Why do my friends hate teaching and I don't?

I don't know how many times I've heard these words from other music teachers in my life. "Teaching Music is hard and not all it's cracked up to be."   I've heard that hundreds of times.  Maybe thousands of times!  Other Teachers moan and complain about the long hours and low pay from students who are disinterested in lessons, at best.  I mean, who wants to practice the drums (insert your instrument here)?  It takes lots of time and energy and what about the noise?  Oh the noise!  Is there anything worse than listening to a beginning drummer (insert your instrument here-again) while learning to play?  And drums are expensive. Who can afford a decent set these days?  If you can afford them, who wants to buy a set of very expensive drums only to have their kids interest in playing wane after only a few months.  Then the drums just sit in a corner collecting dust or holding wet laundry.

These are the challenges of teaching an instrument to anyone regardless of age.

Some folks just aren't up to the challenge.

My experience has been very different from my overworked, under-appreciated brethern.

I like teaching.  No, I love teaching!

These people (students) who come to me on a weekly basis think I'm giving away this valuable knowledge for very little cash.  What they don't understand is that I learn so much from them that sometimes I feel like I'm the one who should be paying!  The kids especially.  They are so fearless.  They will try anything without heitation.  "Hey Billy, I want you to play a samba feel with the bass drum , eigth note triplets on the snare, straight eigth notes on both the ride cymbal and hi-hat, clave pattern on the cowbell with your left foot all while whistling dixie!"  Billy, "how fast?"  That's a kid for you.  And it inspires me daily.  I try to apply this fearlessness to my everyday life and in some cases I can.  But most of the time that little voice in my head starts in.  You know the one I'm talking about.  "You can't do that.  You're too old!"  Dang!  Just when I thought I might possibly, sometime, maybe be able to think about doing it. Kids are awesome.  
I try to impart this wisdom to my older students and I must say I am moderately successful in convincing them.  It may be my cologne. Or maybe it's that I truly believe anyone can do anything if they just put their mind to it.  I've seen it repeatedly for many years.  It really works.  Maybe I'm getting good at this teaching thing that I love so much.  Or maybe the students are just getting smarter.  Yes, I'm sure that's it.

So for all the disgruntled teachers out there;  I encourage you to give it up and retire.  You deserve it. It's time to start that record project or novel you've been talking about for 25 years.  So just go ahead and quit and send your non- practicing, I don't care students over to me.  I love 'em! 

Go here to check out my lessons.
<a href="http://www.thumbtack.com/tx/richardson/drum-lessons/drum-lessons-my-place-or-yours">drum instructor</a>

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