So Whats Your Proper Job? (All Teachers)

[Phil Schneider]

Anyone else been asked “So whats your proper job ?” I always give my 40 hours of opening times a week to clients and still people thinks its a side line or hobby. Which I do find a little insulting. I would not ask any other professional skilled worker this. Is it just the low value that teachers and muscians a combination which spells relatively low pay given the high skill levels required for both professions (brick layers are earning £1000 per week) are held in.

[Alan Richardson]

Great comment Phil. I get that one a lot. It really is insulting but I use it to point out that there are a lot of people doing lessons on the side and that mine is a proper business.

[Kat Hunter]

Haha, I know the feels. I’ve been teaching full time for more than four years now and I still occasionally get the question “so do you do this full time?”, which is funny. It happens less though now that I charge more. I used to get it all the time and I think that was partly a sign that I was undercharging.
Also maybe a sign that my decor at the time wasn’t as cool as it is now. I think for whatever reason the decor of the room you teach in seems to make a difference!?

[Eliza Fyfe]

The thing I find annoying and offensive is when people assume I have an easy life as I “only work between 4-8pm” as my teaching hours.

Let’s not forget that I also do all day Saturday and have at least 20 extra hours of managing the business!

[Tom Warner]

I’ve only had it twice. I guess I make myself seem busier than I actually am.

[Leigh Fuge]

I’m in a position where I’m juggling my teaching with a regular full time office job. I finish at 4pm everyday which leaves my evenings/weekends open for tuition.

Unfortunately, it’s a victim of circumstance. I have to hold down a full time job for the exact reason that Phil said. People think of it as a hobby. I would love to take it full time, but I find that (Perhaps its just my area), but people here do not value the work of the tutor. People regularly cancel lessons last minute, or decide after 2/3 lessons to just stop coming. I’m working on planning a good cancellation policy, but in my area no other tutors have any strict policies which makes it hard for me to also enforce that (Nightmare right?!)

[Guest Teacher]

I had this exact comment this week. I think partly because I look a lot younger than I am. People keep thinking I’m a student and doing this on the side….perhaps need to think a little more about my dress code!

[Mark Palmer]

‘So Whats Your Proper Job?’

Ive heard this phrase a number of times over the years. It normally follows my answer to the question what i do for a job/living?

I imagine that a portion of it stems from people assuming rightly or wrongly, its not possible to make a ‘living’ from solely teaching. Interestingly, it often comes from fellow players/muso themselves, maybe its an element of projection on their part?? Personally, Ive never been insulted by it, although i can understand why anyone might be, with all the assumption based in such a question!! Im sure part of it too comes from some people not understanding its value or worth, i could be wrong but other peoples opinion are their business

I have only ever heard this comment from people who don’t really know me or heard me play/teach (stands to reason if they ask what i do for living in the first place?!) Im sure thats true for everyone on this forum too!

All that being said, I do totally understand where Leigh Fuge is coming from, i initially started teaching alongside a part time job that i did 3 days a week. I was lucky enough to make enough either side of the jobs to live modestly on. When the time came I relinquished my ‘real’ jobwhich then opened up more time/commitment to teaching. It turns out it gave me more time to take on new students, plus it made me improve as a teacher. I was able to dedicate myself to honing my craft without any distractions. It was a leap of faith, and as of now it has paying off..

I can understand what Kat Hunter means about certain questions about the standard of decor and living I’m surrounded by. My teaching space is, after 20 years of playing/collecting; well stocked!!!(20 + guitars, amps, drum kits, pianos, PA, bit of a musical magpie >.>. ) For better or worse, when people see this i think people realise its not just a ‘hobby/pastime’ but a genuine passion which has grown into a vocation with a number of arms/facets!!

Id like to point out, that i have worked in sports shop for £2.50 an hour(i am that old!!!), recycling centres chucking paper into a hole every second for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, answering phones for taxi companies…. all sorts before settling into this groove!!

Forgive my wall of text, just my take on a common misconception for the most part.

Peace x

[Guest Teacher]

I’m a support worker 25 hours a week although I’d love to take the leap to do this full time! The day will come soon though now that my client base is building.

[Kat Hunter]

Wow, so there’s quite a few of you who don’t do this full time but might like to. Perhaps it’s time to open a new forum topic…!

[Alan Tang]

I use the work consultant as I do do some work at schools speaking to music teachers.
Session musician, etc. I don’t like using accompanist but I do get to travel around!