Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Private piano teachers, what hours do you work?

I am asking as a student. My lessons are from 8-9pm, but my teacher cancels a lot. I wonder if maybe my lesson hours are unreasonably late? How late do you guys typically work? I was thinking since my lessons are online anyway, maybe I should find a teacher from different time zone.

The latest I would teach until would be 9:00 pm. Generally, I think most teachers on weekdays would start at 3:30 pm. But with adult students, earlier daytime lessons are common.

The fact that your teacher cancels means you should probably work out a better time with her, perhaps early in the morning.

It might not be that the exact hour of 8-9pm is *late* but the teacher could be doing something else that occupies the evening. If that's the case, the issue isn't time zone but having something else prioritized in the teacher's life (whether it's other work like a performing gig, family, other personal things) over your scheduled time.

If you otherwise have a good working relationship with this teacher and are satisfied with the education you are receiving, then I would suggest starting a conversation about how frequent cancelling affects you as a student and can you work together to find a solution. Is the teacher going through a season of something that you can be supportive about? Has this been / will it be ongoing and continue to be disruptive to your learning? Is the teacher disorganized, not valuing you as a student, etc. - which likely won't be said directly but you can read/hear between the lines?

It sounds like they've scheduled a time slot with you that they cannot maintain and that's certainly not your fault. Were it unreasonably late for them, they should have made that clear when you requested that time. I'd find a teacher that values your time and learning.

I would teach teens and adults as late as 9pm, but that has nothing to do with your teacher cancelling a lot. You can suggest perhaps using a new time without getting too intrusive.

There was a point in time where I was cancelling a lot, and it was due to managing my pre-teen at the time and underlying issues which we weren't aware of at the time. But I was close enough with my adult students that I could tell them exactly what the issue was. My point being that it had nothing to do with the timeslot, my students, my load of enrolled students, etc. It was completely unrelated to teaching yet made me seem like a chaotic mess to the unknowing.

Just a thought. I herd cats, er, I mean teach handbells, at 7 PM.

It's a group of mostly older adults, and none of us are mentally sharp or energized at that time, including me. But that's the only time available.

This might be an age thing, and also some people are naturally "larks" vs "owls."

I found this book interesting:
https://www.danpink.com/books/when/

He says we're at our sharpest around 10:00 am and again at 2:00 pm, with the slight difference that we're slightly more intellectual early and creative later.

As a student, I've done a few make up lessons starting at 6:30 or 7:00 pm. My teacher is focused and energetic and even a little more intense than on Saturday afternoon. For me, after a day of work and a session with a private client with autism, I've been none of those things.

I’m not a teacher but I prefer having lessons that end at 8:30pm or earlier. Having a job that starts first thing in the morning, by 8pm, 8:30pm, I’m starting to fade mentally. Also, my teacher has mentioned she also doesn’t like to have lessons too late as she’s also tired by then.

Cancelling a lot can be a problem. Consistency is a good thing. However, I do have one teacher that cancels more often than other teachers and that’s due to a family issue which was explained to me clearly and I totally understand, so I’m ok with that teacher cancelling more often.

I have one day dedicated to home lessons. This day I also organize papers and music and such. This is my stay home day, with lessons at random times.

Three days a week I go to a school. Since Kinder is half-day, one day I begin at 12:30pm, while the other two days I begin at 2:30pm. Typically I am done by 7pm.

My husband works till about 7 or 8pm. We like to prepare dinner together, and share news of our day. I do not make big decisions at night. I would not be good teaching after 8pm.

I teach Zoom or adults or homeschoolers around the school schedule that I do three days a week. I have one student that begins at 8am (professional adult) and others at 9 or 10am, 11am, etc... Some in person, some Zoom.

But, this random schedule and teaching at the school really cuts down on make-up issues, because there is no time open. You pay for Wednesday at 3pm. I have missed twice in the last 10 years- severe medical issue, and a family wedding. (yes, I was the kid, and then the teacher, that gets perfect attendance recognitions)

I have over 25 students.

Fridays I am Free!

If your teacher cancels more than a few times, there is an issue. Can you find a better time, or change teachers?

OP

A teacher in a different time zone could work well.

You don’t say where you’re from so by way of example:

If you were in LA then your 8pm lesson would be 2pm here in Sydney. (2pm the next day but that doesn’t matter.) the teacher should be fresh. It would be 8pm and 11am for NYC.

You would need to adjust for Summer time but it’s very doable.