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Standing
with Him
By Lisa Bode
Dear Sisters,
I remember when I last wrote this section – it was August, and I grabbed a handful of
newly-harvested cherry tomatoes from the kitchen counter and settled down in the office to write. The heat of the sun beat through
the window, and I recalled the pleasant busyness of that summer and looked forward, with mixed excitement and apprehension, to the
coming autumn.
Much has changed since then! I sit right now in the woods by our yard, surrounded by bare, still
trees. It’s an unusually warm day in December. Withered leaves carpet the ground around me, and all I can hear is the trickle of
the creek beside me and the distant traffic. Otherwise, all is still.
As I look over this past year, I realize with new appreciation that God’s ways are perfect.
They may not always seem so, but they are. During a dark season, it takes a courageous and persistent faith to hang on and say
God’s ways are perfect! – and then the sun rises and we look back and we realize, That really was perfect. God worked it
out for good.
Maybe the most vivid illustration God has given me of this lesson, is my teaching. For years I
wondered how – and if – God would merge what I saw as two aspects of my life – on one hand, my interest in writing, studying,
computer, and more “introvert” activities J, and on the other hand, my desire to interact with
people, to teach, to see their faces and talk to them. It seemed as if more and more of my life was spent in front of a computer
screen, and I desperately wanted what I termed a “face ministry”.
Then last year, at the suggestion of a friend, I began teaching writing classes to local
home-schooled students. Despite my initial nervousness, I soon realized what an opportunity this was – to have a ministry,
business, and educational challenge that required writing and studying on one hand, and interacting with people on the other – and
all right near my home. If God had given me two years to sit in my room and think about what would be the best thing for me to do,
I could not have come up with a plan this good J.
So I signed up to teach thirty-two students in three separate classes over the 2001-2002 school
year, and a large part of my summer was spent writing curriculum and preparing.
I have never felt qualified or capable of teaching. Yet is God’s will ever dependent on my
experience or abilities or confidence? This is just one more thing that God has set in my lap and called me to do. And if He has
called, He will enable.
September became an exciting month of crying out to the Lord every Tuesday, and watching Him prove
faithful to teach through me.
Tuesday morning I co-teach a high-school rhetoric and composition course with a friend of mine who
is an experienced teacher. I have learned so much from her, and am enjoying getting to know and work with our
eleven students. I
am so excited about the potential of each one learning to write powerfully for the glory of God.
I get home a little before lunch time, and my sister Leah (my terrific student assistant
J) helps me to set up for two more classes in the dining room at home. In each class I have ten
students ages seven to twelve. We write about “The Bat and the Nightingale”, three reasons birthday parties are fun, and other
exciting topics J.
I like being able to do all my teaching on Tuesday – I only have to get dressed up once
J! The rest of the week I spend some time preparing materials,
communicating with the students, and
grading homework, but I have enough time leftover to keep up with The King’s Daughter and other ministries, and serve my
family.
This autumn I have been trying to make sure that I don’t get too busy. It’s so easy in our culture
to just pile activities on our lives until we can’t do anything well. I’m learning especially to take time for family. My dad,
like so many others in this area, was recently laid off from his work when the company he worked for closed its engineering
department. Though we are praying he gets a job soon, we are enjoying more family time now!
Mom as usual has kept busy schooling the younger ones. Lara has taken on a few new piano students.
Jonathan and Leah are enjoying home-school debate club. It’s so exciting to hear them!
Lana and I enjoy sharing a room, and I’m trying to convince her to let me give our decorations a
makeover J. Anna and Lydia, besides being in my writing class, are busy doing school, learning new
homemaking skills, and playing together. Katie tries to keep us all happy and experiment with new crafts.
So autumn rolled on as smoothly as can be expected, and then I came to a sort of climax.
I have something to confess. I like the praise of people. I like to be liked. I want everyone to
think I am really nice. When I make mistakes, I want everyone to remember how well-intentioned and sweet I am
J. Sound familiar? Do you want this, too?
I used to dream about teaching – students smiling up at me, little teacher presents, thank-you
notes, comments like, “Oh, Miss Lisa, you’re the best teacher in the world! You changed my life!”
And then reality hit as I sat at my desk one afternoon working through a seemingly endless pile of
papers to grade, and simultaneously turning over a problem in my mind. I wasn’t getting the kind of adoration I’d dreamed
about.
My students are great students, and some of them are especially appreciative, but none of them could
meet my unrealistic expectations. None of them were able to give me all the affirmation I needed to stay encouraged and excited
about life.
Maybe teaching isn’t for me after all, I thought that afternoon. The problem was, I was
committed until May.
It took a few days of despondency for me to realize what God was teaching me. I was seeking
appreciation from people, not from Him. I was seeking to be loved, not to love. I wanted my affirmation from voices I could hear,
not from His.
Whose approval should we work for? Who alone can satisfy the deepest needs of our heart? Who loves
us more than anyone else?
The Lord Jesus Christ. I’m not teaching for my students’ approval. I’m teaching for Him.
What is life about, anyway? Is it me trying to teach writing, edit a magazine, serve a family? If I
think that, I become overwhelmed, frustrated, discouraged, and selfish. No, life is about trying to serve my Father. We are
daughters of the King. The core and center of our lives should be simply this: serving Him. The little details of life can so
easily suck us down when we focus on them. Our strength can so quickly fail when we lean upon it. And appreciation from others can
never satisfy our deepest needs.
I ask myself almost every morning, Well, what do I need to do today?
I think about papers to grade, chores to do, errands to run, articles to edit, people to see, places
to go. Yes, and somewhere in there I need to have a quiet time, too. How am I ever going to find time for it?
That’s not how it should be. I ask myself, What do I need to do today? And I silence the
flood of thoughts and know deep within my soul that today I need to worship, love, and serve the Lord Jesus. That is the most
important thing I can do. And as I give myself entirely to that, then He will be faithful to do all these other things through me.
As I focus on Him and work for Him, He will give me all I need.
I refuse to be overwhelmed! He carries the burden. I refuse to fear! He will enable. I refuse to be
discouraged! He will satisfy.
How different this perspective is! I have lived too many days despondent because somebody didn’t
like me, afraid because I couldn’t see results yet, weary because I was trying to do everything myself. God’s desire for us is
love, joy, peace – all the fruits of the Spirit – to be flowing through us as we abide in Him. Any good we do comes from
Him – every need we have is satisfied in Him. Seeking Him is the most important thing.
These last few months I have felt in my heart a higher calling. I am like many of you – raised by
Christian parents, saved at a young age, and since then I have grown in my faith. Now that I’m nineteen, with several years of
training, it’s easy to say, Okay, life is good. I’m a Christian; I do the right things; I’ve learned a lot. I compare
myself with others whom I judge as less mature, and I come out on top, so I’m doing great, right? I’ve reached the appropriate
level of spirituality; here I will stay.
And then I feel this higher calling. And I read about Jesus, and men and women of great faith in the
Bible. I hear stories of people like Hudson Taylor, Gladys Aylward, George Muller, Elisabeth Elliot. I haven’t quite gotten to
that point yet. And I feel this calling – that God wants me to get to that point, to go higher with Him, to know Him better,
to have all of Him. And I’m not the only one. He wants that for all of us.
Why do we hold back? Why are we content at middle ground? Could it be that we are seeking the praise
of people?
We don’t want to be too spiritual. We want people to like us, and well – maybe they won’t, if
we do anything “crazy”, like follow God with our whole heart. We would really rather not stand alone.
We face a decision daily. Who are you seeking to please? If you are working for the praise of
people, you will be discouraged, and you will probably compromise, and your need won’t be satisfied anyway.
Standing alone… being happy teaching… they seem to intertwine in my heart down to the same root. I
have sought the praise of people for too long. I have measured my success by how much they like me.
Sisters, I want each of you to join me in saying “yes” to God – no matter what He asks! Let’s know
Him as well as we possibly can. Let’s go to the highest point we can with Him and never fear what others think. Let’s obey Him
when everyone else seems to have turned back. Let’s serve Him when no one seems to notice, when no one applauds or appreciates –
let’s serve Him because we want Him to be pleased with us, and if He approves, well, that’s enough.
How simple our lives should be. Lord, what should I do today? I will worship, and love, and
serve You. That means I’m seeking Your approval. Do You want me to teach today? Okay, I’ll teach; it doesn’t matter what my
students think. Do You want me to serve my family today? Okay, I will; it doesn’t matter if they notice and appreciate it. Do You
want me to be a friend to someone today? Okay, I will; it doesn’t matter whether or not they’re a friend back.
It’s Tuesday afternoon, and I open the front door to see several of my students waiting on the front
porch – some giggling together, others playing on the porch swing, others having a conversation where everyone seems to talk at
once.
“Time for class!” I say. “Remember to take off your shoes!”, as one little boy charges down the
hallway. We leave a pile of shoes beside the front mat, and in a moment we’re all in the dining room, and the students noisily
find their seats while I put up the screen in the doorway. The last few students are a little late and involve opening the screen
again, which fortunately doesn’t fall over this time.
“Do you have candy for us today?”
“I don’t know if I can come next week…”
“Miss Lisa, Miss Lisa, you should look at my journal – I wrote a really good story…”
“I can’t find my homework planner…”
“I’m hot; can you open the window?”
“No, don’t, I’m cold…”
“All right, let’s all be nice and quiet now,” I say, with a look that means, “I’m sending a report
card to your mom today, remember.” I open my Bible and begin as usual with a short devotional before we start writing. I look back
up at the students, and I realize that I’m not here for me. I’m not here to be appreciated by them, and it doesn’t really
matter whether they love me or not. I’m here because God has called me, and I’m here to love Him – to love Him by loving these
students in front of me.
Wow, what a new focus. What a simple life! By God’s grace, the praise of people will not disappoint
me. God has called me, and I will obey. It doesn’t really matter whether I’m standing with a hundred admirers, or standing alone,
because I’m standing with Him.
Where are you standing?
“...for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10b. ©
Later?
By Katharine DeJarnette
“Tomorrow is another day.” Or is it?
James 4:13-17 says, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a
city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your
life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we
shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do
good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
How often do you find yourself putting something off “until tomorrow” or “until later”?
Procrastination is one of my particular downfalls. Instead of just putting things away, I tell myself, “I’ll do it later,” or,
“I’ll do it as soon as I finish writing this letter, or before I go to bed.”
“Later” turns into hours, days, weeks, and months. I pile things on my bed, promising myself to take
care of them before I go to sleep. But it gets to be bedtime and I find myself moving the pile from bed to window seat, saying,
“It’s too late to do it now. I’ll do it in the morning.” In the morning I say, “I have to eat breakfast. I’ve got school to do.
I’ll do it tonight before I go to bed.” It becomes a cycle, until I either have to use the item again, or eventually catch
up with “later” and put it away, or my parents catch a glimpse of the accumulated pile and tell me to take care of it
J.
And though I might smile, this unfortunate cycle has caused me many bitter tears. It naturally leads
to a disorderly bedroom and desk (waiting to be cleaned up later), and various other bad habits which cause me pain. The
pain comes not only in the form of hearing about these unfortunate habits from my family members, but in the form of conviction
from the Lord.
Does any of this sound familiar?
The Lord, using James, warns us not only of taking tomorrow for granted, but
also of procrastination. We
are told not to assume that there will be a tomorrow. We don’t know what’s actually going to happen tomorrow. Too often I find
myself thinking, “This is what I’m going to accomplish tomorrow”, instead of, “If the Lord wills it, I’ll accomplish this or
that.”
Then we are told in James that when we know what we should be doing and don’t do it,
it is a sin. I believe the Lord is speaking to us in this verse of how wrong it is to procrastinate. When I know I need to
put my things away now, and I tell myself, “I’ll do it later”, I am in sin!
The entire “do it later” mentality is completely wrong and actually a sin. (Ouch!!)
On February 28, 2001, I began a regular school day. One of the things I accomplished that morning
was writing on the importance of being prepared at all times for death, because we don’t know when the Lord will call us to
Himself.
Within only an hour or two of that writing, the Lord dramatically brought home to me the reality of
just how important it is to be prepared always for death or His coming.
About five minutes to eleven that morning, as I was helping my younger brothers and sister make a
time line as part of a school project, the ground beneath me suddenly started shaking, up and down, and from side to side, in a
rolling motion. I knew right away that it was an earthquake, because I had experienced several small earthquakes in the past
years. I realized almost right away that this was not a small earthquake.
The shaking got worse and worse, and my family took cover under the desks where we had so recently
been doing our school work. Objects were falling all over the house. The entire thing lasted for about forty seconds, but it
seemed a lot longer than that.
We found out afterwards that the quake was a magnitude 6.8 quake centered a few miles away from our
state capital. We lived only twenty or thirty miles away. After it was over, my family prayed together, first of all, and then
tremblingly began picking up the many things that had fallen around the house.
As we heard the news, we were amazed to see how little damage had resulted from such a
large quake. There were no deaths resulting from the quake, and only a few injuries. Through the remainder of the day, we
praised the Lord for His protection.
As I thought about this experience, the Lord brought to my attention that I truly cannot take
tomorrow for granted. I cannot live with a “tomorrow” mindset, because the Lord has not promised to give me warning of His coming,
or of the time when I will die. Instead He has told me to always be ready for that time. Can I be acting in a state of readiness
if I am constantly putting off today’s projects until tomorrow?
Please understand that I am not warning against planning ahead. In Proverbs, God commends
those who plan. I have noticed, though, that as I have a “later” mentality, I often do little real planning ahead. I am so busy
today catching up on yesterday’s projects, that I can’t effectively look ahead to tomorrow – except to promise myself I will do
today’s projects tomorrow! The Lord has warned us against putting off until tomorrow the things that we know we should be
accomplishing now.
We say, “Tomorrow is another day.” But we often forget that God hasn’t promised us later. He’s given
us the grace to live for His glory now. ©
Teaching Music Lessons from Home
By Lara Bode
Do you enjoy music? Are you able to communicate new ideas clearly? If so,
teaching music lessons may be a terrific job opportunity that you can do right from your home! You can work full-time, or as
little as half an hour a week. It’s up to you!
I have been teaching piano students for six years now. Although the information I am sharing is from
my viewpoint as a piano teacher, I think most of it will be equally applicable to those of you who plan on teaching other
instruments, including voice.
Am I Qualified?
This may be the first question in your mind. While you definitely don’t need a college degree in
music before you can start teaching beginners, be sure that your own level of playing is advanced enough that you will be a
competent teacher.
Ask your music teacher and your parents if they think you are ready to begin teaching students. If
they have concerns, ask them to make a list of things you should work on before you begin teaching.
If you feel there are areas of your musical training that are lacking, take the initiative to
improve. For example, I felt like I didn’t have a good enough grasp on music theory, so I ordered a renowned theory course
(Elementary Rudiments of Music) and worked through it. Now I feel much more competent in that area.
There is more to think about than just your experience in music. In order to teach effectively, you
will also need to develop the following skills:
ü Using time wisely
ü Explaining new ideas in an understandable way
ü Showing patience and creativity with those who do not “catch on” with the first try
ü Keeping control of the lesson
ü Pointing out mistakes kindly and helping students conquer them
ü Praising good work
Getting Started
A great way to get started with teaching is to begin with your younger brothers and sisters. Without
seeming like you are advertising, you can let it be known that you are teaching them. (For example, when a friend asks you “What
have you been up to lately?”, you can say “Well, I’ve started teaching Lydia piano lessons....”)
Be sure to have some advanced pieces ready to play whenever an opportunity arises. Be willing to
play for church, at weddings, for guests, or whenever you’re asked!
Your teacher may also be able to give you some referrals.
A friend who is a piano technician greatly helped me get started by giving my name out to many of
his clients. Because of him, a local music store began referring people to me also.
Finding a Teaching Location
I began by teaching most of my students at their homes. My family and I had two main reasons for
choosing this: 1) We wanted our piano at home to be available for my brother and sisters to practice during the day. 2) Since Mom
was home schooling the kids, we were concerned about the amount of interruption students would be, coming and going throughout the
day. Also, we were concerned that mothers of my students might expect to come in and visit with Mom during my lessons. While she
loves to fellowship with and encourage others, Mom needs a significant amount of uninterrupted time to teach school and keep the
home!
When I taught students at their homes, I added a $4 transportation fee to the tuition for each
lesson. This covered gas plus wear-and-tear on the car. I scheduled my lessons back-to-back, driving directly from one lesson to
the next. This arrangement worked out fairly well. I did find that there were some difficulties, including the following:
ü I was using one of our two family cars, which meant that when I was gone, Mom couldn’t go
anywhere.
ü Since we live in a rural area, I was spending a lot of time traveling between homes; it took me all
day to get in just 5 hours of actual lesson time. If one student cancelled, I was stuck with nothing to do for that block of time,
as there wasn’t enough time to go back home.
ü Some of the home environments were distracting. Often children in the home were noisy; the dog
wouldn’t stop barking at me; my student’s friends would ring the doorbell wanting to play (severely distracting my student from
his studies!); etc.
ü One of my main reasons for choosing piano teaching as my “job” was that it was something I could do
from home. When I was gone so much going from house to house teaching lessons, it felt almost the same as any other away-from-home
job.
However, all this is not to say that teaching at your students’ homes is a bad idea! I can
definitely imagine scenarios in which it could work out beautifully. For instance, if your students live right in the same town as you do, you may be able to commute to their homes and spend very
little time in the car. Perhaps you already know the families, and are confident
that they would be sensitive in keeping the house quiet for you while you are
teaching. If this is your situation, go for it!
(One more word of warning: be very cautious about teaching at the homes of students whom you do not
know. Some homes contain dangers that you may not be aware of.)
Two years ago, I changed my studio format and now teach students here at my house. To limit the
distraction to my family, we set up some policies right from the start. I teach lessons during set hours only (2:00-6:00 p.m.),
leaving the piano free for practice the rest of the time. Included in my signed written policy is a statement that parents do not
come inside during their children’s lessons. (I’ll explain more about the written policy later J.
The complete written policy is at the bottom of this article.)
If several children in the family are having lessons back-to-back, they may all come in at once, but the waiting students must
wait quietly in the music room until it is their turn; they are not allowed in other parts of the house.
Another option you may want to consider is renting a facility for teaching. I know one lady who
teaches at the local community center.
Setting Up Your Studio
My “studio” (more commonly referred to as the “piano room”) is conveniently located in a small
office-type room right near the front door of our house. We’ve found that having the piano in an enclosed area, rather than in the
middle of the living room, helps both my family and my students to work effectively.
However, if you have a smaller family (or a larger house), you could make do with your piano in an
open room. You just need to keep the area free from distractions, and be sure your family isn’t disturbed by the constant sound of
music or instruction.
Of course the most important thing in your studio is the piano itself. Be sure you have a reasonably
good piano, and keep it in tune! A beat-up or badly out-of-tune piano can undermine the reputation you want to build as a good
teacher. Remember Proverbs says that a good reputation is more valuable than riches! (See Proverbs 22:1.) If any part of your
piano stops working properly, get it repaired as soon as possible.
Wherever you decide to place your studio, be sure the area is ready for action before your lesson
begins. This means clearing away items that could be a distraction to young students (including toys and clocks), and providing a
chair for yourself as well as for students awaiting their turn. Also sharpen a few pencils, and set out any pens, stickers, or
flashcards you plan to use.
If you will be spending several hours a day teaching, you may want to consider obtaining a nice
chair for yourself. You don’t want to be suffering from a backache while you’re teaching! I use a padded folding chair (as our
piano room is too crowded for anything larger), but if I had more space I would sure appreciate a more comfortable chair!
The Importance of a Written Policy
Having a professional written policy will save you a ton of trouble! The parent reads and signs the
policy at the interview, so there should be no unpleasant surprises later. Although I do not always enforce all the regulations on
my policy, it helps to have them in place anyway; then when I do need to be firm, I have that signed policy to back me up. In fact,
I have never had a parent complain about my policy!
When is a Child Old Enough to Start Lessons?
As a rule, I do not take students younger than six years old. By the time a child is six years old,
he or she is probably capable of maintaining attention for a 30-minute lesson – especially if you as the teacher make it as fun
and interesting as possible!
The Interview
Before committing yourself to teach any student, I highly recommend that you conduct a student
interview. This is when the prospective student and one of the parents come to talk about taking piano lessons. I’ve found that
interviewing the student and parent before we start with lessons can save a teacher a lot of trouble! This is especially
the case when taking a student that you don’t know well.
What if the student has startlingly bad behavior? What if you are not comfortable with their family?
Do they strike you as being very undisciplined? You don’t want to always have to remind them about lesson payments and practicing.
If you feel some inner cautions about a student you are interviewing, don’t commit to teaching them! You can say that you
are planning to interview several students for this time-slot, and you will call them back. Then, take another student for that
time. Call the first student and kindly tell them that you’re not going to be able to take them; suggest they inquire at a local
music store for a list of other teachers to call.
Does the thought of conducting an interview make you nervous? I was pretty nervous about my first
few interviews with students. To help put you at ease, here is a rundown of how I conduct student interviews.
ü Preparing: First impressions can be very important. I double-check my studio
area to be sure it is clean, and set up several chairs. I make sure my personal appearance
is professional, but not too dressy. I print two copies of my written policy, and attach one of the
copies to a clipboard.
ü When they arrive: That first introduction is so important! I greet them
warmly by name, and take care to introduce myself by the name that I want the student to call me. I say something like: “Hi,
Mrs. Smith!” [smiling and looking her in the eye; then shaking her hand] [Then moving my attention to the student, with a big
smile] “And you’re Hannah? I’m Miss Bode. I’m glad to meet you!”
ü Things to discuss: While the mother reads through and signs my written policy, I
talk to the student. My goal here is to help the student feel comfortable with me, and also to mentally determine whether or not I
want to teach this child. Once the mother is finished reading, I talk with them about practicing regularly, faithfully attending
lessons each week, etc. Although these requirements are clearly laid out in the written policy, talking about it ensures that
we’re all “on the same page”. I make sure to give both the student and the mother time to think of any questions they might have
for me. Common questions include: How many students do you have? How long have you been teaching? What sort of training have you
had? What kinds of music do you teach? Do you have recitals?
Length and Cost of Lessons
Thirty minutes is a pretty standard length for a music lesson, although more advanced students may
need 45 or 60-minute lessons. I start all my students with the basic 30 minutes, and then increase it if needed.
The cost of lessons really depends on where you live. Before you decide on a rate, find out what
other teachers in the area are charging. Also take into consideration their training and experience; a concert-level pianist who
has been teaching for 20 years will probably charge considerably more than you or I should! On the other hand, don’t price your
lessons too low. If parents are spending very little on music lessons, they often aren’t as motivated to insist that their
children make the best use of practice time.
When I started teaching, I found out what other teachers in my area were charging, and then set my
rates at the bottom end of the normal range. As I’ve gained experience and rates in general have gone up, I’ve increased my rates
accordingly. In an effort to be family-friendly, I do offer a $1-per-lesson price reduction when I teach more than one child in
the same family. I have also at times given a special lowered rate to a few families who I knew were struggling
financially.
Practicing
Be sure to start by making your expectations clear at the interview with both the student and parent
present. Instead of assigning an amount of time for practice, I prefer to simply require beginners to practice each scale and song
3 times every day. Any additional practice requirements (example: “practice the last line 8 times extra each day”) are indicated
on the students’ assignment sheet.
For a practice motivation, I have a “goody box” that I keep full of all kinds of candy. Students who
have practiced diligently during the week and behave well during their lesson are able to pick a goody after their lesson. It’s
amazing how hard my students will work for that one piece of candy each week! (Note: Be sure to check with the student’s mother to
be sure the child is allowed to eat candy. If not, a special sticker could be an alternative reward.)
If a student is continually not practicing well, I try to find out what is really going on. Are they
rushing through their pieces the required number of times, and then racing off to play? If this is the issue, I will have them
begin setting a timer for their practice, and putting in a set amount of time each day. In a friendly and non-threatening way, I
also talk to the parents. After all, they are the ones paying for the lessons; it should be important to them that their child
make good use of their investment! Sometimes I suggest that the family schedule a certain block of time each day when the child
will practice.
Teaching Beginners
Starting a young student as a brand-new beginner is fun! In fact, I’ve started two brand-new
beginners just this week J. My goal with beginners is to get them counting and reading music as
quickly and effortlessly as possible. My all-time favorite book for beginners ages 6-11 is Edna Mae Burnam’s Step by Step Book
1. One thing I really like about this book is that it has students playing notes on the grand staff right from the very first
song. It also includes several pages of easy theory games. If you feel a bit insecure about starting a new beginner, you can
pretty much just read the first few pages of Step by Step Book 1 aloud to your student; the book’s explanations are very
child-friendly and understandable. There are also little practice exercises, so your student can learn “hands-on”.
The only other book I use with new beginners is Edna Mae Burnam’s exercise book Dozen a Day Mini
Book.
At a student’s first lesson I teach them to do C major scales, one octave, hands alone. We also do
lots of review with music flashcards; I’ve made up several different “flashcard games”, so there is plenty of variety.
Teaching Older Students
Piano lessons are not for children only! I teach several older teens, and have also had experience
teaching students who were my parents’ age. Teaching adults is very different from teaching young children. Adults are often
keenly aware of their own mistakes, so you usually do not need to point out wrong notes, etc. They may become easily discouraged,
particularly if they are beginners, and will need you to point out what they are doing well!
Be careful not to inadvertently treat older students as though they were children! This can happen
with “cheesy” encouragement, over-simplified explanations, altered tone-of-voice, using music books designed for children, etc.
Act like you would if you were showing a good friend how to do something.
I’ve had a difficult time finding an adult beginner music book that I liked. I have used Alfred’s
Basic Piano Library Adult Beginner Lesson Book Level 1; when we get a little more than halfway through it, we switch over
to Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Masterwork Classics Level 1-2. I like the Masterwork Classics book much
better, but you do need a basic lesson book at least until the student is relatively comfortable reading music.
Creativity
Over the years, I have had the privilege of teaching several children with learning disabilities.
This has been a real challenge for me! One terrific thing I’ve learned from it is a bunch of creativity! I’ve learned (or
sometimes invented, I think!) dozens of different ways to teach some basic musical concepts. Now I feel like I have all these
creative ideas ready for use whenever I want to pull one “off the shelf”!
For example, it was one of my learning-disabled students who inspired me to invent what we fondly
term “The Flashcard Game”. This sweet student needed constant drilling in music flashcards to improve his ability to distinguish
one note from another. However, I sensed that he was getting bored of the regular flashcard routine – with me holding up a card
and him trying to tell me what it was. So I made up a game involving flashcards spread out on the floor; he would win “points” for
each flashcard that he was able to answer correctly. Now many of my young students enjoy playing “The Flashcard Game” at their
lessons!
Each of my students has a notebook in which I write their practice assignments. That way neither of
us forgets what they are supposed to do during the week J! From my mug full of sparkle gel pens, I
let my students pick three pens for me to use on their notebook page. They also get to pick out a sticker to decorate it. Making
colorful notebook pages is just one more way that I can make piano lessons fun!
Awards
In addition to the goody box (which provides a weekly award for good work), I give each student a
certificate for completing a music book. At the end of some books, you will find a certificate to fill out; if one is not
included, I use Schaum Music Award Certificates and Seals. I fill it out in calligraphy (the students love this!) and put
the special seal sticker on it.
Teaching Rhythm
It’s amazing how many students struggle with rhythm! Be sure all your students have solidly
memorized how many beats are assigned to a whole note, dotted-half note, half note, quarter note, etc. Even if a student has taken
music lessons from other teachers, do not assume that they have been taught the basics of counting.
For students who have trouble counting evenly, hold your watch up to their ear so they can hear its
even ticking. Then try counting out loud in an even rhythm: One... Two... Three... Four.... You can also show them how to
march to strict time! If a student continues having trouble, it sometimes helps to count the beats aloud while they are playing.
Theory
Please teach your students music theory! It is very valuable and not difficult to teach. Theory
helps them understand their pieces better. Working on theory together also provides some variation of activity during the lesson,
so they don’t have to play songs for you the entire time.
Should I Take the Summer Off?
Many music teachers teach only during the school year. I have chosen to teach year-round, because
I’ve found that when students take a long break from lessons, their proficiency often decreases dramatically; they must then spend
several weeks or months re-learning what has been forgotten. Another benefit to teaching year-round is that it provides a more
consistent income.
Trouble-Shooting
Problem: The student does not behave well for you.
Solution: Praise any good behavior. Be sure your expectations are reasonable –
you probably
shouldn’t insist that a 7-year-old student look you in the eye at all times when you are
speaking! When real misbehavior occurs,
correct it firmly (without any trace of anger). Example: “Charlie, please do not kick the pedals.”
For those students who struggle more with behavior than with practicing, I use my “goody box” as a
reward for good behavior. If the student begins to act up, I give a warning. “You’re trying for a goody today, right?” is
usually all I have to say. If misbehavior reoccurs, I stick to my word and do not give them a goody (no matter how much they try
to cajole me!). If a combination of gentle verbal correction and rewards from the goody-box does not improve a child’s behavior,
talk to the parents.
Problem: The parents are often late with their payments.
Solution: Perhaps they forgot what was stated in your policy. Nicely remind them of the
payment schedule agreed upon. My policy requires payment for the month at the first lesson of the month. If a student does not pay
me on schedule, I type up a bill and hand it to the parent when they arrive for the next lesson.
Dropping Students
Since I started teaching six years ago, I have needed to drop a few students. This is never fun, but
sometimes it is the best way to handle a situation. The number-one reason for dropping students is that they simply are not
practicing. I give students quite a bit of grace in this area before deciding to drop them. First I exhaust my ideas for helping
them, including trying to motivate them, promising to reward them for good practicing, talking to their parents, etc.
If all these things do not help, and I feel as though I’m wasting my time and the parents’ money, I
go ahead and drop them. This involves talking to the parents and explaining that although I really like them and their child, the
student just hasn’t been able to put in the practice time that’s needed, so I think it would be best to stop lessons for now. I
try to be very understanding, saying that I realize they are involved in other things, and it is impossible to give time to
everything. This approach has worked very well.
Putting on a Student Recital
Recitals provide a terrific opportunity and warm environment for students to gain valuable
experience playing in front of an audience. Anticipating a recital also motivates students to achieve precision and excellence in
the musical pieces they are preparing! I try to put on two recitals each year.
One of the first things to think about when planning a recital is the location. If you have just a
few students, you may be able to hold the recital right in your home. Or your church may be the perfect place. If that will not
work, try other churches in the area. However, keep in mind that most churches will charge you a fee of at least $100 to use their
building. Parents of your students can sometimes be a help here. One of my
students’ mothers was able to arrange for us to hold a
recital at her church free of charge.
My next recital is going to be at a piano store. I was shocked to find that they will do all the
set-up and allow us to use one of their nicest pianos absolutely free! They enjoy the publicity and hope of potential sales by
having all these musical families in their store looking at the pianos.
Wherever you hold your recital, be sure the instrument is good quality and in tune.
If you have to pay for the location, divide the cost by the number of students participating, and
then charge a recital fee for each participant. There is no reason you should have to pay out-of-pocket for your students’
recital.
My spunky 11-year-old student Robert cheerfully informed me that the main attraction at my recitals
is the cookie table afterwards J. I do bring plenty of cookies so we can have an informal reception
to visit and reward the students’ wonderful work.
I also print programs for the recital. To keep things running smoothly (and avoid the situation of a
nervous young student running up on stage before it’s his turn), I announce each student immediately before they perform.
Ministry
Most Christian parents are interested in having their children use their abilities in music to
glorify the Lord. As a teacher, you can help facilitate this by teaching hymns and Christian songs. Alfred’s Basic Piano Library
has some nice easy hymn books in levels 1A through 4. Look at your local music store for more book ideas.
Think about taking a group of students to play at a nursing home. The elderly people love to see
children and hear their music!
I hope you enjoy teaching music lessons as much as I have!
God bless you!
Sample Written Policy
[my address]
[my phone number]
[Title of my studio]
Miss Lara Bode – Instructor
Policy
Lessons for an entire month are to be paid at the first lesson of the month. Checks should be made out to Lara
Bode. Parents should notify Miss Bode by the first lesson of the month if the student will be absent for any of the planned
lessons. If a student misses a lesson for any reason (vacation, illness, etc.), I must receive notice at least 2 hours before
the lesson is scheduled to begin. Rather than skipping the week’s lesson, I will work with you to schedule a make-up
lesson to replace the missed lesson. If a 2-hour notice is not given before missing a lesson, I must receive
payment for the missed lesson, and no make-up lesson will be scheduled. Miss Bode will choose music books to be purchased by the student. Until the student is 16, it is the responsibility of the parent(s) to see that the student practices. Practice is daily,
except Sunday. Discuss the length of time with Miss Bode. Students should arrive at a lesson with their hands clean and their fingernails short. No food, drink, candy, or chewing
gum is allowed. Music books are to be brought to all lessons. If a student arrives late for a lesson, the student will receive instruction for the remainder of the planned lesson time
only. Students who are unable to drive themselves must be picked up promptly at the end of the lesson. Parents should wait
outside for the student, and the student will be instructed to go outside when the lesson is over. For safety reasons, Miss
Bode will accompany young students outside to meet the waiting parent. At the current studio location, there are no accommodations for parents during the lesson. If the parents do not wish to
go anywhere during the lesson, they may wait outdoors. Tuition is [$$ lesson rate here] for a 30-minute lesson. If Miss Bode is teaching more than one student in the same
family, tuition is reduced by $1 per lesson for each student in the family.
_________________________________
Parent's signature
* A note on #2: Before I added this rule to my policy, I was losing a lot of income due to cancelled lessons. People
would cancel for any number of reasons: lots of homework, friends visiting, doctor’s appointment, student not prepared for lesson,
etc. Some students were routinely missing one or two lessons each month! Scheduling make-up lessons to replace missed
lessons has solved this problem for me. During the seasons of summer vacations and Christmas holidays, I do not strictly enforce this
rule. ©
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