Simpedia

Robin Keehn, Washington

At the FIS, I make it very clear that I require a parent to attend class — to see the value of what is being taught (kids cannot express). I also talk about the long-term relationship. I talk about peaks, valleys, and plateaus that last short, medium, and long times and are always changing. I tell them they will experience that but I want them to understand that when they experience it, it doesn’t mean that anything is wrong with their student, the method, the teacher, or even the parent.

When we didn’t say all of that, we’d typically get 100% enrollment at an FIS. Once we started laying it all out there, our enrollment dropped to 65-75% of attendees. What we found was that we eliminated the “drive-bys” – people who just wanted to try it. The students we got then were high caliber, and parents were on board nearly all of the time.

The turnover really bothered me. It took a lot of effort to put people into groups and that investment I was making in people was significant. I hated to see students leave after only a few months.

Gabrielle K., Iowa

I don’t have people quitting from a lack of commitment on the relationship end, I have 100% commitment on that. They’re quitting because they are over committed in other areas of their lives and are not up front about it at the beginning when I ask about availability.

Cate R., Australia

I ask about committing to practice and coaching and where that might happen in their lives. I have only knocked back two. In one situation, the little girls were so exhausted that they fell asleep on my couch and when woken, the older one said “not another thing, Mummy”. A second mum had her kids in something every afternoon but Tuesday, so the lesson had to be Tuesday but she assured me that they were so busy there wouldn’t be time for practice.

Stephen R., California

I just lost a nice family after 1-1/2 years. They are over-extended with sports. The family has three kids and I was teaching one. Just too busy! It was an abrupt stop; they didn’t even complete this month. I was really surprised, rather blind-sided by it.

I noticed the piano time had been slipping lately, but it’s also summer, so it’s a challenging time anyway. Apparently, this has been building for a while. I just did not see this coming. You really have to talk to every family, especially the quiet ones that don’t give you a lot of feedback.

Ongoing, regular communication is key with everyone. We only have a brief window of time each week to see where they are at!

Missy M., Iowa

I really drive in the commitment up front – like try to talk them out of it.