Tips to Get Started as a Piano Teacher
Today's "I Want to Be" series features Monica Rudy, owner of Monica Rudy’s Music Studio. She is wife to John and homeschooling mom of Clara (9) and Nicholas (6). When she’s not teaching, she enjoys crafting, baking and gardening. As musician, Monica performed as a member of the Pappas Family Recorder Quartet and the Early Interval. Find out how to connect with Monica at the end of this article.
How long have you had your business?
I
started teaching piano lessons from my home studio about fifteen
years ago.
What
led you to pursue it?
Music
has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Early in
our marriage, I needed a way to supplement our income. Teaching piano
lessons just seemed like a good fit. I would be able to set my own
schedule, do something I love, and be my own boss ;).
Are
you full time or part time? If part-time, do you anticipate
switching to full time?
I
currently teach very part time. As a homeschool mom with kids
involved in many extracurricular activities, I became overwhelmed
with the amount of piano students I was instructing. So, for this
past school year I cut back on my teaching and as a result had much
more fun working with my students. I love the flexibility to increase
and decrease my student load to fit our family life. There will be a
time again, I’m sure, when the kids are more independent and I can
devote more time to my studio.
How
do you market your business?
I’ve
tried many different ways to recruit students as I describe in my How
to Open a Piano Studio in Your Home
blog post. It is probably best to try many different things and see
what works best in your community. What’s been most effective for
me has been sending an introductory letter to all the school music
teachers in the district. In the letter, I let them know a little bit
about myself and include several business cards. I send this letter
at the beginning of each school year just to let teachers know that
I’m still around. Once you have a few students, word of mouth is a
very effective marketing tool.
What
is your favorite part of the business?
This
may be an obvious answer, but my favorite part of teaching piano
lessons is interacting with my students. As teacher and coach I am
constantly looking for ways to bring out the best in their playing.
It’s gratifying to see them evolve as musicians, help them reach
their goals and see the smiles of satisfaction on their faces after a
successful performance. I also enjoy just getting to know them,
learning about their hobbies, dreams for the future, their likes and
dislikes. This past week one of my former students (a boy who started
lessons around first grade) stopped by to say hi while on his college
summer break. It doesn’t get better than that.
What
advice do you have for others who want to get into a similar
opportunity?
Be
professional. Unfortunately, some music teachers have given the
profession a bad name by being unreliable and disorganized. This,
however, can be avoided by thinking through some of the following
questions before you get started:
- Where will I set up the studio?
- Where will parents wait?
- How much should I charge?
- What is my studio policy?
You
can find my thoughts on these and many more questions here.
Then it’s just a matter of being true to your word, being punctual
and providing excellent instruction. Joining professional
organizations such as the Music
Teachers National Association
can help you stay current in the music world and connect with fellow
teachers.
What
is the first step?
Be
prepared. Take time to set up your studio space. Make sure your well
tuned piano is located in an area where lessons won’t be
interrupted by others in the home. Think through what teaching
method(s) you would like to use. Decide how much you should charge
and how you’re going to collect payments. Write up a studio policy.
A good studio policy will make your life so much easier. Parents and
students will know exactly what the expectations are.
Once
these preparations are done it’s time to recruit students. And when
everyone sees how well organized you are, it won’t be long until
your teaching schedule fills up.
What
websites or books do you recommend for tips?
Here
are several organizations you might consider joining:
Here
is a list of books I have found helpful in running my studio:
- The Music Teacher’s Manual: Making Money Teaching Music by Steve Stockmal
- The Independent Piano Teacher’s Studio Handbook by Beth Gigante Klingenstein
You can read all about Monica's domestic adventures on her blog Homemaking with Monica where she shares recipes, craft tutorials, garden pictures and much more. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter.
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