A few things I learned about teaching music

Growing up, I wasn’t the brightest student in my class. But, there was one thing that I was always good at. It was music. Music has always been a big part of my life. I remember getting my first guitar as a present when I was 8. Since then, I haven’t looked back.

When I was 22, I got my first job as a music teacher at a local community college. I knew I wanted to make a career in this industry and being a rockstar didn’t exactly seem to be on the cards. So, I geared towards teaching. I taught there for 5 good years. Those were some of the best years of my life and they taught me a lot. 

After that, I decided to open my own small music academy that now gives music lessons to about 50 students. 

And, in this post, I’m going to share what it has been like teaching music for over a decade now and what all it has taught me.

There’s a difference between playing an instrument and teaching

You could be the best pianist, cellist, harpist, or guitarist in the world. But, that doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to be a great teacher. As a teacher, you need more than just skill. You should have the ability to turn abstract concepts into speech.

I have seen this first-hand. I know great pianists who were never good at teaching. You must have the intuition to know what your students want and expect and you must know how to be at the same pace as the students. Otherwise, there will always be a mismatch at the frequency.

Patience

I believe this goes for anyone who is in the creative field. Be it painting, instrument-playing, or writing – you have to give things time. Do not expect to become the next big thing in a few months or even a few years. I don’t mean to dishearten but it can take easily a decade before you become comfortable with your style.

You need even more patience when you’re a teacher. Often you’re teaching the same pattern or chord over and over and the students sometimes just don’t get it. I know it’s easy to get frustrated. That’s why this point is so important.

Work-life balance is just as important as they say

Burnout is a real thing. It can hit you easily If you’re not careful and keep things in balance. And, this is coming from personal experience. 

When I first got into teaching, I was so pumped to shape young minds and teach them all that I could, that I forgot about other aspects of my life. I often felt angry that students weren’t practicing as much as I wanted them to or not taking things as seriously as I did. 

I learned the hard way that people move at different paces. You cannot expect everyone to have the same amount of discipline or passion for the craft as you do.

After that, I decided to take things a little more lightly. I never miss out on my weekends and I always spend time with my family to recharge myself.

There are some things only time can teach

Time is the biggest teacher. I often look back at the videos my father recorded of me as a teen rocking out on the guitar. And, I realize how far I have come. Even when I think about when I first got into teaching and the teacher that I am now, it’s a HUGE difference.

I’m much more polished, composed, and there’s a finesse to my playing. I strongly believe that these qualities only come with time.

Communicating with students is crucial

If you expect something out of your students, you have to communicate it. Do not just assume that your students or employees know what you want. If you don’t you will suffer a great amount.

You have to break down complex themes into simple easy-to-understand terms that my students could understand. Especially, when you’re teaching complicated techniques, communication is of paramount importance.

Never forget to have fun

Don’t get me wrong! Playing any instrument is a serious business. It requires a lot of commitment and it’s not for someone who wants to just fool around. 

With that said, it’s easy to become too technical and focus only on learning. 

The only way to break out of that seriousness is to have some fun. Play something just for the heck of it even if you’re messing everything up. Compose a new song! Create a new rhythm. Don’t like it? That’s okay! Just keep going.

Doing so will put you into a beginner’s mindset where everything is new. It could do wonders for your learning.

In Conclusion

During this past year and a half when the whole world was quarantined, I realized how much I missed teaching. And so, my plans for the future are to appreciate my job more and be more thankful for it. I also plan on having more ‘fun’ exercises with my students; something that all of us can enjoy!