Hi,

I am currently 23 years old, passed ABRSM Grade 5. Studying towards grade 6. One of my aims is to get Grade 8 and teach beginners the piano.

Im not exactly a virtuoso pianist, but what is considered "good" enough to be able to start teaching beginners?

I know the basics of piano, layout of the keyboard, I know all the scales in every key and appeggios, my sight reading is not very good, all though has improved.

I have a good technique and can play an 11th chord in the left hand without much trouble. I can go from the G below middle C to the C above middle C with middle C and E in the middle making a C Major chord.

I can do a 10th in the right hand, if really stretched can do 11th but not as easily as left hand.

What do you think the requirements are to atleast teach beginners? All though there isnt any "offical" rules as such.

Afterall anyone could call thereself a piano teacher couldnt they?

You've said a few things about how you play, and how big your stretch is. You've said nothing regarding what you know about teaching.

I lot of people who want to teach work first with an established teacher - sort of as an apprentice - in order to develop teaching skills.

I'm not sure what the standards are in the UK.


Yes, at least in the US. Scary thought.

Daoc 2009,
Your own teacher knows you best. What does your teacher say about your teaching?

A pass at ABRSM Grade 5 isn't the green light to start teaching beginners. From what you've said about yourself, you still have some way to go on your own journey to become an accomplished pianist, and teaching itself requries a whole other skill set on top.

I would steer clear of attempting to teach anyone at the moment. Instead I would use the time you have between where you are now and reachig Grade 8 level to study/learn everything you can about what it takes to teach Piano so that when you achieve your Grade 8, you can then start to think about studing under a Teacher to train as a Teacher and perhaps pursue further professional level training e.g. in the ABRSM framework you can do CT ABRSM in Teaching or the various Diplomas (at 3 levels) which have more of a teaching slant rather than performance.

Knowing how to teach, especially giving beginners foundations, seems to be important
teacher discussion on transfer students

I agree that knowing *how to teach* is the most important thing. Just knowing how to play the piano at a decent level says nothing about your ability to teach.

When I was in music school, I took piano pedagogy classes and did some student teaching observed by very respected, accomplished teachers. That experience is what got me *started* on the road to becoming a good teacher.

Also, you have to do a lot of research into all the available piano methods for beginners so that you choose something that makes sense to you and that you can get excited about working with. Beginners need their teachers to really believe in what they are doing.

May I add a comment (from a position of pure ignorance)?

Please don't take this the wrong way. You are obviously developing very well as a pianist and it is great that you want to impart your skill to others, but the impression I gleaned from your opening post was that your focus is more on the technical aspects and less on becoming a musician in the widest sense.

I am an adult learner so my comments might be irrelevant but I would want someone who taught me to have a wide understanding of and a depth of knowledge about music. That is before we get into teaching skills. Admittedly youngsters (and parents) might look at things differently.

(I am actually pondering about how to find a teacher as it happens, so these things are weighing on my mind .)

Good luck what ever you decide to do!