Qualifications

Our teachers enjoy working with children and have a desire to create the learning environment necessary for "the happy habit of learning music".

A background working with children in groups is helpful, but not essential. However, you require a love of children, enjoy watching the learning process unfold and have an understanding of a child's need to learn through all senses. You must be patient, firm, kind and careful in guiding and directing the child's music training in a congenial atmosphere.

To qualify to train to become a certified MYC teacher you require grade eight conservatory skills/advanced piano performance, a natural, accurate singing voice, and grade two/college level theory.

MYC Training Seminars

As a candidate, you will be interviewed and trained by the MYC coordinator for your geographical area. Your training, presented in a seminar format, will provide you, as a new teacher, with hands-on techniques and ideas for planning and delivering successful lessons. Weekly teaching "maps" of specific concepts and skills to be emphasized are provided to aid teachers in writing lesson plans. This allows you, as the teacher, the freedom and flexibility to modify and enhance the lessons as needed for individual classes. This also personalizes each lesson, making it more creative, vital, and appropriate to the progress of the class. Observation skills, assessment tools and incremental development of lessons are also explored in training.

The training seminars are an essential complement to the teacher manuals. Frequently offered in an MYC studio setting, they will give you a "being there" feeling for the program. Training seminars include an average of five to ten new teachers plus the coordinator; this echoes the small group setting of the MYC classroom. Seminars are offered as required in various locations.

Setting up a Studio

A warm child-friendly environment is needed with sufficient space to accommodate movement, a circle area, pianos and keyboards. Because parents accompany students to class, suitable parking is also a must. Your studio could be at home or in a church, private school, community center or commercial space.

Once you have a suitable location, equipping your studio is the next step. Set-up costs vary depending on what equipment you already have and how complete you want your studio to be at the outset. You can start teaching with as little as an acoustic piano, a keyboard and a collection of rhythm instruments in your first year. In successive years, more keyboards can be added.

MYC does not endorse any particular brand of equipment and equipment cannot be bought through MYC. However, dealers are often willing to give teacher discounts, knowing they will most likely be buying more equipment and also will be recommending sources for equipment to their students. Teacher materials (games, floor staffs, puppets, etc.) can either be purchased or made for very little cost. MYC provides their teachers with sources for buying materials and support equipment such as rhythm instruments. Also, MYC puppets are available for sale through MYC.