Should You Tip Your Piano/Music Teacher?

Some people wonder if they have to tip their child's music teacher. This is a very common question and I get asked it often, so I decided to write a blog post about it. So, should you tip your piano/music teacher?

No, you should not tip your music teacher. Private music teachers are not tipped after they teach a lesson. It is common to give your music teacher a small gift during the holiday season though.

When Should You Give Your Piano Teacher A Gift?

Even though you should not necessarily give your piano teacher a tip it is nice to give them a gift during the holiday season. This is a really great way to show your piano or music teacher that you appreciate what they are doing. As a music teacher who teaches piano lessons in Beaverton myself, it always means so much to me when one of my families gives me a small gift.

Regardless of what holidays your music teacher celebrates or what religion they are, it is often good to give them a gift before the holiday break at school. And this is a safe way to time giving them a holiday gift. Because no matter what religion someone is, everyone is taking a break during the holidays before New Years.

So you should shoot for giving your piano teacher a gift at the end of the last lesson before holiday break. In some school districts they call this winter break. Trust me your piano teacher will really appreciate this and it will mean a lot to them, even if it is just a small gift. I've always enjoyed getting gifts at the end of the year.

Another time it is appropriate to give your music or piano teacher gift is when you are done taking lessons with them. This depends on how long you have been taking lessons with them and how close a relationship you have with them. If you have been taking lessons for more than a year with your teacher, you should probably get them a small gift when you are done with lessons with them.

This can happen because of 2 different reasons. I've received gifts when I have moved away from a family that I've been teaching. It meant a lot to me that they took the time to get me a small gift, even though I was moving away. It is a symbol of how much my effort meant to this family. Every once in a while I still think about it to this day.

Another time you could get your teacher gift is if they've been teaching you for over a year and you are done or your child is done taking lessons from them. Giving a gift at this point is less common, but if you're close with the teacher you should still get them a gift. This way they know that they did a good job teaching you or your children.

How Much Should You Spend On A Gift For Your Piano Teacher?

The next thing you're probably wondering is how much do you have to spend on the gift for your piano teacher. A gift between $20 and $30 is appropriate for your piano or music teacher. The point of this gift is to show your teacher that you appreciate them, it is not actually about giving them an expensive impressive gift.

The old saying is, “it's the thought that counts”. This applies to this situation as well. Sometimes a gift that doesn't cost any money can also be very nice. One time one of my students baked me cookies and that meant a lot to me.

So don't worry about spending too much money on a gift for your piano teacher. They will certainly appreciate anything you got them. It really is the thought that counts. Believe it or not most of the time your teacher will be surprised by the gift also. As a piano teacher I didn't receive gifts from every family I taught, but I did receive gifts from many of the families. It always felt so good to receive a gift and it had nothing to do with the monetary value of the gift. Like I said before, my student baking me cookies might be my favorite gift I've received.

What is a Good Gift For A Piano Teacher?

If you're having trouble thinking of a gift to give your music teacher or your piano teacher here are some ideas. These are some of my favorite gifts I've received over the years. Like I said before it doesn't really matter how much the gift costs, it's the thought that counts.

1. A Starbucks Gift Card

This might sound like a silly gift but it really goes a long way. When I taught piano lessons I would drive around from student's house to student's house. It was Always really exciting to receive a Starbucks gift card as a gift, even if it was for a small amount of money.

I always loved this gift because it was a common gift. so if 15 of my families would give me a small Starbucks gift card that would add up to a lot of Starbucks gift cards. I would usually not have to buy a coffee for the rest of the year after receiving all those gift cards.

Plus this is a fun gift because you can treat your friends to coffee as well. And it's great because you can get a coffee on your way to a lesson. Or if a family canceled at the last second and you have half an hour to kill you can go to a Starbucks.This always took the sting out of a last-second cancellation. When you're driving around from house to house you don't necessarily have time to go home and you don't necessarily want to sit in your car for half an hour. so it's great to know you can go to a Starbucks and enjoy a drink for free.

2. A Thoughtful Gift

One gift I received that I really liked was a large bag of Swedish Fish. This sounds like a really crazy gift, but I was actually about to move to Sweden so it was a very thoughtful gift. Even though it was a silly little gift it meant a lot to me. I thought it was quite cute.

So you can always give your piano teacher a gift that refers to something you guys have talked about or shared. You might know your piano teacher has a dog or a cat at home and a small gift for the dog or a cat would mean a lot to the piano teacher. You don't always have to get your teacher a music-based gift.

As I mentioned before, baked goods can also be a really nice gift for your piano teacher. This gift can be a little risky because you don't know if your teacher has any allergies or dietary preferences, but even if they can't eat it it still is a very nice gift. Like I've said many times in this article it's the thought that counts, and I'm sure your piano teacher will appreciate any baked goods even if they can't eat them.

3. Cash in a Card

Another gift any teacher will appreciate is cash in a card. It might feel like you're not putting an effort to just give you your music teacher cash, but they will appreciate it. It is important to put it in a card in an envelope so it feels like a proper gift. It might be a little bit awkward to reach into your wall in front of your piano teacher and give them an extra $20.

I always loved getting cash as a piano teacher!

4. A Handmade Card From Their Student

If you're on a very tight budget, a handmade gift is also always very nice. Teachers care a lot about their students. It always means a lot to them if their students make something for them. Honestly, they will probably keep it for a very long time.

I always appreciated any handmade cards or gifts I've received for my students. It is really cute to see art that is made by children. This of course only applies if your child is taking lessons from the piano teacher. I don't think it would be as cute if an adult makes a card for the piano teacher.

How Do You Thank A Piano Teacher?

I always appreciated any handmade cards or gifts I've received for my students. It is really cute to see art that is made by children. This of course only applies if your child is taking lessons from the piano teacher. I don't think it would be as cute if an adult makes a card for the piano teacher.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post about gifts for music teachers. As a music teacher myself I'm passionate about writing and sharing information about piano lessons. Feel free to check out some other articles I've written down under this article. You could also check out this article on 11 Mistakes People Make When Buying A Piano.