TromboneChat

As someone beginning to casually teach/coach younger students hoping to move into more serious teaching, does anyone have advice on starting to teach, developing a studio, etc? I am in college so this would be more targeted towards grade school musicians. I thought this would have been discussed already but nothing I searched yielded anything particularly helpful (also, not sure if this should be in the Business section, if this question needs to be moved let me know).

One bit from my instrumental pedagogy teacher that has stuck with me long after I've ceased to teach instrumental anything was to use every interaction to re-direct the lesson to the task.

So, instead of greeting a student with, "Hey Jimmy, I saw your mother at Wal-Mart the other day!" you keep your small talk relevant... "Hey Jimmy, how are those eighth notes coming?" 

It sounds corny, but lesson time is finite and there's never enough of it to waste some on stuff that is not the lesson.


The other thing I recall from actual teaching is that even though your pedagogy classes might tell you here's how to handle situation A and this is what to say in situation B... every child is different and reacts differently to input and correction. You need to think on your feet and be ready when something doesn't work.

Thank you for the reply! I hadn't thought about making every moment worth it.

Most adults treat children like they are idiots. They are not. And they can pick up on the condescension. If you take them seriously they will take you seriously (in their way).

Play for them - demonstrate your points.
Let them play for you.
Play with them - matching pitch and time.
Play simple duets with them to conclude each lesson.

It's not easy to give any advice. But I would say be your self is an important route to go.  That means always be honest to your self and the people you teach. Have lot of good moods and be open. Of course always be on time and trustable. You just have to start and feel your way how to teach. God luck to you!

Leif

1. Patience

2.You must have the parents trust.

3. Concentrate on Tone development. What I find is middle school band directors are concerned with rhythm and right notes. its not they neglect tone quality has much as a time issue.

4. Be a chameleon. Every student is different and it is most noticeable when you spend one on one time.

5. Parents and students are looking for improvement...... in what chair they are in for all county, district and state bands. this past fall a high school student who was a senior contracted me about lessons to help him with his all district music. He lived an hour away. All he wanted to do was make the top all district band. I met with him two times for 1/2 hour lesson just before the audition. he soaked up everything I told him and worked with him on. He could play the piece and had a decent tone. He just needed some refinement......basically get rid of the marching band approach. To shorten this he made 7th chair for the top all district band. You would have thought he had won a million dollars.

The lesson itself: keep them playing and you play with them part of the time. Watch out for the students who says"Could you play that for me?" You will end up teaching the student by rote.
Be insistent but kind in your instruction.
One final thing, I do not tolerate is swearing......it not the way I do things.

This is a valuable thread!!
+1 to all 

This is a valuable thread!!
+1 to all