piano teacher as singing teacher at school

[pianowolfi]

I'm an experienced piano teacher and I play also severeal lessons as accompanist at a scool for singing and choir lessons. Now our music teacher takes a break for one year. He had asked me to replace him during this time. Few weeks ago I had several tryout lessons with the 2 classes (16 y old) I was supposed to teach. The first two lessons I seemed to do a good job. But the third one was awful. I had the impression that the pupils disliked very much what I did. They also began to muck about and chat and I tried to be strict with them and to keep my balance. Though after that the music teacher asked them and they were saying they would accept me. but then I had a fourth and a fifth lesson and It was again awful because I didn't have the impression of being taken serious. They had that mean grin on their faces...    I thought about it for several days and now decided not to continue. I sort of felt thrown myself into a total different job, like I was supposed to be a goldsmith or st. I can't manage either. I don't want to spend my time to force people to do st they don't want to do or at least don't accept from me. The music teacher could tell them everything to sing and they would do it, but not when I want them to. And I don't want to loose my good mood and inner balance with always thinking about unsuccessful singing lessons. I just think I have not the mental constitution for all that. What dou you think? Anyone made similar experiences?

[stevehopwood]

Lots of sympathy, pianowolfi.

Experienced class teachers have acquired an authority of bearing that allows them to control adolescent children. This takes some time to acquire; they had many months of difficult teaching at the start of their careers.

Those of us who spend our lives as private teachers do not meet the problem of mass child control.

Yes, you were thrown into a completely different job. With a year to work at it, you would probably learn classroom control eventually. It might take a while to achieve, though, and could make you extremely unhappy.

I think your decision not to continue is a sane one. Life is too short to expose yourself to that kind of pressure.

Steve