About Business
Teacher Vacations
My current policy regarding my own vacation/travel and tuition is that I charge the same monthly rate all year (I charge for 4 weeks each month). In this way, I’ve built 4 weeks of vacation into the system without my monthly salary changing. This has…
Policy Question – Sick Leave
Has anyone ever put ‘sick days’ for the Teacher in their policy? Just wondering! I’ve put in personal days for myself, two weeks worth at the moment, i.e., two lessons off for each particular student/group over the course of each year. I distinguish them from…
Weather Affecting Lessons
The first term in Queensland will soon be over and I want to share how the weather has affected my attendances during this term. Often February and March are the hottest (really hot) months of the year with rain as well, but this year we…
Weather Issues
I had a new experience over the last 2 weeks in my studio ( in my home). There was a big ice storm in New England. As a result of the storm we lost our power for almost 5 1/2 days! We did have heat and cold…
Inclement Weather Policy
I’m not sure how to set a policy for inclement weather, especially on days when the local school district may issue a school closing. I certainly wouldn’t want students to feel they have to brave bad road conditions, and occasionally there may be municipal road…
Electronic Devices in Class
I would like to know what fellow teachers think about the following: Due to a growing phenomenon, I am seriously considering requiring all parents (and students) to please turn off their electronics devises while in the classroom. The continued use of cell phones for e-mailing…
Discontinuation Policies
A couple of years ago, I think, I put into place two related policies after getting ideas from the forums. 30-days written notice required to discontinue with forfeiture of any unpaid tuition, and pre-payment upon enrollment of 1st and last months of tuition. Combined, these…
30 Days Notice
I am considering asking for 1st and last months tuition and 30 days notice from families as a general policy when they sign up for my classes. For those of you that already do that, do you find that parents/students struggle with that at times…
Upstairs Studio
My current home studio is right in front of my house and is perfect in every way except it is too small for groups larger then 3 students and their parents. But now I have started a piano camp of 6 groups, 5-7 students each…
Travelling to student’s home
Travelling to a student’s home is a big deal. Of course it was once the norm for piano teachers, so some don’t see it as anything extraordinary But it was for physicians too and can you even imagine this happening in 2012? If a student…