Like many piano teachers. I began my journey as a part time teacher. I had left the world of commercial lending to spend some time with my daughter when she was a toddler. Shortly thereafter my husband died which left me in need of funds, but at the same time.my daughter was still a toddler. I did NOT want to go back into the corporate world. Not. At. All. It did not spark joy. I love numbers, but my job had become a sales job. I’m an introvert and really love to be a homebody.
People started asking me to teach their kids piano.
I remember those days when I was so unsure about policies, how much to charge, and how to communicate with parents. At some point you just have to start and find your way as you go. A local church in my neighborhood has a school of fine arts, so I just based my price close to theirs and went for it. For the next few years I ramped up my teaching schedule to full-time. It was not overnight. When my daughter turned 16 and got her driver’s license, I went full force.
I would like to be able to say that I was able to succeed in this endeavor on my own merit, but honestly, most of my policy decisions were made based off of what didn’t work. It was definitely a trial by error and still is sometimes. I know many of us are trying to break free of traditional ideas of piano lessons and how they work. It can be tricky in some areas to break out of the mold and form a business that is sustainable as a profession. I still hold my breath when I do something new and out of the box.
And standing on honesty, although I had built a large studio by 2020, there were a few studios near me that closed in the vears afterward for various reasons which helped me sustain numbers without a lot of marketing. But that does not last forever. I’m so grateful to have a local group of piano teachers that support one another by sending referrals my way. But I am always trving to stay relevant and in the forefront of the community’s mind when they are looking for a teacher. I still think the best way to gain new students for an established teacher is just to teach well. That’s everyone’s goal, but it’s vastly easier in a connected community.
I hope that resources and ideas shared here will give you a few more tools for your toolbox and help you thrive as a teacher.
This was the first time I had a group of students large enough for a recital and when I really considered myself a real “teacher.”
Interestingly enough, it’s also the only year I talked my daughter into participating with lessons and a recital before she continued on with her love for horses.
She is currently taking piano fundamentals in her last semester of college as a one hour elective. Karma.
