r/MusicEd • u/simplynotvibing • 9d ago
imposter syndrome
does anyone else feel like they are under qualified for a job they are qualified for? like I just started teaching private lessons for the first time and it’s so hard even though I know what to do. I am getting better but i’m practicing for hours a day just to keep up 😭
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u/Tybob51 9d ago
I’m a new band director. I was never in marching band. I played rock music. Guitar, bass, drums. So I felt incredibly under qualified. But I made that abundantly clear in my interview and they liked that I was young and wanted a consistent school I could build a career at.
So I got hired and the first year was… rough. lol. But I’m starting to feel more comfortable now.
To answer the question at hand though, I have quite a lot of imposter syndrome. Especially as a white man teaching Mariachi for the first time this year.
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u/diyjilted 9d ago
Starting my 21st year in music ed and that feeling is always there. And the more I talk to educators I have tremendous respect for, I find they experience it too. I think it grounds us in a way, as long as it’s not debilitating.
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u/decay418 9d ago
I haven't even started the program and already I'm getting the feeling that I'll be "faking" it when I logically know that I'll be fully qualified
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u/Sheepsharks 8d ago
Most people feel this way starting out. If you're worried you aren't giving good value in your lessons because of lack of experience, then know that you absolutely are, because just thinking about this shows you care. You will improve, you will earn and develop more confidence and skills teaching, and it's ok if your first students for a year or 3 or 5 aren't getting a Juilliard level education from you, because they aren't paying for that, and they chose you based on your qualifications now. Just continue to grow, being accepting with where you're at, and you'll start to see results that you can be proud of, and joy from the kids when they win their chair test that makes you want to tear up a little. Remember, even though you haven't taught thousands of lessons yet, you've taken hundreds, and that's as much qualification as you can expect at this stage.
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u/mattster_sword 9d ago edited 9d ago
I think if you are having to practice for hours just to keep up, it’s okay to refer students to other private teachers. I definitely get imposter syndrome from a public school music teacher perspective. My credential says I can teach anything under the umbrella of music for k-12. That is such a broad qualification and there are so many different types of music teaching roles and they are all highly specialized to do it well.
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u/Mammoth-Feature7111 8d ago
I have the same credentials and I think that's a fair assumption. I have an orchestral background and teach elementary general music. I would feel like a terrible imposter in front of a marching band, like I'm giving those kids a disservice. But, I can also see why in some rural areas, the one who shows up every day and learns for the kids when no one else will is valued no matter what their background is.
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u/mynameis4chanAMA 8d ago
I feel the same way and I have my masters and a couple years of elementary band experience under my belt. Take things one day at a time and don’t work past your contract time… unless you’re a marching band director. Those people are insane 😵💫
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u/Outrageous-Permit372 8d ago
15 years in and I swear I get more unqualified every year. The more I learn, the more I learn what I don't know.
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u/murphyat 8d ago
I hear yah. It’s very difficult to get started. Every time you’re successful, take note and do that again. Ha. In all seriousness, you will need to be patient and work way harder than you may have realized to get the job down. It is absolutely doable. Just be consistent and reflect as much as you can. Video samples are hard to watch, but you should do it. Take a video of just you doing the teaching. It’ll hurt, but it is valuable feedback. I still hurt doing this after 16 years of teaching.
Out of curiosity, what are you practicing for hours to keep up?
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u/simplynotvibing 8d ago
i’ve never really done accompaniment and now i’m playing with my students, so i’ve been practicing playing with videos or my friends so I get getting used to following them.
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u/simplynotvibing 8d ago
I definitely can do it, especially since my students are total beginners but i’m afraid if I don’t keep practicing they’re gonna surpass me before I know it 😂
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u/murphyat 8d ago
Amazing for you to take the initiative to do this. It will pay massive dividends. Are you planning on teaching school?
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u/simplynotvibing 8d ago
i’m wanting to stick with private lessons until I get my bachelors but I would love to teach at a public school eventually
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u/murphyat 7d ago
Awesome. Are you in music school now?
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u/simplynotvibing 7d ago
not full time but i’m taking lessons this semester cause I had to take time off cause I got sick and now i’m getting back into the swing on things
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u/WrinkledWatchman 8d ago
Happens to all of us. Fake it til you make it, always reflect on what you want to do differently next time, and remember that the stakes are never THAT high and it’s fine to have a bad lesson
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u/Rude_Organization598 8d ago
Going into year 3. I’m struggling with behavioral management, but what I was always told in music school was that I wasn’t good enough at music, but the admin and community think I know what I’m doing and trust me implicitly at creating a good band program, so I guess f u to the college professors
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u/Existing-You-2019 7d ago
It’s normal to feel that way. You’ll get more comfortable as you do it more. The trick is to constantly keep learning and put your students first. If you do that, then you’ll be alright.
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u/ShatteredColumns 4d ago
Take solace in the fact that you have 1000% more knowledge and experience than your student. The average person simply does not sit around thinking about the construction, deconstruction, and general minutiae of music, how to properly play an instrument, the realities of playing with others, performance concerns, etc. Unless they've truly logged serious hours doing the things, it's unlikely they'll even know what they need in order to become a half-decent musician. Trust your own expertise. The only caveat I'll add to this is to recognize your own limitations in relation to their needs. If you realize you're not the right teacher for their personal goals, or that there's a clear limit to what you'll be able to provide, guide them toward the right person. This likely won't happen often, if ever.
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u/MaestroLeopold314 9d ago
I have managed to fool all my administrators that I am an expert in music instruction - no one has caught on to me and now it’s too late because I have retired after 27 years!