how many lessons per month

[jpianoflorida]

If there are say 5 thursdays in the month, do you give lessons on all 5?    I give 4 lesson months, that way each month I get a few days off(except February).     It works out great! Everyone gets a break!

[m1469]

I teach as many weeks as there are in the month.  When there are 5 weeks, I teach 5 weeks.  However, I do take some designated time off and those 5-week-months make up for the months that I am only teaching 2-3 weeks in the month.

m1469

[hyrst]

I'd never thought of working the way you two work.  I can see that both would have advantages - but I have a terrible time with remebering dates and things, so I think I woudl be spending the whole month trying to remeber which week it was!  The way my brain workds, I think I would find that more tiring than having a break.  How does it work for you?

I teach by public school weeks, and then offer regular lesson periods during school holidays.  It seems to work well for the students - and most teachers here, I think, don't teach during school holidays at all.  I usually get about half the normal lessons - and I offer them because I can't afford to be without the extra income (40 weeks is not enough to support myself).  The problem I find, though, is that I often hang around waiting to find out if a student will be coming or not.  Clearly this is not very productive.  I have to work out how to change this - but once there is a practice or policy in place, I don't find it easy to change.  I am reluctant to change the way I charge my students - but maybe I will be less concerned when I have a waiting list.

Annah

[jpianoflorida]

I teach fulltime at my home....     Lessons are paid by the month....each month there are 4 lessons...the 5th is a day off, but i do adjust like this month..there are 5 wednesdays and thursdays,.....usually i would take off the 5th wed/thurs, but due to the thanksgiving holiday i take off the 4th and work the 5th.

[tiasjoy]

....oopps.... I kind of answered this in another thread of yours jpianoflorida.

I teach per term (go along with the school term).  So if there are 8 weeks, that's what I teach, if there are 11 - that's what I teach.  Then at the end of each term I have 2 weeks student free.  As m1469 said in one post, that time isn't a 'holiday' - I plan for the following term.  I do more resources, go over more music for students etc.

All up there is 11 weeks in a year I don't have students one on one.

To make money, I offer different courses/classes/workshops during these weeks.

[jpianoflorida]

....oopps.... I kind of answered this in another thread of yours jpianoflorida.

I teach per term (go along with the school term).  So if there are 8 weeks, that's what I teach, if there are 11 - that's what I teach.  Then at the end of each term I have 2 weeks student free.  As m1469 said in one post, that time isn't a 'holiday' - I plan for the following term.  I do more resources, go over more music for students etc.

All up there is 11 weeks in a year I don't have students one on one.

To make money, I offer different courses/classes/workshops during these weeks.

do they pay all the money at once? or in installments? how does that work?   

[pianowelsh]

I teach for the convenience of my students generally. If they are around and they want a lesson they have it. Obviously we try for consistency. SOme students I only see infrequently ie once a month (travel distances etc) I tend not to take much time off over the summer/ public holidays.  Im in the fortunate position of having students for whom payment isnt generally an issue..However the downside is many go on holiday for a month at a time or 3/4 times a year! Hence I teach when I can.

[tiasjoy]

do they pay all the money at once? or in installments? how does that work?

All at once (i.e. per term).  Some pay using cash, others by personal cheque (haven't had one bounce yet).

I ask them to pay the first week of every term.

[penguinlover]

I guess I am old fashioned compared to you all.  I teach every week, and get paid by the lesson.  I teach out of my home, but it is not our primary source of income, so I have fewer students than you (especially Jay).  I can't even conceive of teaching 90 students!  I get tired just thinking of it.   So anyway, back to the question.  I teach by the week, so if there are five Tuesdays in a month, they get five lessons, and I get paid five times.