8 Myths of Private Instrumental Teaching

Over the past 18 years, I have come across many myths surrounding the nature of private teaching as a professional occupation. Sometimes these myths are perpetuated by those outside of the profession, but I’ve come across plenty of occasions where they’ve been perpetuated from within.

I can only base this on my own experience, and on that of others I know. Everyone is different, but nevertheless, let me try and dispel some of those myths!

1. You only teach children…

Quite the opposite in fact. I currently teach pupils who range in age from nine to 75. 60% of my pupils are aged 18 or over.

2. You only teach after school…

I currently teach Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. 50% of my teaching currently takes place before schools finish. Mondays and Tuesdays I teach from 2pm to 8:30pm, Thursdays from 11:30am-7pm, and Fridays from 10:30am to 6pm.

3. You have day job…

No, all my income comes from freelance work, the bulk of it from teaching. Over the past 12 months, my income was roughly apportioned as follows:

  • 70% – Teaching
  • 11% – Consultancy
  • 8% – Diploma Mentoring
  • 6% – Composition
  • 4% – Other
  • 1% – Accompanying

I don’t have a spouse, partner or ‘other half’ with a day job either!

4. You only teach beginners…

On the contrary, I currently have very few beginners. I currently teach a whole range of ability levels from beginners right through to those working at diploma level.

5. You teach because you couldn’t be a performer…

Strangely enough, performing never much interested me. I’ve always been happy to play to other people, including in public, but I’ve never felt any urge to become a performer. Remember that saying, ‘those who can do, those who can’t, teach’? It’s not true. There are many excellent musicians out there who have dedicated their lives to being performers. Equally, there are many excellent musicians who have dedicated their lives to being teachers. We need both. Teachers are not automatically failed performers.

6. You teach privately because you couldn’t get any peri work…

I have been teaching for not far off 20 years, and in that time, I have never attempted to get any peripatetic teaching either directly in schools, or through music services or hubs. I have always taught privately and don’t have any desire to change that. There are many excellent peripatetic teachers, just as there are private teachers. We need both.

7. Private teaching is easy…

There is a myth that teaching one-to-one lessons is easy, and that as private teachers we somehow have a ‘cushy’ existence. One-to-one teaching is often compared to classroom teaching, the suggestion being it is much easier to teach one person than a class of 30. Personally, I don’t look on it like this: they are just different. I personally find that one-to-one teaching is pretty intense. You have to be 100% present in every lesson, 100% of the time. It’s tiring, exhausting sometimes. The hours are often anti-social. It’s very different to a lot of other occupations, but it is by no means ‘easy’.

8. One day you’re going to get a ‘proper job’…

No. Just no.

Oh wait…

I have a proper job already!

Have you come across any other myths? If so, share them in the comments below.


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8 Myths of Private Teaching