how much time do you take off at Christmas?

[jpianoflorida]

hey Teachers! how much time do you take off for the holidays? I take from Christmas Eve until January 1. ......then start back Jan. 2.

[hyrst]

We have long school holidays here at Christmas, and I am very tired after not taking a break all year.  I plan to have about two weeks, from the weekend before Christmas to the second week of January.  Then, my lessons are not compulsory until school starts again.  Last Christmas holidays, I had most students restarting by the last week of January, but some started sooner.  During school holidays, I usually keep teaching but let the student choose if they want a break or not.

[penguinlover]

I usually take the week of Christmas off.  But I don't teach full time like you do Jay, so it is considerably easier for me to be flexible.  I'll give a lesson if the student really wants one, except if it falls on Christmas or Christmas Eve.

[juliax]

I base my monthly price on a 48 week calendar year and give 4 holidays a year, 2 being christmas.  So I give myself 2 weeks off, but still charge the same rate.  I know teachers who just charge by the lesson, but there's no way I could afford to open a studio without a steady income. 

[m1469]

I run a similar policy as does juliax.   I take about 3.5 weeks of paid holiday leave during the year, all in conjunction with public shool holidays.  This averages out to everybody paying for 4 weeks per month, whether it's a 2-5 week month.   I take two weeks during these religious holidays coming up.

However, I use almost every ounce of "time off" practicing and researching for my business... so, is it really "time off" from my teaching business ?  Not on all accounts, but at least my students and I get a healthy little break from each other.   


m1469

[hyrst]

m1469 and Juliax,
Do you always charge in advance?  Does this work well?  Do you ever have students inquire and turn away because of charging this way?  Did you start such a policy when you first started the business?  Does charging by the month ever cause you to come short on a month?

Sorry about all the questions - I am still trying to work out how to make things function smoothly.  I seem to come up with new sources of frustration all the time - but little courage to change things.

I chuckled to read your approach to the 'holiday', m1469 - we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves if there wasn't the music!  I feel sorry for my family sometimes!  I am going to try to spend time with my boys this 'holiday', though.

Thanks,
Annah

[jpianoflorida]

Always charge in advance!   I use to charge by lesson when I first started teaching...big mistake! people then just want to come when they want to...     It's tough enough getting them to be committed when they pay at the beginning of the month.    My policy states that they have to give me one months notice if they are going to discontinue lessons, but that's really just asking for a courtesy..how can you enforce it unless you want to go to small claims court and it's not worth the time for that.

[tiasjoy]

I had always charged per lesson - give me the money at the lesson etc.  What a dismal, frustrating pain in the butt!!! - just like jpianoflorida said: people aren't as committed.

I went to the other extreme - pay up front for the entire term (between 8-11 weeks; depending on the school term).

To introduce it, I allowed the choice of paying per lesson (like they were used to) or paying up front - the advantage was if they paid up front they were given a discount of about $3 per lesson.  I say it's only available the first week of every term.

Quite a lot chose the up front discount. 

Next year - I'm only doing the whole term payment.  I'm willing to lose the other students who want to pay per lesson - they're more hassle than they're worth anyway ... I'm sure if they DO decide to stay on and pay the whole term's fees up front, they'll also attend more lessons.

As for the original post, I follow school terms exactly - when school's out, so am I.  (If I need extra cash I do different things with music over the long holidays.)

[m1469]

m1469 and Juliax,
Do you always charge in advance? 

Yes.  Always, it's the only way to go as far as I am concerned.

Does this work well?

 


Yes, it works very well.  I am finallly starting to get to a point where I can count on the income I make each month.  And, students are much more committed this way (as has been mentioned already).  And it's better for them, too.  They just get used to the cost and work it into their monthly outflow.

Do you ever have students inquire and turn away because of charging this way?

 

Just recently I had a prospective decide my policies were too strict and that they would not work for her.  This is fine with me because these people whom try to change what I offer are not the type of students I want anyway.  They are more hassle than they are worth. 

Did you start such a policy when you first started the business?

Well, I did try to charge by the month then, but was stupid about it for about a year.  I would pro-rate for holiday months that I took off, but I would not charge more for 5 week months.  So, I was basically giving lessons away for parts of the year.

Does charging by the month ever cause you to come short on a month?

I am not sure how charging by the month would cause this, exactly.  Maybe you would like to explain a little more ?   Our household is on a very strict budget and actually, the only way I can do this is if I get some form of regular monthly income.

I seem to come up with new sources of frustration all the time

I hear that 


m1469

[juliax]

m1469 and Juliax,
Do you always charge in advance?  Does this work well?  Do you ever have students inquire and turn away because of charging this way?  Did you start such a policy when you first started the business?  Does charging by the month ever cause you to come short on a month?

Sorry about all the questions - I am still trying to work out how to make things function smoothly.  I seem to come up with new sources of frustration all the time - but little courage to change things.

I chuckled to read your approach to the 'holiday', m1469 - we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves if there wasn't the music!  I feel sorry for my family sometimes!  I am going to try to spend time with my boys this 'holiday', though.

Thanks,
Annah

I have never had a good experience with a parent who doesn't want to pay.  I don't see any reason to work for someone who doesn't think I deserve to get paid upfront.  I have definately had to convince students that I am worth my price, and my strict policies, it's just part of the job.  I just learned to ignore the negative people and assert my value.  The clients who don't pay are usually the same ones who cancle lessons on a regular basis, don't practice, and basically don't respect my career.  I set up my policies in a way that protect me from the financial burden that these types of people can cause.  Most people understand this because their children are usually in other activities that require the same policies.  If their child were in football or dance class, they wouldn't get refunded for absences.  I find that having strict policies gets me more respect, more recommendations, and more students.  I have so many students I have to put people on waiting lists, or send them to friends because I just can't fit them in my schedule.  If you have confidence in your value and your policies, other people will too.

[hyrst]

Thanks everyone - that's very helpful.  I am currently trying to work out how to handle these things.  I have set myself up with some less than helpful practices and am thinking the Christmas holidays might be a good time to sort things out.

[ihatepop]

My teacher takes off a week, but not for christmas, for a year end break.

ihatepop