How Long Does It Take To Become A Music Teacher
Here we break down how long it takes to become a music teacher
Here at Community Music, we often get asked this question - ‘How Long Does It Take To Become A Music Teacher?’
So I’m here today to give you that answer in as simple form as possible.
Through research, there never seems to be a straight answer simply because there are many different types of music teacher. This means that there are different timeframes for each type of music teacher.
Here’s a list of the most common form of music teacher. See what category you would potentially want to pursue as a career.
1) Private Tutor 2) Guest Lecturer 3) Teaching Assistant 4) Primary & Secondary School Teacher 5) Further Education (FE) Teacher 6) Higher Education (HE) Teacher
Let’s establish what each of these music teachers do.
A Private Tutor offers tuition on a subject of their own choosing, often teaching in either their own home, their students home or community centres. Students ability level can range from beginner to advanced. Private tutors can also teach in schools on a freelance basis.
Guest Lecturers go into either schools, colleges or universities on a freelance basis to pass on some real world experiences and give insight into the working world of music.
Teaching Assistants work alongside the main teacher in schools to maximize student learning.
Primary & Secondary School Teachers teach according to a curriculum set by the government.
Further Education (FE) Teachers teach in post compulsory 16+ education including A Levels, NVQ, City & Guilds, Higher National Certificates, Higher National Diplomas and Foundation Degrees.
Higher Education (HE) Teachers teach 18+ education from Degree level upwards.
Let’s have a look at the requirements and how long it takes to become a music teacher in each field.
Private Tutor No specific teaching qualifications needed but a high knowledge and experience of instrument (or select topic) is required. Estimated time: 5 years experience
Guest Lecturer No formal qualifications but experience in that field. Estimated time: 5 Years experience
Teaching Assistant GCSE in English & Maths + experience working with children. Estimated time: 1 Year
Primary & Secondary School Teacher A Degree (or equivalent) and a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) Estimated time: 4 Years - 3 years degree, 1 year PGCE
Further Education (FE) Teacher No formal qualifications but a level 3, 4 or 5 city & guilds in Education & Training (EaT) will make you more employable Estimated Time: 5 Years Experience + 6months teachers training at level 3
Higher Education (HE) Teacher A Masters or PhD qualification in the specialist subject area you want to teach. Estimated time: 4 Years
I hope we have answered the question “How long does it take to become a music teacher?” If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact us.
We also offer a Level 3 City & Guilds in Education and Training (EaT - Formally PTLLS)
For more information, visit our course page.
OR watch more videos about music teaching on our youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/CMsounds
OR contact henry@cmsounds.com for any further enquiries.
Please SUBSCRIBE to our youtube channel to see some more great music teacher tips and latest news.
https://www.facebook.com/CMsounds
https://www.cmsounds.com/news-article/how-long-does-it-take-to-become-a-music-teacher