I'm planning on starting my own piano studio and from looking around i've noticed that most people only give half-hour lessons,my question is why only a half-hour when it seems like so much more can be done in an hour.I never really studied formally so i'm in the dark about this particular aspect of teaching.Also what is the standard rate for lessons? Thanks, D.J

-- daryl johnson (jazzlife@daryljohnson.com), January 22, 2003

Answers

Hi Daryl,

-- trudy shiba (trushiba@hotmail.com), January 22, 2003.

Hi Daryl, Oops! Sorry about the last post! I give 1/2 hr. lessons, and to be honest, sometimes I wish I had 45 min...but not quite an hour. Many times I feel that "going on" will sacrifice the actual "learning" of the concept. You could start out with 1/2 hour lessons, and then up the time if you feel you need to. (This way if you end up feeling that a 1/2 hour is sufficient, you wont have to reduce lesson times.) I charge $40 a month, and I don't pro-rate it. (used to...but I learned fast there...) Anyway, hope this helps! And good luck!

-- trudy shiba (trushiba@hotmail.com), January 22, 2003.

Daryl, You are very wise to be considering longer lessons! When I began teaching 8 years ago, I just did what all the other teachers I knew were doing, which was giving 30 minute lessons. Even with beginners, that is often not enough time. Beginners benefit so much from extra games and activities, getting down on the floor with the giant grand staff mat, etc etc. And of course the more advanced students take a long time just to play through their scales, arpeggios, etc, then some of their pieces are several minutes long. But the parents of my students have (mostly) not wanted to spend more money on longer lessons, since 30 minutes is what they are used to. I don't want to *insist* on longer lessons for current students (that is, to say they must take longer lessons or quit). But what I am now doing, which you may want to consider, is telling all new students, that their lesson time (and therefore cost of lessons) will increase as they advance. If I ever move and start all over, I will start beginners at 45 minutes, and increase lesson length when needed to an hour or more.

-- annie (no_name_poster@yahoo.com), January 22, 2003.

I teach only 45 minute lessons. I find it to be the perfect length for any age student (and for me!). I once taught in a studio that only allowed 30 minute lessons and I almost went crazy!

Lesson rates will vary with where you live and how much experience and education you have.

Just a question . . . but if you have never studied formally, why do you think you are ready to teach? It's not enough to be able to play well or even teach well. It's a combination of both.

-- Arlene Steffen (asteffen@fresno.edu), January 24, 2003.