The Vibrant Music Teaching Podcast | Proven and practical tips, strategies and ideas for music teachers

It can be hard to get your head around all the different diagnoses but

understanding ADHD, ASD and dyslexia can help you prepare properly for

your students. In this epsiode, we'll go through what these mean to

piano teachers.

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Everyone’s journey to becoming a full-time piano teacher is different.

Some of us had a smooth pathway from college to studio and others (me

included) took many more twists and turns on the way to full-time piano

teaching.

In this episode, I’m sharing my personal journey to

becoming a full-time piano teacher. This is not a prescription or a

recommendation. It’s just my story of how I went from a teenager handing

out flyers to running a studio of around 70 students.

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Most studios do not have tons of wiggle room in their bank accounts.

That's why it's important to assess your expenses and run a tight ship

so you can stay profitable and stay in business.

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So you have piano teaching policies...great. But do you follow them? If not, what good will they do?

Let's find a way to say what we mean and mean what we say.

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Undercutting the competition is not the route to a profitable studio.

Let's look at what your music teaching rates should be and how to change

them.

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Take a moment to decide what you want your piano teaching salary to be

and how you're going to achieve it. Your bank balance will thank you and

so will your mental space.

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Do you struggle with your mindset around money? Do you feel like you don’t have a good grasp over your finances or never quite seem to make enough as a music teacher?

It’s not surprising many music teachers struggle to make enough money and end up taking on day jobs to pay the bills. And that’s not because teaching music is inherently unprofitable.

It’s because we don’t talk about money.

We don’t face it head-on and say, “Hey, money, wanna be my friend?” 😍

So. Why not? Why do so many of us avoid even thinking about our finances?

I believe there are three biases that might be making you think of money as your enemy. 

1. You’re an artist.
2. You’re on a mission.
3. You’re female.

Even just one of those things means that society has taught you that money should be neither seen nor heard. And if you’re three for three? Well, that’s a tough one and I’ve been there. 

But none of those things should mean that you can’t make a good income, if we stop and think about it.

The gender pay gap is very real, but I don’t think any of us think it’s how things should be. (If you do think women should be paid less for the same work or that the jobs women tend to do have a lower value, please just go away. Thanks!)

Having a greater purpose behind our work shouldn’t mean that we don’t get paid properly, either. 

We need good people to do good work. In order for those people to have the mental space to do that work, they need to not be worrying about money.

And, finally, we need artists. At the risk of making you blush, humanity needs you to create beautiful things and teach other people to create beautiful things. 

Otherwise, honestly, what is the point of it all anyway? The folks trading on wall street and investing in silicon valley have nothing to play with if artists don’t create.

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The old model of the teacher dispensing information while students

quietly absorb it is dead. Good ridance, too. Now it's about building

great relationships with mutual respect in our studios.

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Many teachers feel like iPad apps are coming for their jobs. But are they really? What can we do to make sure we stay relevant?

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Sometimes teachers need some time off. When you want to take a trip, go

on maternity leave or do something else during regular teaching weeks –

these options can save the day.

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