Teaching From Home
A Very Candid Account of the PROS and CONS
PART 5: Teaching from a Home Studio
OK, I admit that this is my chosen location and the one I really wanted to write about since the beginning of this 5-part blog series! If you are just now joining us, I encourage you to start reading from Part 1: Teaching in an Academy. Knowing the pros and cons of teaching in the other possible locations can make a significant difference when choosing where to establish your ideal studio. It will strengthen your decision making and add perspective to many of the aspects discussed in this article.
As I mentioned in Part 1, I have been teaching in my current house since 2005. After debating renting a space and then settling into my home studio, I felt for the longest time that I was compromising on my desire to have the studio that I always wanted. I felt that perhaps I had given up the possibility to have all that extra space for events and to possibly work with a colleague. Yet, over the years, I have grown more and more satisfied with my situation and have learned, after many multiple surveys, that my students’ parents seem to feel very comfortable and cozy at my studio. Like my dear friend Sophie once told me, "Come on, what do you mean?! They don't care where you teach, they just want you!"
PROS
You are all on your own! For better and for worse, you are the master of your domain! You can structure your policies, choose your curriculum, decorate your space, and control your schedule without anyone pushing you to do anything that is not ideal for you. You can interview and accept only your desired type of student. But remember, you ARE all on your own, which can sometimes lead to feelings of isolation.
You have all your books and materials right there! As much as you can prepare your studio at an academy or church, there is nothing like having all of your scores, supplementary materials, teaching aids, and other tools of the job at your fingertips. Playing with the studio organization can be a challenge if the space is small, but it's totally satisfying once you are able to figure out the arrangement that works best for your space.
When a student doesn't show up, for whatever reason, the time is yours to practice, relax, spend a few extra minutes with your family, or catch a well-deserved break on your comfortable couch. In an academy or church, missed lessons often become wasted waiting, as it can be difficult to utilize the extra time. When you teach a full schedule, these minutes add up, and being at home really allows you to utilize that time efficiently. It is also easier to schedule makeups, arrange for duet playing, have students wait to play with each other, etc. Time between lessons can often be used more efficiently as well.
You have a private, comfortable bathroom and waiting room, and you have full control over the cleanliness and decor of the space.
It is easy, convenient, and enjoyable to interact with parents and to be able to communicate directly with them without having to go through a business office.
You are in full control of the calendar of events, recitals, master classes, etc. How much you want to do, and when, is totally under your control.
I like to think that the house offers a comfortable place for the parents who choose to wait. Oftentimes, I see them walking around my neighborhood while I teach or playing outside with their other kids while they wait. It has happened more than once that a parent falls asleep reading a book in my living room while waiting for the lesson to end, and there is always someone doing homework in my dining room or playing with the countless toys my son still has. It makes for a very, very, happy environment for all involved.
CONS
Did I mention that teaching in a home studio can be a little lonely? I often crave working with other musicians. I have been wanting to develop a chamber music group for years, but always being at home makes that difficult. If you have a question or a problem, it is harder to find counseling, and organizing events by yourself can be quite exhausting. Though belonging to a Federation Club or MTNA chapter can help, it is still not as easy to collaborate as when you work together under the same roof.
I am fortunate to live in a kind and laid-back neighborhood. There are other locations, however, that have strict rules and restrictions regarding a home business. This can cause problems, particularly when cars are constantly parked in front of your house or when events hosted at your home cause traffic congestion.
On that note, parking can sometimes be an issue.
It takes a little while for the family to get used to sharing the house every afternoon. My kids have all sorts of stories and funny experiences. Yet, and this is actually a HUGE pro, having kids and families constantly in our living room has led to some of the most special and caring friendships that my son Nico has ever had. I am so grateful for this unforeseen consequence. In fact, looking back, this alone would have tilted my decision towards teaching from home.
I also think that teaching at the house has made a huge difference in my ability to balance my career with my children's needs. Though I focus and fully dedicate myself to teaching when the students are present, my kids still know that I am home and that they can knock on my door if something important is happening. Now, it did take years to train them to respect my studio space. For quite a while, I had to keep a small number of students because the children were too young to allow me the concentration and space that I needed. Over the years, though, they have become so accustomed to it and it is such a part of our home that it has created quite a special dynamic between my students and parents and my family. As my daughter Juliana told me one day, "Mom, you don't just have a studio, you have an extended family!"
My husband jokes that if a robber came to our house, he would greet him thinking he is just another parent waiting for a lesson. Constantly having people in your home takes a little getting used to. Sometimes the lines between private space and life blur, and it can be more difficult to be as professional and serious as you might like to be. The environment forces you to be more candid. Yet, as I said, my students seem to be drawn to this "coziness," and I find it easier to be a happy, relaxed, and upbeat teacher every afternoon. I felt much more tired when I was teaching at the academy. I have the most fantastic group of students and parents I could ever wish for, so I believe it is working for us!
You have to depend on leasing a place for events, which can be problematic and expensive. I wish that I had a giant living room capable of seating 100 parents, but one can only dream!
Family pets can be a plus, but they can also be a logistical problem. I have two cats and a dog, and though most students love to see them, some others are scared of them or do not appreciate having them around. I have to be careful and sensitive about this, and I also must make sure that the pets do not disturb the lessons. Believe it or not, our dog has learned to nap in my bedroom from 3 pm to 6 pm every day! He is so quiet when I teach that a student recently asked me if I had given Bruno away because he hadn't heard from him in a long time! That took some training. Other students love nothing more than to have our sweet cat Taxi sitting in the chair next to them while they play. So pets can be a pro or a con. It totally depends on the students. You have to adjust constantly so that your students are comfortable. It can sometimes feel like a juggling act!
It is harder to find new students at the beginning, but good word of mouth eventually helps. It took almost ten years for my studio to grow to its full size, but I was new to the city and Facebook wasn’t yet the kind of marketing tool that it has become today!
You need to act very professional so that students and parents know to take you seriously, even though you teach from home. It is within your control, however, to establish a dedicated reputation and a completely professional environment.
I believe it is hugely important for the house to be clean, odorless, and organized every afternoon. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to clean the house every day before teaching; however, on the other hand, I have the perfect motivation to keep a neat home! Now it is such a habit that I can't let it go during breaks and weekends. (Maybe this should actually be a pro as well?!)
Let me close with this conclusion: Teaching from home is a blessing and a privilege, and I no longer regret having made the decision to pass on those rental agreements years ago. Whether this choice is also for you depends largely on your current situation and whether you have a space that can offer you the privacy and focused space that you need to teach. It is also important to have the support of your family and to consider whether or not you would thrive from being on your own or working with a team. If you are a mom, like me, teaching from home can be very challenging at the beginning, a balancing act not for the faint of heart. Teaching is in highest demand during the hours that your children are home from school, and teenage students often require evening sessions. Yet, over the years, your children will get used to it, and the home space might offer you the perfect working situation while fulfilling your teaching vocation. It is hard to imagine a better career choice for someone who still wants to be somewhat of a stay-at-home parent. It is also difficult to imagine my students playing this happily, interacting with each other so naturally, or being so eager to take their shoes off during practice if they were not feeling at home. A rented space does not always offer this feeling of ease and serenity.
I would like to offer one final suggestion. If you are still early in your journey of planning your ideal studio, try to find a house that offers a separate entry, if possible, with space for its own waiting area and bathroom. Though not a necessity, this would make everything easier from the beginning and solve many of the disadvantages. Try to have the studio in a room that allows for a more focused environment, rather than teaching from a living area or dining room. In the best possible scenario, you would allocate a room that has enough space for some floor activities, a table for theory and rhythm games, and enough room for two pianos for duet and ensemble playing. If this is not possible, find solace in the fact that I know some extraordinary teachers who work from their living areas with a fairly small space serving as their studio. Ultimately, you are the one who can transform any space into an ideal and magical learning environment! Students come for you and that unique relationship that you have established with them. So where can you be the very best possible teacher? That should always be your primary driving factor.
Click here if you want to read a different segment of this blog post on Teaching From Home:
Part 1: Teaching at an Academy
Part 2: The Particularities of Teaching for a Nonprofit
Part 3: Establishing Your Studio Within a Church
Part 4: Renting Your Own Space to Teach
Our beloved family pets.
The photos here and throughout the site are taken by my husband Ward, a composer and passionate photographer.
