It’s always amazing to have a guest post on our blog. Allow me to introduce Rebecca Stewart. She is the head of teacher certification at Topmusic. Many teachers have asked me about ways to learn more about piano teaching.
I have been very impressed by what the great people at Topmusic have to offer. I highly recommend this program to any piano teacher who would like to become a better teacher and gain a valuable qualification.
You can register for the course below. Or, if you have questions for Rebecca, you can come to the live webinar. She’ll be live from Australia and I’ll be there too!
Bring your questions and your imagination as we imagine an amazing future for ourselves and our students.
Thursday, November 21st, 2025, at 8:00 pm EST.
When you imagine your teaching life in five years from now, how would you like it to be different?
Written by Rebecca Stewart, Head of Certification at TopMusic
Not many of us are thinking, “I’d like to stay up later in the evenings, wrapping up admin,” or “make adequate progress with my students.” A wise guess would not be “hopefully I’ll have enough students to scrape by” or “I’ll take on anyone I can get, even if there are red flags in parent conversations.”
By taking stock of where you are and how you’d like your career to move forward, you are more likely to find yourself where you want to be in five years.
If you are wondering if career is the right word, read on.
Know your business and charge what you are worth
Are you missing out on income because you don’t think you are qualified enough? Keep in mind that if you started learning to play the piano 20 years ago, you have invested decades into your field (even if you are only 25 years old!) You have a skill others need, and you have a passion parents want their children to inherit.
You could spend your next four years studying full-time, costing you tens of thousands in fees (and in lost income.) How long would it take you to get ahead, to be earning more than you’ve spent? And how much do you want to earn? Depending on your stage of life, you might laugh out loud at the thought of putting everything else on hold for four years. What may be more feasible is investing in yourself for a few short months, adjusting your trajectory with the future in mind, and loving your work more now.
How much are you earning (not charging) per hour, by the time you add up your phone calls, lesson prep, professional development, and paperwork? What benefits do you offer your students above the 30 minutes you spend with them? Designing a long-term course of study, holding recitals, including them in your studio subscriptions for licensed music and backing tracks – how are you crafting a lesson package that sets you apart from your competition and covers the entirety of what you offer? Are professional development investments “coming out of your own pocket?” (Would that be the same in any other profession?!)
In asking all these questions, Carly Schroeder embarked on the TopMusic 12 Week Studio Transformation Program to become a Certified TopMusic Teacher. She says: “As I consider piano teaching as a career path, this course has given me more insight into what that could look like, and hope in picturing it in sustainable ways, such as with no makeup lessons, auto/monthly payments, and creativity on lesson types and formats beneficial to both myself and the students.”
By asking big picture business questions (and nutting out the nitty-gritty, day-to-day processes), you gain clarity in where you are aiming and what you are achieving. You might find you can save five hours a week (the joy!) or a new way of approaching how you earn.
Know what you love about this work
Your dream students need to find you. Do they know your core values? Do you? Find a group of colleagues with whom you can process your thoughts, because once you are certain of what brings you joy in teaching, you can spend more time on those things, and attract your ideal students in the process.
Sue Stubbs found this in preparing for TopMusic Certification: “The group discussions in the live Zoom calls were invaluable to my learning. Hearing others’ experiences created a sense of community, which has continued even after the weekly sessions finished. The course has established a supportive and accessible brains trust where we are all valued and supported. It has prompted us to create a vision and set goals, to bring integrated teaching into our studios, and to be proud of our businesses. Most importantly, it has given us the tools to achieve these goals. It is an investment in my future that I’m glad I made.”
Know the joy of eager students engaging in learning
Creating unique learning experiences for every student is at the heart of Tim Topham’s TopMusic Teacher Manifesto, so it’s no wonder his Certification Course has a heavy emphasis on pedagogy, repertoire, technique and creativity. Through this 12 Week Studio Transformation Program, teachers craft an educational journey for their students. He says: “We have a student-first approach to teaching. Our approach is integrated, bringing together reading and performance with creativity, curiosity and exploration. We believe in helping students find connections to deepen understanding.”
At the conclusion of the three-month professional development course, teachers collate a portfolio of items relevant to their current teaching, which leads to the assessment component of TopMusic Certification. New piano parent Sarah found her teacher through the TopMusic Certified Teacher Directory: “Immi is having a piano lesson right now, and Donna is just so beautiful with her. It makes my heart sing, and I’m so grateful to you guys for finding her for us.”
Some of us would say we have the best job in the world, so take steps today to enjoy your teaching more. Find out more about the 12 Week Studio Transformation program and join the waitlist here: https://topmusic.co/12wst
Written by Rebecca Stewart, Head of Certification at TopMusic
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