One should never teach for free. However this is not the same as saying that one should always be monetarily compensated for one’s teaching. There are many forms of paying. I would consider teaching a (very) interested and motivated student with a large capacity for work and willingness to follow instructions, but little money, and the payment would be in the way of advertising, if for instance s/he would be prepared to, say, enter a prestigious competition and winning.
However I need not be afraid on anyone taking up this offer. I had parents moaning about the price of piano lessons (possibly the same parents that have three new cars in the garage, go for Caribean holidays every year and have a country house in the mountains), and yet when I offered to half my price on condition that the little Mozart entered a local competition, there was general upheaval.
As many have said above, the sad truth about human beings is that in general they only value what they pay for.
Now, to comment on some things that Timothy said in reply #20:
Bernhard style, while an awesome way to learn piano, is not for the average student. We're talking targeting a small segment of the usual audience, those students who are unusually talented, unusually disciplined, and have extremely good parental support. Is that your target audience? Or can you find enough of that audience in your area to support you, while giving up your general education students?
Actually, it is the “untalented” students that most benefit from a daily lesson scheme, because they have consistent supervision. It is true that you will be targeting a small percentage of the student population, but it has nothing to do with talent. It has everything to do with commitment. Most children these days are overwhelmed with extra-school activities. They go to Karate classes, Art classes, Kayaking, Swimming lessons, you name it. Many of them learn more than one musical instrument sometimes two or three (at one point I had a student that besides learning the piano, was also learning the violin, the guitar and the clarinet). Usually such children (in the UK) come from families where both parents have demanding careers, and they need to have activities for the children to have while they are working. Typically such children, rarely see their parents: they wake up at 7:30, have breakfast and go to school. After school they have all the activities above, and come back home at 18:30, have dinner and go to bed. This is frighteningly common these days, and no one sees anything wrong with it. Such a child will not be able to commit to daily lessons, simply because they already have too many competing activities. This also means that they will never have time for piano, because they simply are not home, except for breakfast, dinner and bed. And since this is now pretty widespread (at least in the UK) your target market will indeed be small. 90% of my students come from atypical English families or families that follow a different cultural ethos (Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern).
Also parent support is not expected (but always welcome). Although I am not a Susuki trained teacher, I have read about the method, and I found Susuki’s book “Nurtured by love” one of the most inspiring books ever (highly recommended). In the Susuki method, parental support is essential because the child sees the teacher only once a week, so it is up to the parent to ensure that the child is following the teacher’s directions in between lessons. In my way of teaching such support is not necessary, because I see the child on day-to-day basis. Indeed, even practise outside the lessons is not necessary in the first few months, because all the practising is done in the lesson (as the course progresses and the complexity/amount of material increases, practice outside the lesson then becomes mandatory).
So, in fact one of the greatest advantages of daily lessons is exactly the fact that even children who are perceived as untalented, undisciplined and lacking in parental support will progress amazingly in little time, since nothing beats doing the right thing consistently.
Finally, I make clear from the very beginning that parents are not paying for a piano “lesson”. They are paying for a “course” of which the lessons are just the tip of the iceberg (preparation, materials, etc. are all included in the course), so payment is monthly
all months of the year . There are no cancellations, and even if the child goes on holiday for the whole of, say, August, payment is still due. I will make up missed lessons, and sometimes (near exams) will supply extra lessons at no extra cost as a sign of my appreciation for the parents providing a regular monthly payment year round. All of this is clearly stated in my policy, and no one has to take lessons from me. But if they do, I do not expect haggling.
Bernhard style teaching may also be beyond the reach of the average teacher. (there is after all only one Mr. B!)
Without any false modesty, I doubt very much it has anything to do with me. Of course daily lessons are quite different in that you don’t need to cram in one lesson enough material to last the student for a week. It is a much leisurely affair. It also means that you will be actually practising with the student instead of just listening and criticising. The whole approach is very different – much more akin to a fitness class where the instructor does the class with the student. Personally I find this much more motivating (and it gives me the chance to learn new repertory) then listening to little Mary murder Fur Elise for the umpteenth time.
The real disadvantage of this method is that you will not be able – as some successful teachers – to have 60 – 80 students a week (I try to keep a maximum of 25).
You need a CD of an 8 year old playing Rach 3, etc. So, if you had a child you thought would really produce, and you wanted to give it a try, yes absolutely I'd take a risk and give a price break. If you succeeded with a couple of students, and I mean well beyond what other teachers do on once a week, you might develop enough of a reputation that parents start demanding this approach.
Yes, this is a very good idea. I always video my students at 3 months’ interval: first week of lessons, 3 months and 6 months. Prospective parents who come for interview are shown some of these videos so as to know what to expect. Another thing that causes a big impact is the fact that many of my students attend the local school, and some of their friends learn the piano – not from me – and it is always shocking for the parents to see one of my students playing after three months pieces that their own children who have been learning for 3 - 4 years are not even close to touching. This is in no way a negative comment on other teachers (most of whom are excellent and dedicated beyond measure) or on the children (some of whom may be very talented), but rather the obvious observation that a 30 minute weekly lesson cannot compete with a system of daily lessons.
Best wishes,
Bernhard.
Topic: Would you teach for free?