you can exchange ideas with other teachers, develop healthy professional relationships, and receive/give encouragement.

Some of the important things I've learned over the years are, in no particular order:

Don't try to "enforce" note reading too early, with good directional reading instruction your students will learn to read but always remember that it takes time.

Don't try to move too quickly,even if you see a student has talent.

Ensure that your student is playing with good tone, hand and body position.

There are benefits of group lessons of 2 when teaching young beginners.

Young beginners learn better by ear first.

Be confident when speaking to the parents. Don't let them push you around. Some will try.

Don't be afraid to discipline your students, they will respect you if you are serious about music. This doesn't mean you have to be mean, just firm and even-keeled.

Teach pieces methodically, and make sure each student knows exactly what, in which order and how many repetitions. Write out a daily practice regimen. (Most students need this structure)

Have a strict policy and stand by it.

Be yourself. Teaching-wise and personality-wise.

Don't be afraid to let the parents know if and when the student is not practicing or seems to be losing interest. It is more important to get the bottom of it even if it risks losing the student.

Don't be afraid to lose students. It happens.

Do give incentives for good practice habits.

Continuously advertise. Keep flyers in your car at all times in case you randomly come across a place where you can put up a flyer.

Applaud your students when they've performed well.

Don't rely too much on method books.

Keep track of your money! I use a ledger.

Charge by the month and not by the lesson. It's much easier that way.

Host monthly performance classes so the students become comfortable with recitals.

Teach your students how to bow after a performance.

I could go on, but I'll stop there. I'm sure I'll think of more in a minute!

No. It does not.

I would say the worst trap I fell into when I used to teach was to be so concerned about my students learning to read music that I avoided playing for them lest they "cheat" by mimicking me. Now I believe that the teacher's greatest and most powerful teaching tool is to CONSTANTLY play for their students, precisely because it uses children's natural ability to mimic, just as they learn to speak. There are so many nuances to playing music that can be demonstrated so much more easily than can be described in words, and playing for the student helps develop their hearing. When I go back to teaching, my students and I will get a great physical workout switching places on the piano bench. I would also incorporate a lot of listening to great recordings.

Join your local MTNA organization. They should have programs and events that will help you and your students.

Set long term and short term goals for each student. This can be done through Guild auditions or other similar programs.

Remember that each student will learn at his/her own pace. Praise all accomplishments. Let the student know you are proud of what they have done whether it takes one week or one month.

Be patient.

So it does not mean you're not a teacher. Is that your double-negative way of saying you're a teacher? If so, you should state that in your signature line.

https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubb...%20Pros%20-%20READ%20THI.html#Post962149

Yep, I'm a teacher. I was just giving a direct answer, in accordance with how the question was phrased.

Just curious, what do you teach and where do you teach?

Nyiregyhazi,

Did you say you can't pronounce your name?

Not only is it hard to pronounce, it's hard to spell!

I would think that is a big disadvantage. How do you cope?

It's not his real name, Betty. It's his screen name.
Read about Nyiregyhazi here.

Currawong,

I understood it's his "screen" adopted name, but it's still a disadvantage if no one can say it correctly. Yes, I understand he borrowed it from a Hungarion piano prodigy. Again there was no pronunciation key in the link, so I'm still uncertain of how to say the name correctly.

Now I'm wondering what the poster feels he has in common with Nyiregyhazi. The wikipedia information shows a very troubled life.

A comment was that he for 40 years he did not own a piano. Again, a very sad situation for someone with such strong natural abilities at age 3.

Thanks for the link, Currawong!

Yes, it's interesting reading. But I wouldn't feel I had to analyse so much. Apart from those who use their real name (like you!) many of us have screen names which may have no special significance. Mine for example has no deep psychological layers. It's simply the name of an Australian bird which sings. And as we're only writing here, not speaking, I don't find the pronunciation issue a problem. By the way, a time-saving way of writing a difficult name is simply to copy and paste.

Superior list! I'd like to respond to this one.

Just because a student can regurgitate a fact or a definition does NOT mean he/she understands the concept. Memory does not equal comprehension. When I first started teaching, I was satisfied with a regurgitated answer. Now I force the student to "say it in your own words" or "explain it to me in a different way." When students can demonstrate comprehension, they can begin to apply what they learned in new and different situations.

Mistakes I made when started out (I teach very few students and I mix composition and piano, so... :-/ I didn't add it in my signature. If I have to I will do so, though).

* More time. I'm TERRIBLE at time structure! Terrible. Even at uni, when teaching I take my time and often spend more time that I have to. Of course this is ALWAYS happening when I don't have another student after that waiting, or another course in the uni. But it still remains a mistake, cause I spoil my students!
* Money. I did it once and never did it again. Back in London, I got into a home of a rather poor woman (apparently anyways) and we agreed on an amount I wasn't happy with, but I kinda felt pity for the woman... We didn't have many lessons, she was an adult learner, loved music, but couldn't really cope, but still I didn't like going there and spending an hour (plus something to come and go) for such a low amount of money. Made me feel quite bad!

EDIT: I always use the name "Nikolas". Nikolas is not really written like this in the English language, but it is in the Greek language, so it is actually (almost) my passport name! And google loves my name as far as I know! :P

Spend time doing and less time talking.

Model practice in your lessons. You can't send a child home without teaching the "how" of practice. They have no frame of reference!

Model beautiful sound at every opportunity, whether it is in an exercise, a rote piece or improvising.

Build success into every activity by stairstepping from what the student already knows.

Assume nothing.

Ask many questions. They open the mind.

Build a relationship with your students. They are people first.

Well, aside from his troubled life, he did actually play the piano and make recordings (despite not owning a piano). I doubt whether a particularly high percentage of Cortot's fans were drawn by the cocaine habit, or that many of Cziffra's fans served time in a prison camp. I just like the unique style in which he played.

I'm a piano teacher in the UK.

Thanks. By "where" I meant, in a private studio, in a school program, etc. And as I'm being nosy, do you teach piano full time or part time?

Ah, mostly in a couple of schools. I do a few at home as well. I'm just on three days a week, so I can use the rest of my time to practise.

I think one trap teachers fall into is trying too hard not to fall into traps. You become paralyzed by the fear of not trying things out. Don't become paralyzed!

You have to jump in, take risks, and try a lot of new things.

You have to expect a lot of them to fail, but celebrate the ones that don't.

You have to realize nobody starts out perfect. The reason that all of us are able to tell you what the traps are is that we fell into them. Hard. Head first.

No matter how good or how bad you are, you will have some students who do well and some who don't. Sometimes they will do well or poorly because of you. Sometimes they will do well or poorly despite you. The only thing that will tell you which is experience, so go get some.

When you blame yourself, blame everybody. If a student does poorly, it's everybody's fault - yours, the parent's, and the student's. Encourage all to do better.

When a student is successful, give everybody credit - yourself, the student, the parent. Make sure everybody shares in the glory!