 |
Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums
Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments.
Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
|
|
|
|
63 members (benkeys, 1200s, aphexdisklavier, akse0435, AlkansBookcase, Alex Hutor, AndyOnThePiano2, amc252, 10 invisible),
1,847
guests, and
269
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654
1000 Post Club Member
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654 |
I never guarantee specific lesson times to anyone. At the end of the school year, I have them fill out a time preference form with their top three choices. They all know it will be "upset the fruit basket" and that they may not have the same time from year to year. Some of them end up getting it, but it's not guaranteed.
Interestingly, most people get their first choice. I like this idea and will give it some thought for next year. It gives the teacher control over the scheduling.
Piano Teacher
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654 |
If I'm reading the original post correctly... the mom didn't know about the school time changes when she paid her fall enrollment June 1? That seems a little odd. Most parents would know (or want to know) their child's new school dismissal time before scheduling activities.
Also, this mom has decided to schedule after school sports activities (when she already committed to piano time slots). Sounds like that would be too bad for her if there's now a conflict.
I don't know what your fall enrollment fee covers; does it just reserve their same time slot as before? Does it cover books/materials? I charge an annual enrollment fee that's due end of May for the coming year. My enrollment form clearly states that they are reserving their spot on 'such-and-such-a-day/time' and that if a conflict arises and they can't make that lesson time I will try to make a change but it's not guaranteed.
I would be firm with this mom and give her one or two other options at the very most. If she can't do it she'll to find another teacher. I wouldn't let her dictate 'the only time' her kids can come to lessons. The mom didn't know about the school time schedule because she moved her kids to a different school as of one week ago. She misunderstood the early-release days and such. My enrollment form is similar to yours in that there are no guarantees when it comes to changing lesson times. This mom knew which time slots I was reserving for her girls. I feel like I am being flexible for her but in the end I may not be able to accommodate her request, because she has only ONE request of lesson times.  which I think is unreasonable. The other 2 families are in similar situations.
Piano Teacher
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,521
6000 Post Club Member
|
|
6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,521 |
Gary, I don't reserve time for students who don't stay with me all summer. OK. If students are with me all summer and need specific times in the fall, I try to get them to change early, before fall. This usually works. For students that are away, I reschedule them as soon as they come back. I tell all of them not to wait until September because if they do they will simply have to choose from the times I have left. If people tell me they can only come one time, then they are simply out of luck if I do not have that one time free. Some parents are very pushy about scheduling two kids back to back, and I understand why they like that. But if I do not have two times back to back, I am certainly not going to make another student change times. If it works out, sure, but usually it does not. Frankly people not getting the times they want in fall is a learning experience. They leave, go off my schedule, then do not believe me when I tell them that they may not get their times back. I guess they think I am making it up until it happens...
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 270
Full Member
|
|
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 270 |
Our piano teacher starts from scratch every fall. It would be really hard to keep the same time year after year for us. We give top 3 choices for fall and he builds a schedule from everyone's top 3 choices. If you don't take the allotted number of summer lessons you are scheduled after everyone else, or you might be dropped altogether.
ETA - I think it is early enough in the summer where you could e-mail everyone and say you're doing fall schedule different this year because you've discovered schedules change in the fall. You might discover some of your other students might have different preferences. Our teacher doesn't collect fall preferences until end of July typically.
Last edited by kck; 06/23/13 09:45 AM.
Amateur musician, piano and violin parent
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,436
2000 Post Club Member
|
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,436 |
Barb, if you are a worried sort and a people pleaser, then that's just who you are. Accept it. You will probably end up disappointing a pair of familes come September, since your schedule won't accommodate their favored times/days. You might even lose some or all of these 6 students.
But the families won't hate you. On the contrary they will respect you, and come to realize - albeit too late - that you are a professional who is in demand, who cannot tailor her teaching times to everyone's polo lessons.
Now if it's lost income that worries you, that's more important. Start trying to replace those students now, through some form of advertising.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,218
5000 Post Club Member
|
|
5000 Post Club Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,218 |
"...When it has "that is it" at the end of the sentence, it gives me headache too. In general, when I deal with this kind of parents, usually they cannot fit into my schedule and had to seek someone else..."
And "that is it."
One might be tempted to think these are psychic parents who can foretell the future, but I think what it is, is that they have foretold the past. The past when they demanded their first choice, and 'that was it' then, too.
There are other methods of settling a moot question. Auctions, horse trading, backroom power politics, straight shooting contests, outright bribery, or mud wrestling. Even games of chance and blackmail have seen their day--- and the way some teachers use the schedule to flush certain students away reminds me strongly of the kids game of Musical Chairs, and the adults' game of Roulette. Hmmm, everything but a soapbox race, or a jumping frog contest.
I've seen everything except a reason to get a headache over it.
Clef
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,651
2000 Post Club Member
|
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,651 |
Hi Barb,
I think that you have handled this fine. You let parents know that their requested time is not available. And yes, that could change.
If their preferred time is not available, then it's not available.
It seems like the decision will be whether to refund their money that was paid in advance. Do you have a refund policy for cases like this where they pay in advance for lessons, but can't accept the lesson times that are available?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654 |
Hi Barb,
I think that you have handled this fine. You let parents know that their requested time is not available. And yes, that could change.
If their preferred time is not available, then it's not available.
It seems like the decision will be whether to refund their money that was paid in advance. Do you have a refund policy for cases like this where they pay in advance for lessons, but can't accept the lesson times that are available? No, I don't have a refund policy for the enrollment fee. If these families do not agree to take the times I have open, I will refund their enrollment fee and no longer hold spots for them. Right now I have a waiting list. I will be speaking with the parents who have asked to switch this week and plan to tell them that the times they are requesting for fall are not open at this time, and I don't anticipate them coming available but that could change. I'll see what they say.
Piano Teacher
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 450
Full Member
|
|
Full Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 450 |
Barb, how much are these students worth to you, in a business sense? Can you replace them easily?
If so, I don't think you should sweat over it. You handled it fine; it's not your fault. I'm sure they'll be able to adjust their schedules if they really want the lessons.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,521
6000 Post Club Member
|
|
6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,521 |
Barb, it seems to me you have been more than fair.
You just can't win with some people - nothing you do will please them, and they always drain away our energy.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654 |
Barb, it seems to me you have been more than fair.
You just can't win with some people - nothing you do will please them, and they always drain away our energy. True, Gary! Reminds me of a good book, "The Energy Bus", by Jon Gordon. Time to dust that one off and read it again.
Piano Teacher
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654 |
Barb, how much are these students worth to you, in a business sense? Can you replace them easily?
If so, I don't think you should sweat over it. You handled it fine; it's not your fault. I'm sure they'll be able to adjust their schedules if they really want the lessons. Strictly from a business sense (as in dollars and cents!) I could replace them from people on my waiting list, but, I don't look at it that way. These students have been with me for a while and I don't want to lose them. Possessive way to look at it I guess. It obviously comes down to convenience for the parents, in some cases.
Piano Teacher
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,391
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,391 |
Barb, how much are these students worth to you, in a business sense? Can you replace them easily?
If so, I don't think you should sweat over it. You handled it fine; it's not your fault. I'm sure they'll be able to adjust their schedules if they really want the lessons. Strictly from a business sense (as in dollars and cents!) I could replace them from people on my waiting list, but, I don't look at it that way. These students have been with me for a while and I don't want to lose them. Possessive way to look at it I guess. It obviously comes down to convenience for the parents, in some cases. I don't see how you really can help it though. Hopefully they feel the same and will make some changes in their schedule to work in yours.
private piano/voice teacher FT ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/gallery/42/thumbs/2529.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://forum.pianoworld.com//gallery/42/medium/9342.png)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,654 |
Here's an update: I've never seen this one in my years of teaching, BTW. In conversations about scheduling with these parents over the past couple of days, one went like this: "Would it be convenient for you to move Junior's lesson time up 15 minutes for fall?" (I asked the mom). "Depends. Convenient, yes, but if you are asking me to move Junior's lesson time because Myrtle's mom needs to adjust her time, then 'No'. Myrtle's mom and I don't get along".  My reply to this was that yes, it was to accommodate Myrtle but also other students as well. She reluctantly agreed.
Piano Teacher
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,269
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,269 |
Geez. Do you have a waiting list? If so, my recommendation would be to drop this family. You really don't need the drama... and I'm betting you'll be having some this year with Junior and Myrtle's mom.
Music School Owner
Early Childhood Music Teacher/Group Piano Teacher/Private Piano Teacher
Member of MTAC and Guild
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,049
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,049 |
I can't believe the mother would admit that to you!! What a terrible example this is to their kid!!!
1918 Mason & Hamlin BB 1906 Mason & Hamlin Es ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/ABF_Medals/medal_c_5.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/ABF_Medals/13xmedals.jpg)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 270
Full Member
|
|
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 270 |
Here's an update: I've never seen this one in my years of teaching, BTW. In conversations about scheduling with these parents over the past couple of days, one went like this: "Would it be convenient for you to move Junior's lesson time up 15 minutes for fall?" (I asked the mom). "Depends. Convenient, yes, but if you are asking me to move Junior's lesson time because Myrtle's mom needs to adjust her time, then 'No'. Myrtle's mom and I don't get along". My reply to this was that yes, it was to accommodate Myrtle but also other students as well. She reluctantly agreed. Wow - I can hardly believe a grown adult would say that. How incredibly rude! Even if you didn't get along with another adult, deal with it. Don't pull the whole world into your drama. I hope she didn't say it in front of her child!
Amateur musician, piano and violin parent
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,949
8000 Post Club Member
|
|
8000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,949 |
"Depends. Convenient, yes, but if you are asking me to move Junior's lesson time because Myrtle's mom needs to adjust her time, then 'No'. Myrtle's mom and I don't get along".
Wow. Just wow. Maybe you should ditch this family.
Private Piano Teacher and MTAC Member
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,218
5000 Post Club Member
|
|
5000 Post Club Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,218 |
You can be assured, that is nothing compared to what she says in front of her child. If a wasp blew in her car window on the way home, the wasp could tell you all about it and more.
Clef
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,427
6000 Post Club Member
|
|
6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,427 |
It's a pretty wretched comment from Junior's mom, but at least you know where she stands.
Learner
|
|
|
|
Forums43
Topics223,390
Posts3,349,248
Members111,632
| |
Most Online15,252
Mar 21st, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
