pretty nice list of instructors there coach.. what kind of drumming do you do? (studio, session, gig, band, etc)

As for the sliding pay scale, I disagree with it as well. Where do you draw the line from beginner, intermediate, and advanced? This may lead to a lot of potential problems and some of your students may want to know why they are paying more or less than anyone else. To resolve this I think it'd be best to charge a flat rate for everyone. If a beginner started off with you and paid less and then progressed in skill with you would you then charge more? That just doesn't make sense.

[J.D]

If your student is better than you...you know you have done a good job in teaching them! Personally i feel that if my student is better than me, im really happy for them and i feel proud of myself because of what they started from to how much they have progressed till now.

If my student is almost as good as me or is at the same level than me or even still better than me, id reffer them to another teacher but i personally would also still try and show them what i can do and teach them techneques that they dont know if you know what i mean? Theres always something at the back of your head that you can play, explain and teach!

I usually charge about £15 an hour but im getting more and more students and im thinking about bumping the price up to £20 an hour? Probably wont but its just a thought.

Let me know what you all think.

[Damo]

A good list, but you missed the most important point!

MUST BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.

I always stress the need for qualifications as a TEACHER. Its not just about what you know or can do, but your ability to transpire that information accurately and concisely onto the next person.

[Stickman]

I started teaching in high school after my first students parents saw me perform.
I first gathered reference materials. Mostly from my own studies. I discussed it with my band director who to my surprise , encouraged me and gave me more reference materials and a set of lesson plans. Plus a speech on being prepared. In my mind your age is is not that important. Nor is that of your student. If you can communicate to the student and maintain a student - teacher relationship thats good enough.
You need a space in which to teach and/or you need to be willing to travel to the students home.
You must develop a method of fairly evaluating a students progress and be able to adapt to the students learning abitlities.
And yes, absolutely be able to communicate in a clear concise and personable manor.
Buy books, go to seminars, get video's, visit websites like this one, trade methods with other drummers, go to concerts to watch and learn, take mental notes.

[Stickman]

A separate note.
Teaching is joy for me, learning to mimick a students mistakes in order to demonstrate how to correct them has advanced my abitlities continuously. Sometimes the mistakes are awsome so I have to correct and encourage .
In teaching I have had the privilige of meeting some very fine people and sometimes helping people in serious need.
So really if you have the willingness, go for it!! Don't place any limitations on who you teach or the age's.

[tbirdwrig]

Hi, thanks for the useful tips from everyone. I'm also wanting to start teaching after playing in different bands for about 14 years and am finding this thread really useful. I was wondering if anyone had any practical advise on how to start teaching, such as where to advertise and in what way, and also as I'm feeling a little nervous and unsure about it is there anything that you would advise to build confidence or is it just a case of jumping in? For example did you do grades/volunteering/ or a course before hand and did you think this was useful?

Thanks

T

[Buddy]

Dont give em grades bro! Just dont! bad idea! Compliment them or tell them they need work bit NO gradz!! Az for me I picked up the sticks to avoid school, Im not good at it. So gradz dont sound like a good idea. Now confidence maybe try teaching a cousin, son, daughter, friend, for free and see how it oges. Ya know the whole guiney pig idea? And Advertisement. Well Facebook, add in the newspaper, call the radio, word of mouth (church is a good place to get that one goin) Itll probly be slow at fist but hopefully itll pick up!

[zap98]

The money is good. At least £40/$70 per hour rate, you can charge. Join a music teacher association that might be connected to colleges, etc, then they can refer you. The recession, less ppl spending on musical education.

You need the skills:

• Reading/Writing drum notation, charts.
• Stroke method
• Methodology

Then your knowledge about playing beats/rhythms, philosophies, all the passionate stuff.

The methodology might be defined as your way of teaching. Shall I start the student off learning just snare drum rudiments? Shall I throw in some rhtyhms and fills for fun to keep them interested? A syllabus?

You also need to have some kind of connection with your student.


I think anyone one with experience can be a good drum teacher. Your accreditations and industrial experience, will put you in good stead particularly if you want to be an educator (lectures, clinics.) An accreditation might not be official, but something like being an ex-student of a highly respected teacher/educator will gain respect and recommendation. Even at the teacher level. Students will recommend you to others