Getting started teaching in the UK, what qualifications are required/advised?

[opus10no2]

I'm a selftaught relatively advanced pianist, capable of passing the upper grades/diplomas of ABRSM, but apprehensive to do them because I'm unaware of their value when it comes to starting a teaching career.
I understand most serious piano students attend music school and achieve things there, but what would be the sensible path for a selftaught but capable unqualified pianist to take to enter the music teaching world?

Thanks.

[honeywill]

The first thing you need to do is get some lessons or take some exams to get an objective view on your competence at playing. Then you need to learn about teaching methods and the psychology of handling students.
No formal qualifications are required in the UK - anyone can set themselves up as a private teacher, but if you want to teach in schools you will definitely needs some formal qualifications.
As a self-taught pianist, you have not had the experience of learning with a teacher, and it is highly unlikely that you would simply be able to start teaching successfully with no other input.
Please don't kid yourself that just because you managed to teach yourself you can somehow manage to teach others.

[ladybug10]

Yes, I absolutel agree with honeywill. You would need to have tuition yourself first. Or you would need to be honest with your potential pupils and tell them that you are self-taught and see what happens.

[opus10no2]

The first thing you need to do is get some lessons or take some exams to get an objective view on your competence at playing. Then you need to learn about teaching methods and the psychology of handling students.
No formal qualifications are required in the UK - anyone can set themselves up as a private teacher, but if you want to teach in schools you will definitely needs some formal qualifications.
As a self-taught pianist, you have not had the experience of learning with a teacher, and it is highly unlikely that you would simply be able to start teaching successfully with no other input.
Please don't kid yourself that just because you managed to teach yourself you can somehow manage to teach others.

I understand your point, isn't it a rather unique situation though?
I'm quite happy with my own progress as a pianist so to whom would I go to see to learn about teaching as opposed to playing?

Also, I understand teaching in schools demands more, but being a private teacher...which avenues of qualification can put one in good stead to compete with others?

Are passing ABRSM grades valuable at all towards any of this?

Thanks.

[thalbergmad]

Nice to see you back here Mr Opus.

Life has taught me that some people have qualifications coming out of their backsides, but are useless at their jobs. I have had one teacher in particular who had no qualifications at all but was simply naturally gifted at teaching.

I don't know you personally, but in years of reading your posts, I think you could well be suited for teaching and I expect lessons with you would be informative and amusing.

Cannot comment on how useful having letters after your name is, but if you want to get started, you could just develop your own website and spam the hell out of this place.

That seems to be the norm nowadays.

Thal

[honeywill]

I don't think passing exams per se is going to contribute anything towards your being able to teach. Studying for DipABRSM (teaching) might be useful - but you need grade 8 practical and grade 6 theory as pre-requisites.

Let's say I'm a parent of an 8 year old boy who wants to have some piano lessons - I've heard that you are starting up as a teacher and I ring you to make an enquiry - what are you going to say to convince me that I should let you teach my child?

[opus10no2]

Thanks Thal, there is that personality factor, finding a right fit, and if people like my approach and enthusiasm, I may be in good stead. Another thing I have thought of is to record a good quality piano video, showing my performing skills, and post it on youtube to attract interest and to attest to my own abilities for anyone who is considering being taught by me.

I don't think passing exams per se is going to contribute anything towards your being able to teach. Studying for DipABRSM (teaching) might be useful - but you need grade 8 practical and grade 6 theory as pre-requisites.

Let's say I'm a parent of an 8 year old boy who wants to have some piano lessons - I've heard that you are starting up as a teacher and I ring you to make an enquiry - what are you going to say to convince me that I should let you teach my child?

I understand, I'm just thinking, if I were advertising in a newspaper or online, which qualifications would hold most weight to have under my name?

If you were calling you are already showing an interest, but also perhaps calling others and considering them to teach your son.
I suppose I'd direct you to a video of myself playing, and I'd also outline a basic approach I'd take to teaching, instilling a technical base and disciplined ethic while encouraging a passion for piano playing and the music itself. Importantly I'd put the student's needs first...I'd simply ask what they want to learn and teach them it to the best of my ability.

What kind of answer would you like to hear if you were making that call?

Thanks.

 

[Bob]

Hearing an actual performance.  Having met a level for testing doesn't hurt.

Years of experience teaching and what those students are doing.


You could avoid saying "self-taught" and just say you "studied" music for x-number of years.  You could definitely cover it up a lot.  Say who you studied with when you did take lessons, and then that you studied music for a certain number of years.

The credentials part can really fade away if you have years of teaching experience and students who are doing/performing well. 

[myrrha]

Maybe you just shouldn't do it - if you cover it up the fact that you are not a professional pianist people will come and go because they won't make as much progres as they would make with someone who is a professional pianist. You can definitely set yourself up like that - there are a lot of people teaching these skill without really having them themselves. But it would be disappointing for both sides And you would not always be able to deal with your competition - there are thousands of real pianists out there looking for students everywhere. People do have a lot of choice nowdays. But I guess it depends on where you are actually located. You might get away with it and be happy in the end.

[honeywill]

I've never had anyone ask me what qualifications I have, and I don't advertise, so it doesn't really arise as an issue.

I started off teaching the daughter of a friend, who then referred me her best friend, best friend's mother and brother, friends of friends etc and things got started slowly but then grew by word of mouth.

If you want a general introduction to teaching, the Associated Board run several different introductory courses (look on their website in the teachers' section). I did the CTABRSM course after a couple of years of teaching and then the DipABRSM (teaching). I think those were both useful qualifications that actually taught me useful things about teaching, rather than being just a piece of paper.

The concern here is that you are entirely 'self-taught' and therefore haven't been exposed to any conventional teaching methods. It doesn't mean you won't be a good teacher, and to some extent I suppose you have to try it and see for yourself, but you could go a long way towards convincing me to give you a try as a parent by showing me some evidence that you know about teaching methods - have you read any books? been on any courses? How would you cope with a child who didn't "get it" when you tried explaining or demonstrating something - I learned the hard way that repeating things over and over and being incredibly patient isn't enough - you need to be able to spot problems and be able to deal with them effectively, understand how different children (and adults) learn in different ways - for instance, are you aware of the concept of visual/auditory/kinaesthetic learning? How would you go about incorporating aural training, theory, sight-reading, improvisation and so on into your lessons?

[opus10no2]

Maybe you just shouldn't do it - if you cover it up the fact that you are not a professional pianist people will come and go because they won't make as much progres as they would make with someone who is a professional pianist. You can definitely set yourself up like that - there are a lot of people teaching these skill without really having them themselves. But it would be disappointing for both sides And you would not always be able to deal with your competition - there are thousands of real pianists out there looking for students everywhere. People do have a lot of choice nowdays. But I guess it depends on where you are actually located. You might get away with it and be happy in the end.

What do you mean by 'professional pianist'?

I'm not a concert pianist, and the vast majority of piano teachers aren't either, they are 'amateur' performers and their profession is teaching.

[opus10no2]

The concern here is that you are entirely 'self-taught' and therefore haven't been exposed to any conventional teaching methods. It doesn't mean you won't be a good teacher, and to some extent I suppose you have to try it and see for yourself, but you could go a long way towards convincing me to give you a try as a parent by showing me some evidence that you know about teaching methods - have you read any books? been on any courses? How would you cope with a child who didn't "get it" when you tried explaining or demonstrating something - I learned the hard way that repeating things over and over and being incredibly patient isn't enough - you need to be able to spot problems and be able to deal with them effectively, understand how different children (and adults) learn in different ways - for instance, are you aware of the concept of visual/auditory/kinaesthetic learning? How would you go about incorporating aural training, theory, sight-reading, improvisation and so on into your lessons?

Well, being selftaught today is very different to being selftaught before the internet age...there is a vast amount of knowledge to be read on various websites, in books, on this forum.
Also watching educational videos and masterclasses, like those on youtube have formed part of my education.
It has meant I have had to absorb many different solutions and choose the right one for me or make or creatively combine them or introduce new ideas I haven't read about.

I've read a lot about learning piano, not much specifically about teaching it.
I just wonder if it's such a huge disadvantage never having been taught by someone, do standard piano students have a better chance of being good teachers?

There are a huge amount of pianists out there learning to an advanced level, a small number of them will be able to have a performing career but don't the majority of them either just keep it as a hobby, or teach?

I feel like I'm already a piano teacher, albeit one who has only ever taught one student, myself, and the primary skill I have to aquire is the ability to get the same ideas I have learnt through to students with very different minds to mine.

Thanks.

[myrrha]

What do you mean by 'professional pianist'?

I'm not a concert pianist, and the vast majority of piano teachers aren't either, they are 'amateur' performers and their profession is teaching.

And that's exactly the reason why most kids still can't play anything after years of tuition. You can only teach someone to do something successfully if you can do it yourself. And then comes the methodology with the Diplomas, degrees, dissertations etc. Not the other way round. Pedadogy does not exist without performance (present or past).

[myrrha]

I've read a lot about learning piano, not much specifically about teaching it.
I just wonder if it's such a huge disadvantage never having been taught by someone, do standard piano students have a better chance of being good teachers?

There are a huge amount of pianists out there learning to an advanced level, a small number of them will be able to have a performing career but don't the majority of them either just keep it as a hobby, or teach?

Yes, exactly. There are so many pianists out there who really know what they are doing. You can learn a language yourself and lots of othr things as well. But you can't learn to play an instrument efficiently on your own. I have had lots of students who taught themselves and then came for lessons and I had to start at the very beginning with all of them. It takes more time to get rid of bad habits than to acquire good habits. It just does not make any sense.

[fleetfingers]

I've read a lot about learning piano, not much specifically about teaching it.
I just wonder if it's such a huge disadvantage never having been taught by someone, do standard piano students have a better chance of being good teachers?

The only disadvantage that comes to mind is that, if you didn't learn to play the piano as a child, you may not understand how to teach a child. I'm not sure what age group you are wanting to teach, but if you want to teach children, I would suggest reading books about how kids learn - not just music, but learning in general. If you managed to teach yourself to play the piano, you can teach yourself how to teach. Just doing it and gaining the experience is really the best thing you can do.

I am a new teacher who does not have any degrees or certifications. I wish I did - I'm sure the knowledge I'd have gained in a music program would only make me better - and someday I'd like to take some courses. Nonetheless, I decided to start teaching now. When I advertise to get students, all I state is that I've been playing the piano for x number of years. I offer a free trial lesson, so the students and parents can meet me and observe how I teach. So far, I've only had a few parents ask me about a degree. I told them I didn't have one, but then confidently expressed why they should choose me as a teacher, and they signed up with me. I sometimes feel like not having more impressive qualifications makes me work harder to prove myself and really be good at it.

What I found interesting and didn't expect was that none of the parents of my 17 students asked to hear me play. They have since heard me play during recitals and when I'm playing around at the piano between lessons, and the response I get is, "Oh, wow. You know, I've never really heard you play." Anyway, just an interesting, little sidenote about something that surprised me. Parents are not really interested in how well you can play, they just want to be assured that you can teach their child how to play.

[cuckoo]

What I found interesting and didn't expect was that none of the parents of my 17 students asked to hear me play. 

This surprises me!  I speak from the parent's perspective.  I am a parent and I have always request to have a "meet and greet" session.  In this session, I bring along my child, ask questions.  I request the teacher to play to us, explain to me his/her approach of teaching, what is a lesson comprises of and of course the qualification part.  I need to be informed of all these before I sign up for my kids.  I know there are great piano performers but absolutely don't know how to teach music to little kids.  (I am not saying this is you).  So yeah, something bear in mind is: don't just play well but teach well.  Otherwise, kids might not ever play piano again in their lives!

[keyboardclass]

And that's exactly the reason why most kids still can't play anything after years of tuition. You can only teach someone to do something successfully if you can do it yourself. And then comes the methodology with the Diplomas, degrees, dissertations etc. Not the other way round. Pedadogy does not exist without performance (present or past).

Agreed.   I very much doubt you're any good as a teacher or pianist if you've not cut it with a good teacher.  I know this sounds harsh, but you're probably just passing on poor habits.

[fleetfingers]

This surprises me!  I speak from the parent's perspective.  I am a parent and I have always request to have a "meet and greet" session.  In this session, I bring along my child, ask questions.  I request the teacher to play to us, explain to me his/her approach of teaching, what is a lesson comprises of and of course the qualification part.  I need to be informed of all these before I sign up for my kids.  I know there are great piano performers but absolutely don't know how to teach music to little kids.  (I am not saying this is you).  So yeah, something bear in mind is: don't just play well but teach well.  Otherwise, kids might not ever play piano again in their lives!

Yes, that was my point. When parents come over to meet me, I give their child an actual, 30-minute lesson while the parent observes. Then, I discuss with them my teaching approach and answer any questions they have. They sign up with me after watching the way I conduct a lesson and how I interact with their child. One of my goals is to have them leaving my studio with something the child can play, so when they go home to their piano they'll be able to make music. That is what the parents want from me - the ability to teach their child. They really are not too concerned with how good of a performer I am. Like I said before, when they eventually hear me play, they are pleased...but to them it's almost like icing on the cake.

As a parent myself, I am more picky when choosing teachers and expect them to be good at both playing and teaching. Right now, I teach my own kids, because I don't know of anyone in my area who I'd be happy with. Having the right teacher is so important and it's a hard decision to make.

[sucom]

Anyone can set up a piano teaching practice but not everyone can teach sufficiently well.  In the UK, it is necessary to at least have passed Grade 8 before taking any students.  Anything over and above this would be an improvement.  Some believe that beginners don't require the best teachers but in fact, I would say the opposite is true.  Beginners DO need the best teachers if no bad habits are to form.  Trying to remove bad habits after several years of playing is really difficult to do and extremely discouraging for the student.

Without a doubt, I believe you should take the ABRSM Grade 8 piano practical exam and then consider the higher diploma with the same examining board.  The music colleges used to offer teaching diplomas for external students but quite a few now only offer this facility for their own students.

[keyboardclass]

Definitely agree.

[aintgotnorhythm]

First thing to do is approach it like a business.

As far as I'm aware, piano teaching in the UK is not regulated (maybe you need a CRB check though if you are going to be teaching children?) so whether or not you need Grade 8/diploma depends on
- who will your target customers be? children? what age range? adult beginners?
- what is the local competition in your target market and what qualifications if any do the target customers require?
- how will you market yourself to these target customers? word of mouth? website? advertising? getting known in the area for your musicianship - e.g. becoming a church organist? doing recitals? accompanying the local choral society?
- how much do you need to charge your customers to make it worth your while?
- how many hours each week do you want to spend teaching piano/preparing for lessons?

If you could enthuse my kids to enjoy their lessons and come home wanting to practice more then I wouldn't care what your qualifications were!

[keyboardclass]

If you could enthuse my kids to enjoy their lessons and come home wanting to practice more then I wouldn't care what your qualifications were!

Even if they acquire a bad technique?