The Beginner's Guide: 5 Mistakes Every New Music Teacher Should Avoid

Teaching music can be incredibly rewarding, but new teachers often face challenges that can impact their effectiveness. Here are five common mistakes to watch out for and tips on how to avoid them.

1. Stopping the Revision of Muso Flash Cards Too Early

Once students have learned the basics, it's tempting to move on quickly. I have done it countless times - even this year, in 2025! I would see a 'prodigy' child sight reading the new pieces well and think 'he/she can just revise their sight reading through new pieces!'

However, we would get onto a slightly 'harder' piece with more sharps, flats or ledger lines and then the piece will become 'too hard' for them to sight read on their own or they need 'Mommy'.

Strangely, the 'normal' students who never stopped revising their Muso Flash Cards (even till Grade 3 or 4) would sight reading the new pieces smoothly, even as they a little more difficult.

Lesson Learnt: stopping the revision of Muso Flash Cards too soon can hinder their retention of important concepts.

Tip: Continuously 'play' Muso Flash Cards 'stop watch challenge' at the beginning of each lesson, with the goal to 'beat' their personal record each time. One of our students at Muso Music Academy in Perth, can do 4 octaves of notes in 20 seconds!

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2. Trying to Make the Student Match the Teacher's Energy

New teachers often expect students to mirror their enthusiasm and energy levels. However, this can lead to frustration and disengagement. In fact, you should adjust your teaching style and games to suit the child's energy - that's what Muso Method Pedagogy is all about.

For example with Muso Flash Cards:

• Energetic children - prefer to get off the seat, and play 'shuffle and play the note'
• Shy children - prefer to remain on the seat, and play 'close your eyes and play the note'

Tip: Adjust your energy to match that of your student. Engage them at their level and encourage them to express their own enthusiasm, creating a more comfortable and productive learning environment.

3. Skipping Brain Breaks

Music lessons can be intense, and many new teachers forget the importance of taking short breaks. Without brain breaks, students may become overwhelmed or lose focus.

Muso Method lesson beginner tip:

• Activity 1
• Brain break: 3 soft toy catches
• Activity 2
• Brain break: 3 soft toy catches
• Activity 3
• Brain break: 3 soft toy catches
• Tip: If they practice their homework well and play once, reward them with 5 soft toy catches

Tip: Incorporate fun & intentional brain breaks into your lessons. Muso Method recommends using soft toy catches - not only is it fun, but it actually helps increase muscles in their arms to help them play forte - haha!

If you are a new teacher and struggling how to structure your beginner lesson, then download our ULTIMATE Muso Method Beginner Lesson Guide here.

4. Forcing Students to Sit or Stand for the Entire Lesson

New teachers may insist that students remain seated at the piano or standing throughout the lesson, which can lead to discomfort and reduced focus. This is wrong, and hence why many parents believe their 'energetic kid' cannot learn piano lessons, violin, drum or flute lessons.

Soft toy catches (Brain Breaks): This is why the point before is really great - not only does it help the child reset their brain, but it gives them a chance to get off the seat and 'wake up' the body. 

Get them tired when doing note reading games: The next advice is to 'make the child get tired' at the beginning of the lesson.

Usually every beginner lesson should start with Muso Flash Cards (note reading practice) - an opportunity to get the child to run around as much as possible:

• Treasure Hunt - 'say and play' the correct note & get a soft toy!
• Spin & play - 'spin 3 times and play' the correct note

By now, all the excitement and energy should have 'left' the child - which is perfect for them to sit or stand still for learning / revising pieces.

5. Making the Initial Beginner Lesson 45 Minutes Instead of 30

Longer lessons can overwhelm beginners, causing them to learn at a slower pace. New teachers might think more time equals more learning, but this isn't always the case.

It's frustrating when we accept transfer Beginner students who learnt 45 minutes previously - because their response rate is SOOOO SLOWWW.

• When they open the page - it's slow.
• When they get on the chair - it's slow.
• When they finally put their fingers on the instrument - it's slow.