Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Are you changing/updating your studio policy for fall?

You could just start that policy with your new students and gradually phase out the old ones...
I've done that with things that I have changed my mind about.

Let's differentiate between makeup lessons and rescheduled lessons.

Rescheduling must be done before the event. After the event is not rescheduling, it's making up for something which has been missed.

You cannot reschedule 5 minutes before the event, because no one else can be scheduled into that time slot. All school events, including sports conflicts, are known well in advanced, so specifying 48 or even 72 hrs notice should not be a hindrance. Medical appointments are generally scheduled months in advance, so there is no excuse at all not to notify you.

Illnesses, such as flu or body injuries may come on suddenly. For those, I'd want at least morning, day of lesson notification of a schedule change.

My general policy is that you can reschedule any time the week of; you could be uber flexible and give students a rescheduling window of plus or minus 3 days. Otherwise, the lesson is forfeited.

Good point.

So your policy allows for both then, right?

I feel bad that the kids that are sick don't get a make-up lesson. There is not enough notice to fill that spot, so it's forfeited. There were too many times when kids would be "sick" and need a rescheduled lesson, but then they would be at the event or something that night. They knew all they had to do was tell me they were sick and they could get a lesson on a different day.

My current policy has no allowance for that, but then I end up with people coming when they're sick because they don't want to forfeit a paid lesson.

I allow rescheduling as much as I can, but sometimes there is just no room left in the schedule.

I think I may adopt your plan, if I may

[quote from John v.d.brook)

My general policy is that you can reschedule any time the week of; you could be uber flexible and give students a rescheduling window of plus or minus 3 days. Otherwise, the lesson is forfeited.

[/quote]

Does this mean that you allow time in your schedule for rescheduled lessons?

Do you forget to whom you told what? That could be a problem for me. One student gets rescheduled lessons, another doesn't? I like your idea but I have a good bit of brain fog

Hee-hee.
No, I pretty much remember that kind of stuff, but I do make lists, lists, lists! lol

I have never had a parent ask about why one thing is different with them than another. I don't think most the families know each other. I'm prepared to just be honest and tell them that the "old folks are Grandfathered in" if it ever comes up.

Barb, I teach from noon to 9 PM; that is, my studio is open for lessons, noon to 9PM, M-Th and noon to 6PM on Fridays. I like to take my honey out to dinner from time to time, and can't do it if I'm clogged with lessons.

I have lots to do with running a business, plus my own personal practice, so moving a student around during those hours is not a hardship. If time is available. If time isn't available because of other students, well, that's life. What is a hardship is a student calling me at 7PM saying they forgot they had a soccer match that afternoon and that's why they couldn't come, or a friend had a birthday party, or what ever the excuse is. Those do not get makeups. Or the student who calls me Thursday night to let me know that they cannot come to Friday's lesson because of a school/sporting/whatever event and can they reschedule. Sure, I happen to have 12:00 to 12:45 open today, come then. "But Mr. V, I have school then." "Well, you have piano at 4:30. Either be there or don't, it's your choice, and if you want to come at noon, I'm available. Your decision."

I have a couple of days on my calendar called "teacher makeup days" for when I'm sick or unavoidably absent and owe the student a lesson. If a student was ill, and they are a hard worker, then I will probably slide them in for an extra lesson.

But fundamentally, I no longer do makeups.

I put a swap list in place last year, and my number of makeups dropped from 2-3 per student per semester to a total of about 4 (for 30 students).

Many of my families know each other. Sometimes they do swap lessons. Stanny mentioned sending out a swap list. What a good idea.

It takes a lot of time and energy to reschedule. Playing phone Tag and then searching through the schedule to find a spot (which are only available if someone else has cancelled) can take the same amount of time the lesson would. I used to do that. Now I allow for make-ups once a month 8:00 am on the FIRST Saturday of the month. It is a group lesson and open to all who need a make-up. Students are allowed to use this option if they call ahead and cancel.

I find that students do not take this option and forfeit their make-up. I am sure that has to do with the 8:00 a.m. time but no one can complain that I do not allow for make-ups.

Yes, mainly by adding clauses for permission to photograph and record students, and having students and parents initialize each section. Stating that tuition is due by the 1st even if there is a credit on their bill.Being somewhat stricter about students missing lessons for poor reasons. Charging for the in person interview if they miss the first one with less than about 12 hours note or after the second one.

Meri

I love the idea of 8:00 AM Saturday make up time. Except that *I* would have to get up too!

I like doing group lessons, but I find that attendance for this is generally quite low. If I made something like this fro make-ups at 8:00 am Saturday, I would usually be wasting my time. I don't know, but it seems to me like it's hardly worth offering a make-up if you know chances are people won't be able to make this.

I have designated make-up days that people can schedule with me on a mutually agreed upon time, once per semester. Any other missed lessons after that they can swap with another student. Of course, they must do this ahead of time. Many students will swap before using their one lesson make-up in case of illness.

The thing I don't like about swap lists is that it's one more thing to have to 'oversee' in my studio. Some people abuse the list by calling the same person to swap with, or one or the other student will forget their swapped lesson time, etc.... so then I have to set up 'rules' (basically a whole paragraph in my policy just define the terms). For me it's not worth it.

I do like the idea of making up lessons at 8:00am, or even 7:00am.

Let's all put a 5:00 a.m. makeup time in our policies and see who shows up
Regarding the swap list: It would make sense in my studio because most of my students' families know each other. BUT...I did try this for a short time and just last week, 2 students showed up for lessons at the same time: the 2 who swapped with each other.

Well,e very studio is different, and you know your students best. I have used the Lesson Swap idea for one year, and it worked out great. Never had a problem with the wrong person showing up, and it wasn't used all that much, either. By not allowing any make-ups except for 1 per semester, my parents finally understand that they'll have to work around lessons, rather than reschedule a lesson at the drop of a hat when there's a supposed conflict.

Barb, M-Th is 8.5 hr, or 34 total; Fri is 6 hr, so my studio is open 40 hrs per week. I am not teaching 40 hrs per week, but available 40 hrs per week.

If you reschedule, you have to use a vacant lesson slot, you cannot preempt another student's time.

Just to clarify, I tell my parents very forthrightly that their student's time is xxx, and it's their responsibility, not mine, to clear the student's schedule so they can be here for their lesson each week. It is their responsibility to reschedule at least 48 hrs in advance. It is also their responsibility to help their student plan a daily practice routine, and to monitor the situation periodically (depending upon student age).

I want this to be as clear as I can make it: students are purchasing my time, and what ever time they select, if they fail to show, they still owe me for my time.

Does this clarify? Is it helpful?

Yes, John! I wanna be a teacher like you! Seriously!
I just "advised" 2 parents about all of the above issues you mention. I'm a good teacher. My time is valuable. I need to act like it.