Simpedia

Kerry V., Australia

One thing to remember, which would be possibly the most important, the parents may be sitting through them three times but the children may not be. They may well be very different from each other in their learning styles and needs. Parent/caregiver really does need to be there to experience the different approach for each child which will help the parent to be an even better life coach for each child.

Congratulations on your new studio and best wishes for your large families. You will need to set up some kind of policy and adhere to it because of your large family area.

Genevieve P., Utah

Welcome to the Utah family of teachers! It’s so fun to watch Simply Music snowball here.

I don’t know that this will be the “right” answer but I’ll offer my opinion. I myself have 6 children and it can put a big stress on families to have to attend multiple lessons. As a teacher, I have given a few of my students this option: I figure out how much I need to make per hour, then I let the family pay for that time. If they have 2 or 3 on different levels then we split up the lesson time – always allowing at least 15 minutes per student.

I have a base tuition for that time and then let them know it will be an extra $10 per student to cover student fees to Simply Music.

This has worked well for me. I call it “family group lessons.” I know it doesn’t fit the Simply Music group lesson model exactly, but I have a few families that are large, on different levels, and drive a good distance to get to me for lessons, so this is a plan that makes us all happy. They are very loyal to me and Simply Music and appreciate this option.

Elaine F., South Carolina

Ask the Mom! After all, it’s her commitment you need. And getting her to vocalize that she will do it. It will help her get clarity as to what she is taking on. It will probably come down to her parenting skills. The headache I would see is what happens when one child is ill– can she manage to get all the other kids to lessons or would she have to forfeit the whole week of lessons.

Carrie L., Michigan

Can the students be in a lesson together? They should leave the baby at home if possible or if you have a separate room perhaps 2 families can help with the childcare for each other?

Annette L., Utah

Welcome to the Utah Simply Music “Team”! I had 2 families (Home Schoolers – which really helps!) with 3 students each. One family has just welcomed a new baby, and is taking a break from piano lessons – to preserve the Mom’s sanity! These moms have always brought the younger children, with plenty of activities for them to do, and it has not been a problem. As you said, the students tend to be at different levels – requiring separate lessons for each. But I have found that they can be taught together on some of the “extra” programs such as Accompaniment, Improvisation, Reading Rhythm (when they get to this level). It really depends on the individual skills of the students.

One mother handled the “note-taking” very well when she said to the oldest, teenage daughter, “When there is something that you think you will need help remembering, let me know so that I can make a few notes.” The oldest children have been good to help the younger children. It is wonderful to hear how excited the whole family is about the progress of the children!

There is always the question of what to charge. I have opted to charge full price for the 1st student, and 1/2 price for the others. This makes it financially possible for the families to participate. Yes, this cuts down on my income, but I have decided that the Simply Music program is very important, and I want as many as possible to be able to participate. It’s wonderful to see it spreading throughout our great state!

Darla H., Kansas

Remember that with Simply Music students are learning a whole new language. Just because we know our alphabet backward and forward, doesn’t mean that we are automatically experts at Italian. And just because your students are at different levels in traditional lessons, doesn’t mean they’ll learn at different rates with SM. They all start at the same place. My experience is that often students with NO traditional lessons move faster than students with several years of lessons. So, I would suggest that you try putting some siblings together. I look more at ages than years of experience when I’m putting groups together, and that usually works well.

I have one family who has 5 children. The two oldest (9 & 11) started with me almost 3 years ago in the same group. A few months ago the middle child began. I was feeling a bit bad because they come from out of town (but just 15 minutes away) and I couldn’t put the kids back to back. But, the mom didn’t have any problem with that. And the way we work it out with the baby is that Mom brings all 5 kids to the middle child’s lesson. The two older and a younger one are here and play with my daughter during the lesson. Baby comes in the lesson with mom until he gets fussy, then she takes him out and her older kids and my daughter take care of him. She’s able to do it fairly unobtrusively and I don’t think that it hampers our lessons in any way. After this lesson, she leaves with the 3 younger children. And the older 2 stay to continue playing with my daughter until their lesson begins. Mom waits at home until Dad gets there, leaves the 3 kids with him and comes back to join us soon after the next group starts. I’ve learned that it’s best to let the parents know what I require and what I have available and then they work out how they can work in those parameters.

April H., Utah

Depending on their ages, I would really consider putting the two sets who have both had lessons before in the same group. I have been amazed at how someone has taken lessons for 2 months and others for 3 years and they basically progress at the same rate. Just because one may be more advanced, doesn’t mean they are going to learn Dreams or Night Storm any faster because the songs are simple enough that in a week’s time they both come back having it learned.

I just know that I tried to have the siblings separate to begin with, just to have to rearrange EVERYTHING two weeks into it because the moms just said “I can’t do it”. And, of course I want to help them in any way I can. In one instance I had a 7-year-old with no prior lessons with his 9-year-old brother who had prior lessons and I “had” to put them together because the mom couldn’t do it and they go GREAT together. Better than the two 8-year-olds that I have that are in the same class as the boys that have similar previous experience. In another class I have two 7-year-old boys in with their 5 1/2 yr old brothers and both mom’s understand that their older boys could be progressing faster but specifically want it this way and are okay with it because they really can’t do it any other way. I will be giving them additional things to work on when the time comes.

So, to sum it up… talk to the moms, have the kids come play for you for a few minutes and have them do the basics and see how it goes.

Joy V., Texas

I have one of your Utah families here with me in Texas — five children, all of whom are expected to take piano until they are 18. The oldest is 10.

I have taught the oldest since September of ’09 and in May began teaching the second and third in the same class. Mom is perfectly willing to sit through both classes, understanding the value of it. My difference is that when this issue came up, Mom was driving 17 miles to get to me. When other siblings came of age, she offered to let me teach in her home. I teach her oldest by himself, then teach her second and third in a class of seven in her home. That helps her because she can put the younger children in another part of the house, check on supper, etc. And I get another studio location which is close to a higher income area than where I live.

But she totally understands that she will be sitting through each class as the other two come of age and has never even breached the subject. One thing that helps though is that she is sitting in the class with two other moms, a little more enjoyable.

Sue C., Australia

This week for my group lesson of 3 siblings at different levels, I did something different for a change. I divided lesson into 3 sections and gave them each a mini private. I mainly did this as I did not have much voice but I will do it again every now and then, as we got thru a lot and they liked personal attention.

It made lesson easier for me with little voice. I sent this in case anyone is ever in similar situation.