Voice Teachers: What are the Benefits of Belonging to a Certification Program?

Perhaps you are considering joining our program and have read about what the IVA Teacher Certification Program is. But what are some specific benefits to you as a voice teacher in joining IVA?

There are many benefits of belonging to the IVA certification program, and here are just a few:

Access to Ongoing Education for Voice Teachers

One of the benefits of the IVA program is access to the education that we offer and require our teachers to complete. 

Ongoing, continuous education makes you a more effective voice teacher. Many voice teachers get stuck in habits, training every student in the same way. However, the fact is that every student who comes in your door has different vocal issues, and may need different tools to address their issues. 

IVA offers a team of Master Instructors that is of the highest quality you will find anywhere. They work very hard to design classes and organize voice teacher training programs that will provide you with the best, most up-to date information. This in-depth training helps you to learn, from the start, how to structure a lesson, assess a student’s issues and choose the best tools to get their voices working better. 

In order to become certified and continue as an IVA Certified Teacher, you must complete a yearly program of training in the IVA technique.

The training includes:

• Lessons for your own voice development
• Intensive teacher training classes
• Professional training in a wide area of elective topics (such as keyboard skills, musicianship, style coaching, business and marketing skills, and vocal science, among others)
• Required reading
• Online testing
• Assigned repertoire 

Each year, as part of the education process, teachers are required to pass testing with an IVA Master Teacher, which ensures that your teaching is up to the high standards of what IVA demands from voice teachers who hold certificates in our technique.

In addition, as you move up the tiers of certification, you’ll be required to demonstrate your knowledge and skills as a teacher through additional means, such as large research projects and mentoring other teachers.

Prestige

As a Certified IVA Singing Teacher, you will be able to proudly display your certificate in your studio, as well as your certification badge on all of your professional materials such as websites, business cards, stationary, etc.

Your success in marketing yourself as a professional teacher of singing grows exponentially when your potential clients know that you are a member of a global institute that has the highest standards of excellence for all the voice teachers that it certifies.

The IVA program will greatly increase your knowledge, your ability, and your confidence in yourself and your teaching.

This can hugely contribute to students’ confidence in you, and your success as a teacher.

A Community of Voice Teachers

Joining our teacher certification program is an opportunity for you to become part of an amazing global network of voice teachers. 

We offer many different group training opportunities for our teachers, locally and online, where you can meet with other teachers, exchange ideas and experiences and build professional relationships with voice teachers all around the world. This gives you access to a wide range of knowledge and expertise.

Someone in another part of the world can hear your question online and be able to offer input, which can help you be a more effective teacher. That is the type of community we have. 

The high level of the people involved in IVA puts our organization in a class of its own. IVA strives to maintain a culture that is a balance of professionalism and community.

Read what Master Teacher Linda Tomkinson has to say about her experience with IVA Certification:

"The number one thing I find beneficial about being a part of this program is the continuing education. For me, personally, I needed a structured learning environment, something to get me started on learning how to teach, not just what to teach. Both are extremely important.

A structured certification program is something that keeps me accountable and moving forward in a positive direction, not only in my teaching but with my own development as a singer.

Being part of IVA keeps my teaching from becoming stagnant. We all want to be constantly striving to learn and evolve as teachers and educators, and having access to so many great instructors who teach this technique is a MAJOR advantage. Yes there are differences in how each teacher approaches the technique, but I view those differences as a positive thing.

I've spent a great deal of time studying with several different IVA teachers. Each has their own opinions and approach, but the core values are always the same.

Learning from a diverse body of voice teachers has actually been very empowering to me, as I have had many different approaches to try and use in my own teaching.

Of course in addition to the education, the community of teachers in IVA is extremely important as well. I have always thought that we are stronger together than we are apart. We all have something to contribute, something we do well that can be shared with others in a supportive atmosphere that builds each other up.

IVA is a community of teachers of singing that is always growing and evolving. It is very exciting to be a part of something that is constantly striving to be at the forefront of vocal pedagogy, while maintaining such a professional and nurturing atmosphere. There is really nothing like it."

For more information on how you can start your own journey to becoming a Certified IVA Teacher of singing, visit the Become a Teacher page of our website, or get in touch with us.