Greetings, everyone.

Like just about everyone else on this planet, I'm currently investigating my options in terms of earning my little black beans (in other words, paying the #*&$#* mortgage), and I'm debating whether I want to start teaching lessons out of my home.  My question has less to do with teaching than it does with covering my arse in a legal sense - in other words, insurance.

Do any of you here who teach (or have taught previously) out of your home, have experience in terms of buying insurance, to safeguard against something along the lines of little Billy slipping on the sidewalk and hurting himself?  Do the insurance rates generally negate the financial benefits of teaching?  Is it only "worth it" if I get X-number of students?  Would I be better served to continue teaching at the drum shop where I'm currently working, and letting them take their 50%+ pound of flesh out of what the students pay to study with me?

Any and all thoughts are welcome...TIA.

You're right.  It's most unfortunate, but in this day and age, that's something to be aware of; thanks for mentioning it in the thread.  I don't think it's hijacking, as it's something very relevant to the issue of protecting yourself from legal issues - even those coming about via false accusations.  There could be any number of "reasons" why little Billy's parents might get little Billy's lawyer on the phone.

It's this kind of "fun," litigious society we live in - and those sorts of issues - that prompted me to start this thread in the first place, and that has me ready to give up on teaching, and just go buy a router table and start making drums in my basement for a living...  

Actually, Drumwild's comment was the first thing that came to my mind.
I'm sure you know what you're doing Bart, but it doesn't seem to me you are doing enough to protect yourself against a malicious accusation. What happens when the video camera is turned off for example? Otherwise I think you give excellent advice.
The point is high on my mind because 100's of care workers are appealing against child abuse allegations in the UK. One guy was released yesterday from 2 years in prison after it emerged he wasn't even working at the facility in the period the accustation was made. The Police never bothered to check.
The accused was an older guy, devoutly religious and with a large family of his own btw.
So what can you do....?
I don't know. Insist on chaperones, teach groups of kids rather than individuals......or stick to teaching in public spaces.
It's terrible what modern society has come to, that we have to think of all these things.

I just bought a house and hopefully will be hanging out my shingle in the not-too-dictant future.  When I was setting up my homeowner's insurance I was asked if any teaching would be going on in the house.  I answered "no" at this time, so I don't the ramifications/cost of added insurance.

-- Quote from Chrisso.

I was taught piano lessons (at least as a beginner) in a group with electric pianos with headphones, and the teacher could talk to and listen to each of us individually by switching between us.  She would show us, individually, what to play and then go to the others as we practiced.  Then she would check our progress in a few minutes and spend a few more minutes with us.  Eventually, I went to individual lessons at her home.  But the group aspect of accountability is a good thing to consider.  I've read that a respected leader in the religious community (please don't take this as being a 'religious' post) always has had his wife present anytime he had a private talk or interview with a woman,for around fifty years now.  That's a good idea.

I have a relative who is a teacher and was accused of sexual harassment by a student.  After months of death threats to him, much stress, and his near mental breakdown, the girl confessed that she was mad at him for giving her a bad grade on her report card, and that nothing had happened.  Charges were dropped immediately, and no action was taken against her. Stuff like that happens, and it's best to have your bases covered.

James, are you considering teaching mallet instruments, drums, or both?  I'm asking to see if it would be possible to teach two at one time.  Two set drummers going at it in the same room would be intolerable, unless you had two sets of VDrums. But a marimba and a vibraphone could live more peaceably across from each other, IMHO. You could teach one while the other practices something for a few minutes, check back and make suggestions, and so on. Just a thought.

Doug

I, also, teach out of my home but I only have a few students, and all are at least 12 years old.  As Bart mentioned, I've been told that my homeowner insurance will cover liability of injury.  As far as sexual harassment, that is a risk everyone takes whether its at home, at work, or wherever.  You can always decline new students that might present a bigger risk (i.e. too young).  

I video tape the lessons for ALL the above reasons.

interesting.  

Interesting suggestion - I took several "piano classes" in college which were exactly that same situation.

My teaching would - based on what I've done to date - likely include far more drum set and snare drum than mallet instrument studies.  Even if I had two (or more) mallet students who were at the same level of development, I don't know if I'd want to teach them together - I'm so used to one-on-one lessons versus group lessons, and specifically I'm used to being able to tailor the lesson material to an individual student.

Thanks for all the thoughts, comments, and suggestions, everyone - please keep 'em coming if there's anything to be added.  There's already lots of food for thought in this thread.