Advice on becoming a teacher

The OP obviously doesn't have the qualifications to teach. If he starts teaching fine. He is only going to attract a certain type of student. The recreational beginner. Then we' ll start seeing posts about how his students dont practice, how mom's just drop them off for a time out and all that nonsense. If you wan to be a real successful teacher who attracts the students everyone always thinks they dream of, put in the time. Remember the most dedicatied students are after a teacher who's really together and they expect as much or more from the teacher as the teacher expects from them.

Dave_Major said:

If you wish to teach at that level nowadays...especially in the uk....a degree of some sort is requried to go into a job like that without having loads of experience.

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This is true, and I think it is particularly true when it comes to drums: many people don't see why they even need lessons, because after all, it's just hitting things, isn't it? When I started to play, I was surprised to discover that you could do grades in drumming, and it made me realise that my teacher was as much a musician as he was a drummer. I think the musicianship aspect of drumming is often overlooked.

However, obtaining a degree in order to become a drum teacher is very difficult as most music courses are geared towards more "mainstream" instruments, and students are often expected to be able to play piano. I suggest that OP take his Grade 8 exam, which (unless things have changed since my day; it was a long time ago so they may have) will qualify him to teach drums. If teaching really is his thing, then a B.Ed alongside this will complete the "set".

In the meantime, starting to give lessons in order to gain experience wouldn't hurt, but OP, it will be absolutely essential to get yourself CRB checked.

Magenta said:

This is true, and I think it is particularly true when it comes to drums: many people don't see why they even need lessons, because after all, it's just hitting things, isn't it? When I started to play, I was surprised to discover that you could do grades in drumming, and it made me realise that my teacher was as much a musician as he was a drummer. I think the musicianship aspect of drumming is often overlooked.

However, obtaining a degree in order to become a drum teacher is very difficult as most music courses are geared towards more "mainstream" instruments, and students are often expected to be able to play piano. I suggest that OP take his Grade 8 exam, which (unless things have changed since my day; it was a long time ago so they may have) will qualify him to teach drums. If teaching really is his thing, then a B.Ed alongside this will complete the "set".

In the meantime, starting to give lessons in order to gain experience wouldn't hurt, but OP, it will be absolutely essential to get yourself CRB checked.

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Good points Magenta though there are plenty of 'popular music' courses up and down the country where you can do drumset. There are 3 colleges and one uni in Edinburgh alone doing essentially the same course.

Having been through both the grades and also a college course I do believe private weekly lessons with a top instructor will do more for your playing, knowledge and ability to teach in 6 months than a 4 year course would.

CRB check or PVG scheme (whichever one it is now) are essential.

D

Dave_Major said:

there are plenty of 'popular music' courses up and down the country where you can do drumset. There are 3 colleges and one uni in Edinburgh alone doing essentially the same course.

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Ah, you see - I remember when all this were just fields! Your knowledge is certainly more up-to-date than mine

Hi guys,

firstly thank you all for weighing in and passing on your advice. It's been very helpful. I was going to start a reply quoting each persons contribution but it started to get a bit unweildy.

so...

Dave Major - Do you think its still worth doing grades and courses or head straight to a good instructor like Mr Dolbear?

Also Dave I really don’t think I will leap straight to teaching, I am already committed now, thanks to this thread, in finding a good teacher to learn from myself to start with. Time to go back to the beginning!

Magenta - Can you leap straight into Grade 8? Or should I investigate doing all my grades?

Big D - That’s the reason I’m asking for advice. I certainly don’t want to impede anyones learning. So I’m trying to work out if there are paths I can travel down that lead me to finding out if its something I would be good at.

Uniongoon - I do see what you are saying. If I had ended up with a storied drum career to this point, had a recognisable name etc. I had always intended to go back and have more formal training at some point and I would probably feel confident enough that my “fans” would want to learn from me.

However, instead nobody outside a fairly small circle knows anything about me, so I think the advice to go and build up some knowledge and reasons people would want to learn from me is a good idea. Far to scary to just leap in at this point I think!

Boomka - I’m certainly filing all this great stuff you suggested away in a “when the time is right file”, so thank you. Peripatetic speaking, clearly my old bass player misunderstood the word and therefore passed that misunderstanding on to me! My aim I think would be to build a small studio in my garden rather than be out and about I think.

Drummer-russ – again thankyou awesome advice for the “when the time is right file”