Working out of the home as a music teacher is both convenient and rewarding. Students are able to study in a warm, personal environment. You, the teacher, are able to teach in your own personalized space, avoiding hauling books of music to a rented studio space and commuting in rush-hour traffic. However, there are some rules to ensure you are able to continue teaching in your own space, and that your students are comfortable and happy studying in your home.
Be considerate of your neighbors:
- No early morning lessons before 8 am
- No late evening lessons after 9 pm
- No weekend lessons
- No large group lessons
- Ask parents not to honk car horns to let students know their ride has arrived
- Ask students to stay on your property while waiting for their rides. It’s better that they stay in your studio and have the parent walk to the door for them, for their security and your neighbor’s well-being.
- Be sure parents are parking in your driveway, in a visitor spot, or in a legal section on the street in front of your house.
One of the surest ways to anger your neighbors is if students park in their assigned spots or across their driveways. Angry neighbors cause business problems, as well as social ones. Anything you do to prevent problems will repay you handsomely.
Be a good citizen:
- If your city requires a business permit for a home business, get one. Start at your local city hall.
- If you plan to sell music at retail (that is you buy at a lower price and sell it at the printed price), make sure your sales and tax permits are in order.
- Confirm that your home studio is zoned for your small business. Teachers cited for not following zoning and permit procedures could be fined $50 to $500 for each day of the violation.
Honor your spouse and family:
- Keep your business and teaching materials from spreading all through the home. Confine them to your studio area at in your desk, file cabinet, and bookshelves.
- Give your family space to function while you are teaching. Are they able to retreat upstairs to watch TV and do homework on the computer?
Respect your students with a functioning studio:
- Students should wait inside the home for their lessons in a designated waiting area. Tell students in advance to wait in the kitchen or living room before their lesson.
- Close off the non-public portions of your home to keep students from wandering about.
- It’s best if students enter and leave through a door you can monitor. This way you know everyone has arrived safely and that no one who shouldn’t be there has entered your home.
- Establish a bathroom near the studio for students and parents to use. Keep it clean!! There are tons of people walking in and out each week, so consider installing a self-cleaning toilet bowl cleaner to cut down on manual cleaning time.
- Keep your studio area clean. Clean 2-3 times a week, both vacuuming and dusting. This is especially important if you have pets some of your students are allergic to.
- Have proper lighting and ventilation in the studio.
- Purchase an answering machine and use it! Make turning it on a standard part of sitting down to teach for the day.
Protect everyone from life’s uncertainties:
To protect your family’s financial security, I recommend a special liability policy. You also will want to insure your instruments and other materials. See your insurance agent about proper insurance.
by Ronnie Currey — Sat Sep 27, 2008 @ 3:54 pm
by Heather — Mon Sep 29, 2008 @ 9:38 pm
by Wanda — Wed Oct 1, 2008 @ 9:36 am
by Stephanie Dickinson — Thu Oct 9, 2008 @ 1:19 pm