How long have you been taking lessons yourself, and have those lessons been with one of the better professional players/teachers in the area?
How many years have you been in the All-State band? Honor Band? AYP? McDonald’s? other district, state, and national, honor bands or orchestras for which an audition is required.?
What is it about you that makes you think that you would be a good teacher for one of my students as opposed to another high school player in your area?
Will you be going to the student's home, or with the student becoming to your house, or to a centralized location where you will teach many lessons hour after hour?
How much do you know about teaching trumpet? DO you have students from past years that have made honor bands at the elementary/junior high level?
All of these questions, and more, come into play when I interview a high school student that wants to teach (or as we say tutor) students at my school. At your age if you got a job at McDonald’s you would get paid about $5.15/hour. The young men and ladies who teach my students get a studio of 10 students maximum and they make double minimum wage the first year I use them. The second year they make $1-2 dollars an hour more (based upon the success of their students), and after that we’ll negotiate a price. I rarely have young teacher stay with me for more than 3 years because they can then go out as a college student and start a studio on their own.
No student is allowed to teach for me unless they have:
1) Taken lessons from a teacher I approve of for at least 2-years.
2) Made the All-state band at least once.
3) Agree to teach using the books and methods I suggest.
If they choose to not teach my students by my guidelines there are at least 5 more students waiting to take their place. Teaching 10 students they are making $55/week. That pays them double minimum wage plus a little for gas to get to my school. They teach 5 hours straight after school on one day, and they are excused from the high school band rehearsal on those days.
I have had some people tell me that I pay too little, but I tell them that I set up the studio for them, and they would have to work 10 hours a week at a fast food place to make the same amount as I pay them. They are also guaranteed payment from me even if a student skips a lesson.
I currently have 7 students teaching at my school – a total of about 65 students. If they don’t have a full studio they get $5/lesson off, but still get the full gas stipend.
I hope I have helped you a little. I started teaching lessons in 10th grade and had a full studio while in college. I used my experience to make a name for myself, and after I had some students start making All-State and AYP and McDonald’s I had a waiting list.
Good luck to you! Private teaching can be very rewarding, but don’t go into it assuming you know it all! Be open to the idea of asking older, more experienced people for suggestions that may make you a more effective teacher.
_________________ "To be a teacher you need to be as good a performer as you can be: you'll have more to impart to your students musically." - John Haynie
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