Episode 14: It’s Not A Side Hustle. It’s My Job.
Nobody told me piano teaching wasn't a real job. They didn't need to. Here's where that belief comes from, what it costs every music teacher, and why making a living from teaching is possible.
In this episode:
The expectations I grew up with, and why piano teaching never felt like a proper job
How music gets treated as an extra, from schools to the GCSE years
My rates and policies from my side-job years to now
Why "I'm lucky it's not my main income" affects every music teacher
What my CertPTC qualification did and didn't change
Real stories of teachers making a living from private teaching
The objections that keep teachers undervaluing their work, with honest reframes
Links mentioned:
ISM Music Teachers' Fees Survey Results 2026
Episode 6: Stop Chasing Payments: My Monthly Billing System
Episode 8: I Don't Work Late and I Don't Work Weekends: Here's How
Episode 10: You Are a Professional Music Teacher
Episode 11, What Makes a Good Music Teacher
Episode 12: You're Not an Average Teacher, So Stop Charging an Average Rate
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