The best thing about being a piano teacher can also be the worst thing about being a piano teacher:
No one tells us what to do.
For better and for worse, most of us begin our teaching careers modeling our own musical upbringings. We “should” all over ourselves (thanks for that phrase, Leila Viss), and try to recreate the experiences we had, as we remember them.
Of course, some teachers are saltier and take the opposite approach; rebelling against any and all traditions they can recall.
In most cases, the longer we teach, the more our eyes are opened to the world of possibilities in this profession of ours.
There is no shortage of degree programs and online offerings at every price point to help teach us “old dogs” new tricks, but – even then – our own personal biases and experiences are still at play. We have algorithms and opinions that tend to limit the variety of content that we consider.
I’ve been hosting the Beyond Measure Podcast – a weekly shoutout of solidarity for studio music teachers – since October of 2020. Since launching that show and burrowing my way into the lives of so many new Teacher Friends, I have come to understand several commonalities amongst “bored” piano teachers.
Here’s the thing: We can’t have “mountaintop experiences” every day. Some days are going to feel “meh”. It’s inevitable.
But if you find yourself perpetually uninspired, I have a question for you:
