A New Teacher + Some Ways to Better Yourself As a Piano Teacher

   In 2009 (I think it was 2009) I taught my very first piano student. If I really think about it, I was a terrible teacher. Not that I was grumpy and unfriendly or anything. In fact that half year of teaching cemented in my mind the reality that yes, I did want to become a piano teacher, because I enjoyed it so much. I just honestly had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I was completely unqualified. There was so much I should have taught her that I didn't even know about, even just basic things. 

   For a new piano teacher having a good, qualified teacher makes a huge difference in how well they will be able to teach. I have learned so much from my current teacher. For a piano student, having a teacher who is constantly learning and working to improve herself (or himself ) makes a great difference in how well they will be able to play piano. 

   I really hope that my present students are benefiting from their lessons more than my first student. Honestly, I still worry that I am not a very good teacher. But the difference between then and now is that I am being taught how to teach. 

Ways to better yourself as a piano teacher:

-find the best music teacher in your area 

-attend other people's music lessons (especially beginner lessons) 

-read a lot (books, magazine and website articles, blogs)

-research a lot