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I am a piano teacher and also the owner of Kane Piano Studio. I have more than 30 years of experience in this field. My clientele consists of more than 40 students, and I employ two other teachers who also teach students for me.
Each of my students receives a private lesson of 30 minutes each week. Most of my students participate in a New York State test of their ability, and we hold an annual recital every June. A common misunderstanding in my field is that it is easy, and that you only have to know how to play the piano in order to know how to ‘teach’ piano.
I would rate my overall job satisfaction at about a 6. The students of today are involved in far too many extra-curricular activities. As a result, they cannot possibly dedicate a regular amount of time daily (at least 30 minutes) to practice and to achieve satisfactory results. To improve job satisfaction I would want to drop those students who do not practice regularly due to lack of interest or because they are overextended with activities.
Sometimes, I feel like I have found my calling when a student shows sincere appreciation once they have successfully learned how to play a particular piece or have performed well. I then know I have done my job well.
I started teaching music privately after college. I subbed during the day and taught at a music studio after school hours. The money was better so I decided to teach privately and not in a public school setting. That was a mistake. I went for the better money right away instead of looking down the road for my later years. Now I have no retirement, no pension. I would probably have been retired by now and teaching privately had I taught classroom music instead.
One thing I have learned the hard way outside of the classroom is that the saying, "It is not always 'what' you know, but 'who' you know," is true of just about any profession in terms of getting into and succeeding in a certain area.
Nothing actually strange has happened during my career, but little kids will often say whatever is on their mind – they do not filter things out. I am sure some parents would be appalled by what their children have shared with me over the years.
I get up and go to work each day because I am not the kind of person who can remain idle for too long, and because I have a family to support and bills to pay. But on the other side of the coin, I do enjoy what I do and look forward to what each new day brings.
The biggest challenge I am confronted with on a regular basis is getting the students to commit to practicing each day. It can be very frustrating to have to say the same thing over and over, week after week, and see no improvement.
There is definitely stress involved in my job. Trying to keep the parents happy even when their children are not doing their jobs can become extremely stressful. The parents simply do not want to hear it. For some reason, a child’s lack of success is usually blamed on the teacher and not the child’s lack of commitment and dedication.
I make $30 per 30-minute session, which is the going rate for a degreed instructor in my geographic location. I am fortunate to make such good money, but I do have a bachelor's and master’s degree in this field, a great deal of experience, and I have been told on numerous occasions that I am a good teacher.
To get into this industry and succeed, one needs a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in music education.
My advice to a friend who was looking to get into this field would be to start your career in the classroom and then have a private clientele on the side. As I mentioned, I made the mistake of doing it in the opposite direction. I should be enjoying my retirement years at this point in my life.
If I had started in the school system as a music teacher I would be able to retire comfortably today and not have to worry about whether I have a large enough clientele to meet my overhead expenses.
If I could write my own ticket I would love to be teaching ONLY those students who want to learn and are willing to practice. I have no plans of retiring… ever!
Career teaching music image from Shutterstock
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There you are: sitting on the beach, covered in sunscreen, reading your favorite book, drinking your favorite drink under the cool shade of an umbrella. Life doesn't get any better than this. Suddenly, a door slams, a phone rings, a printer turns on. You jolt back into consciousness. You're at work, sitting in your cubicle, without even a hint of sunshine streaming in from outside.
When you're working a full-time job, finding time to enjoy the warm, bright summer weather can be a challenge. This is especially true for young professionals, as many of them are used to having summers off (or, at the very least, having a flexible summer schedule). But there's no need to feel trapped behind your cubicle walls. Go out and enjoy summer!
Here are a few tips for making the most of your summer while working full time.
1. Grab Some Foldable Chairs
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Keep a couple of foldable camping chairs at the office so you and a co-worker can catch some rays during lunch—whether it's in the park or the parking lot.
2. Keep A Beach Bag In Your Car
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Keep a bag full of summer supplies for your favorite summer activities. Having a bag (or, in my case, a backseat) full of towels, sunscreen, and swimwear keeps you prepared for anything. Friends hitting up the pool after work? You're covered. Once the clock strikes five, you can head to your destination of choice immediately.
3. Plan An Office Outing
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Plan an office field trip to the beach, the park, or the pool. Just do something fun so your brain can recharge and refresh!
4. Organize Group Walks
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Get a bunch of co-workers together and go on regular walks around town during lunch. (Or you could suggest a quick jaunt over to the ice cream shop.) This is a great way to get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.
5. Eat Lunch At The Park
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When you find yourself eating out, hit up places with a deck, porch, or patio of some sort. Obviously, eating out every day isn't really a feasible option for most of us, so look into alternative ideas as well. Pack a lunch and hit the park for your own little picnic.
6. Organize Office Sports
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Whether it's setting up an official office sports team or just hanging out with your colleagues a few times a week, playing sports is a great way to get out and enjoy the weather. Have a field nearby? Try setting up some slow-pitch softball games. Or see if you can get a basketball hoop for the office so you and a few co-workers can shoot some hoops at lunch.
7. Join A Professional Group
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During the summer, professional networking groups often have fun events like harbor cruises, pub crawls, and outdoor mixers. Find a professional group in your area and make networking fun this summer.
8. Have An Office BBQ
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Get your grill on! Talk to your boss about setting up an office BBQ. Ask everyone to contribute their favorite dish, side, or drink. Fire up the grill and relax! Hey, it's summer after all.
9. Wake Up Early
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Yes, yes, I know...waking up early is an incredibly painful and unbearable experience for some of us, but waking up even an hour earlier has its benefits—especially in the summer. Go for a morning run, putter around in the garden, or watch the sunrise with a loved one. Talk about starting the day off right!
10. Strategically Use Your Time Off
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Strategically use your vacation days around holidays. This way, you can make a potentially long weekend longer without having to use too much of your precious vacation time. Half days are also pretty awesome. It's amazing how much you can do with four extra hours! If you want an early weekend but don't want to burn up your vacation days too quickly, try taking a half day on a Friday instead of using a full day off.
11. Bike To Work
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If you're one of the lucky few who live within walking or biking distance of work, take advantage of it! Not only will you get plenty of fresh air, but you'll also save money on gas, which is always a plus!
There are plenty of easy ways to enjoy summer when you work a full-time job. So this summer, try out a few of these ideas and make the most of the sunshine and warm weather—while they're still around!
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