Hi everybody!
I am new here and I am originally from Russia but live in US.I want to start teaching piano.I have 8 years of music school and 4 years of music college And I will be happy with any information for beginners,like books I should read, methods and etc.,anything what can help me to teach others and of course ,keep learning myself!

Welcome!

I think reading some of the older posts will do a lot to help you. Join your local MTNA chapter and learn from the teachers in your city. Work hard to develop a studio policy that you will be happy with.

Welcome to the forum! Yes, many of your questions have been addressed in previous posts, so please do a search...there's a lot of good advice here!

Welcome, Zhenya. The suggestions you've received so far say it all.

One way to help yourself is to talk "shop" with a lot of different teachers. If your budget would allow it, one of our premiere piano teachers' conferences is coming up in late October, over in Dallas. You can learn more about it at the World Piano Pedagogy Conference . The theme of this year's conference is "Back to Basics" which sounds like it's right up your alley.

Good luck.

Zhenya,

Welcome to PWF!

I went to your webpage from reading your profile and I'm sure your photo there will make a lot of people want to get to meet you.

Can I suggest that you add it in your "signature" area here on the forum so that appears whenever you post?

Do you know about "Music Teacher Directories" that people search for their new music teachers on?

www.LearningMusician.com
www.GetLessonsNow.com
(there are also others that I haven't listed here)

And for music teacher services to assist teachers in studio organization:
www.musicteachershelper.com

Google searches:
pedagogy, piano studio policies, Martha Beth Lewis will bring you access to lots of things that piano teachers are interested in.

And the archives here at PWF with any word you are interested in. "Search" at the very top of the page in the small blue letters.

I spend part of my early morning almost every day reading PWF or posting. It's a wonderful catalyst and helps stretch my thinking.

Best wishes in starting your studio and gaining the info you want - keep posting here and give it a little time.

Betty

I looked at your website, and I have some
comments on it. If you are a product of
the Russian teaching system, then that should be
your major selling point. This should
be stated emphatically on the opening
page of your website. People in the US
are in awe of the Russian system of piano
education and the numerous concert pianists
it produces and eagerly flock to Russian
teachers, hoping to experience some measure
of it, as there is nothing like it in the
US. Your website seems to be hesitant about
mentioning this, but this should be your
major selling point.

I am a big fan of digital pianos and now
play them exclusively, although I grew
up with only acoustic pianos. However,
I see this as a major problem with your website,
because there is a great bias against
digital pianos in the US. People in
the US expect a piano teacher to have
an acoustic piano in the studio. If you're
going to teach in a studio in your home,
you will have to get some kind of acoustic
piano in it. You can get an acoustic upright
piano for free in many places in the US;
all you have to do is move it.

Your photo I also see as a problem. In
my opinion your neckine is too revealing.
People generally expect a piano teacher
to dress very conservatively, especially
if they're sending their kids to you for
lessons.

Also, the impression one gets from your
website is that you married an American.
I mention this because this is a sensitive
topic in the US, and it should therefore
be downplayed, maybe even to the point
of using your Russian last name.

Zhenya,

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your neckline - it's a great picture of a lovely young woman - appealing in your smile - and welcoming and in good taste.

Gryo said: "Your photo I also see as a problem. In my opinion your neckine is too revealing.
People generally expect a piano teacher
to dress very conservatively, especially
if they're sending their kids to you for
lessons."

Gyro, you are at it again - I think you are really off base and off putting. Where does that get you? Shape up!

Betty

Zhenya, I just checked your website as well, and it's very nicely put together, and you are just beautiful! I think that if I were looking for someone to teach my children, I would definitely be giving you a call to set up an interview.

Thank all of you for welcoming and suggestions !
I have a friend she is a music teacher and I also hope to get some help from her.
And ,of course I was reading a lot posts here and its already help me. I think the Russian piano teaching is different from here but any pianist working them own way to get better and teach better.Its so good that I can give my knowledge to others

Dang, I thought we were sensitive to the fact that the U.S. is a nation of immigrants and their descendants. Personally, I don't know anyone who's peevish about them furrners marrying "real" Americans. What xenophobic nonsense!

This comment, along with the bizarre one about Zhenya's attire (which appeared conservative, tasteful and appropriate), goes beyond Gyro's usual and predictable outlandishness and ignorance. It's just plain offensive.

Steven

Zhenya, you seem to have excellent credentials and you should not be shy in advertising yourself. In your site you show an interest in your students and how you can best teach them, and this gives a welcome impression (I'm an adult student and parent of a music student who is now an adult).

KS

I agree.

Ken

I'll add my vote to the above. The web site looks wonderful. You look professional. My only complaint? That you are so far away! I'd love to meet you in person. =)

I will echo Stanny: Find a local teachers group and join. It's the best way to feel out the music "culture" here.

As a request... maybe you could post your observations occasionally as you become more acclimated to teaching in the U.S. I would certainly be interested in your perspective.

And, of course, welcome![/b]

I think this is a valid point. Let everyone know your heritage, it's not a bad thing at all!

[/b]

Well, to a certain extent I agree. However, any free acoustic instrument you'd get would not be more than a pile of firewood in your living room. When you are able to, purchase a nice acoustic (grand if possible) to teach on, and use the digital as a duet instrument.

Apparently Gyro prefers turn of the century necklines. I'm a conservative person, and there is nothing wrong with your picture or the neckline of your top. :rolleyes:

Hello Zhenya,

Some interesting comments re: acoustic vs. digital pianos. I think the way you handled it on your website was brilliant. (By putting a link to the instrument on your website), students and parents will not be surprised when they arrive at your house. I for one would own at least two grand pianos and a multitude of digitals were I able to afford it . . . but we all have to start somewhere and we shouldn't feel badly about that!

and a fully furnished recording studio and a computer lab... and, of course, some place to put it all!

O well I would love to have professional studio but I am just a beginner in teaching so I pretty happy to have my digital piano for now but already have in mind to get baby grand piano(dreams,dreams:)) so for now I will try to make my music room more comfortable for students and parents.

Very nice website, Zhenya. For the record, I've been teaching on a Yamaha Clavinova CVP-105 digital piano for the past 10 years, and I love[/b] it. There's nothing like teaching on a piano that never goes out of tune, and my students appreciate it also, since I can MIDI the Clavinova to my nearby computer, where they have access to music software.

Wishing you all the best in your teaching endeavours.

Please tell me that you only teach Jazz-Pop-Improv-Rock etc. If you're teaching the classics (or even fine Jazz) on a clavinova, then your students are missing out big time.

Having said that, if you primarily teach students how to feel their way around some standards and popular tunes, then it's probably not the end of the world.

I also have a Korg Triton for my studio and I agree that the kids love sequencing, and editing their compositions and repertoire. I also agree that MIDI opens a lot of doors for learning.

I just can't believe that you said that.