Many thousands of music teachers give instruction to learners in their own homes every day. People with a music teaching qualification have long been well placed to work from home. With the advent of the internet a new dimension has been added. Now the student need not commute either. Music teachers may not have considered online teaching jobs, having become accustomed to the traditional face-to-face teaching jobs.

For music teachers, an online teaching job is not impossible to create, even if it lacks the personal contact that they, and music students, may be accustomed to. However, teachers hoping to create a teaching job for themselves using the internet will need to think carefully about the medium and how it can most effectively be used for students’ benefit.

Online Music Lessons

If you are a music teacher you will know that mastering a musical instrument has many facets. A serious student of music will have to engage with many different aspects of the subject beyond the core task of playing the instrument of their choice. To acquire proficiency, the music student must read music and understand music theory. Understanding the history of music in general and as it pertains to the musical instrument they are learning to play is part of a well-rounded musical education. Musicians must also develop a critical ear, by listening to the maestros and developing the skills to criticise and appreciate their accomplishments is another dimension of learning music.

All these aspects of learning music can be taught by music teachers in the context of an online teaching job. In addition, the interactive nature of the internet means that it is also entirely possible to give practical instruction as well. This may not have the intimacy or directness of traditional teaching but it can still be effective. Music teachers should remember that for some learners, including those who live in remote areas, who are disabled or otherwise isolated, the online learning option may be the only one available.

Music teachers working in online teaching jobs will find that video links make many of the tasks of conventional teaching entirely possible. You may not be able to physically correct a learner’s hand position but you can still instruct them on correct technique and demonstrate it via video. Most importantly, you can hear your students as clearly as if they were in the room with you – and certainly well enough to give them feedback on their performance, including technical aspects and interpretation of the piece, amongst other aspects.

Another option for music teachers interested in online teaching jobs is the equivalent of homework help. Learners seek tutoring assistance, including mentoring to keep them on track with the syllabus and help with test preparation in music, as in other academic subjects. If you have a passion for music then your enthusiasm and expertise could be hugely helpful to students seeking that extra bit of input to boost their success. If you have the verbal communication skills as well as the subject knowledge and the willingness to explore the medium of internet learning, an online teaching job could be a interesting avenue to explore in your career as a music teacher.