Scheduling group lessons
Found in: Shared Lessons
Joy O., Alabama
How do you schedule lessons? I’m having a bit of growing pains, trying to keep and develop larger groups. Do you set the times, then contact parents and students with times, or do you ask for available times first? I’ve got people who wait and wait to contact me back, and then they want something different.
Maureen K., California
At the intro session, I give my available time slots and ask them to write down which of those times they are NOT available. Then I try to match people up and get started right away.
Twice a year (January and September) I look at my current studio situation to see where I can get privates back into a shared situation, badly matched students with better matches, etc.
Easier to say than to do though. It is an ongoing effort for sure. I know a fellow teacher who, every semester, sets days and times for Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, etc, and has people sign up. She has a lot of other stuff on her plate so it works better for her to set class times that work for her busy schedule and then let the chips fall where they may.
Leeanne I., Australia
I do what Maureen does. Often you just realize you are teaching two private students on the same day that are at about the same level. I just ask them will they consider a shared lesson. I charge less per student for a shared lesson, so it’s an incentive for them to go to shared. I would do the second option once my studio is pretty full.
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
When I was trying to fill more than one class, I found it helpful to give specific class days/times available AND a start date (or an ‘enroll by’ date) as a call to action. Otherwise it’s just easy to procrastinate.
In my mind, if you only ask for their availability without giving specific class time options, it leaves an impression that you will work around their preferences, and some people will expect you to continue to do so in other areas if they enroll. I just don’t want to open that door.
What I did was give a list of all my class openings at the end of the FIS, then asked those who were going to enroll to rank-order their preference of class times. If any of the class times were impossible for them, they would leave them out of the rank ordering.