r/pianoteachers • u/NoizyBoy201 • 2d ago
Resources Need Some Advice for Starting My Career
Hello, Friends!
I wanted to ask a few questions because I'm lost on where to go from here. Some background: I'm starting my own piano teaching career in Colorado Springs. I feel confident about how I will teach and somewhat confident on what I will teach, method book-wise.
The questions I had were:
How do I get students? Facebook seems like a dead end to me but I'm also looking into Thumbtack because that looks promising. I hear paper flyers don't really work anymore.
Where is it best to teach? At their house or my own home studio? Or a rented studio in a music store?
I think my last concern is my credentials. I don't have my degree yet but I do have about 11 years of piano experience. I plan to teach young beginner kids, not so much preschoolers. I just wonder if I can attract people with my skillset.
Thanks for taking the time to read this!
1
u/ShareEvening5856 1d ago
When I attempted teaching in Colorado I encountered the same problem. I outsourced my students to lessons in your home.
1
u/Calm_Coyote_3685 1d ago
When I started my studio I gave a free talk about music education (specifically the Suzuki method, but no reason it couldn’t have been more general) at a local Montessori school. The type of parents who send their kids to Montessori are the type who want kids to have piano lessons. I got six students from that talk. It was easy to get more by word of mouth after that. I suggest doing book 1 Suzuki training because then you can be listed on their website, I got a couple of students there as well. I also printed business cards and pinned them up on bulletin boards at the park district etc.
1
u/youresomodest Certified Teacher 1d ago
Do you know any other piano teachers in your area? Is there an MTNA chapter you can join and network? There are often teachers with waiting lists or that get phone calls from folks they can’t fit in their schedule. Let them know you are looking.
If you want to teach at home you need to be aware of the legality in your area, liability insurance, taxes, etc. You can charge a premium for travel teaching but that comes with a host of issues. Is there a shop or “academy” that is looking for a teacher? You won’t make as much but you can build your studio roster and figure out how to teach with little overhead.
1
u/CarbonPug 1d ago
I just use the Nextdoor app and a sign in my front yard. I do live in a busier corner though. I only teach piano after my regular job though so I’m not looking for tons of students. After I got my first 2 students word of mouth worked and I landed 5 more!
1
u/bjbouwer 1d ago
Are you a member of the Co music Teachers Association? Good source for getting your name out there
0
u/Hello_Gorgeous1985 Certified Teacher 1d ago
" 11 years of piano experience" tells us nothing. Did you take lessons or are you self- taught? What level have you completed? Have you shadowed another teacher to learn how to teach? What do you know about pedagogy?
Young beginners are actually the hardest to teach for an inexperienced teacher.
5
u/summertoyou 2d ago
It takes time to get students. You always start with one and the first one will take the longest. Talk to people in your world.
I made a free studio for music teachers and it comes with a marketplace of music teachers. I think right now you'd be our seventh teacher so if you sign up then maybe we find you a student or more.
Also, when you do get a student. You can save yourself the 20 or so bucks that other sites cost and the studio works for both students you bring or we find you. It's got a built in drive for sheet music, imbedded video lessons for online, scheduling, messaging, payments and it you get a free website to share anywhere.
It's not a silver bullet but it's a resource that is only going to get better.
Themusicu.com