Summer Drop outs and income!

[ashcatty]

Hello Everyone!!
I am wondering what you all do with summer drop outs. I have a full teaching schedule and do this for a living. I also am responsible for other teachers employments as well. But as we all know if everyone drops out for the summer or every time they take a vacation they deduct a lesson-it just doesn't work. I am pretty strict that you just have to pay for the months over summer to reserve your slot-then you will get a bunch of long lessons. Otherwise there is just no way to make it work! We work hard for them all year, and deal with a lot of inconveniences to our schedules too. Just wondering what all you teachers think!

[cjp_piano]

I require them to enroll for the summer in order to maintain their enrollment for the fall.  Also, they get priority for fall scheduling over students who begin in the fall.  When I do this, there aren't many problems at all.  Those students that do drop out for the summer usually never come back, and, frankly, I'm not sad to lose them 

You said you have them pay for the summer anyway, so what's the problem? 

[ashcatty]

The problem is once they see they will have to pay the same amount regardless of how many lessons they miss, then they decide they will drop out for the whole summer. If we don't let them deduct off for missed lessons then how can they drop for the summer? It's an oxymoron, but they don't understand they can go elsewhere and they will bump into the same policies!! We are very flexible though, we will do some longer lessons and if they have a major bonafied emergency we will sometimes credit them. But we have to have generally strict policies!

[rc]

Most of my teachers students follow the school calendar as well.  Last year he offered summer lessons, but not many students went along with it.  This year instead he seems to be shutting down for the summer, instead he's found another job as well as possibly playing in restaurants.  Which honestly doesn't seem like a bad idea, since the culture around here likes to just shut down over summer.

[keyofc]

All of my students take summer lessons anyway - so I don't have that to deal with.
If they go on vacation - I don't charge them - do you?

[Bob]

I've seen some places that do x-number of lessons during the summer.  There is wiggle room before and after the summer.  So if someone goes on vacation, there is plenty of time to make up the lessons.  Of course, that's leaving the teachers with a swiss cheese schedule.

Another option is to charge more during the summer to make up for the ones that leave.  Or charge more overall.

[chocolatedog]

In previous years I just accepted that most of my pupils didn't want lessons over the summer, but I've decided to get tougher - afterall, my income suffers - and their playing suffers too with a 7 week break! I always found myself having to backtrack at the start of the new term as they were so rusty! So I'm invoicing for 2 lessons over the summer to be taken whenever suits them.......and if they want more than 2 they can pay week by week until the start of autumn term. At least I'm then guaranteed some income over the summer....

[Bob]

I've had a different crop of summer students.  Some only took during the year.  Some only wanted lessons during the summer.

[ashcatty]

I guess people have to realize if you want to keep a teacher you like, it is also respectful to not quit on them as well. It is not easy to do it for a full year, work hard, then be forced to go get some other job to pay you rent-albeit barely-just for the summer then go back to teaching in the fall. It's just not ideal!!!

[cjp_piano]

I suggest requiring a minimum number of lessons or minutes for the summer.

"To maintain active enrollment in __________ music studio, you must register for a minimum of 2 hours for the summer"

They can either sign up for 4 30-minute lessons, or 2 60-minute lessons.  Or if they want to take the entire summer off, that's fine, but they still pay for the 2 hours so you aren't out the income.  I do this and most students take MORE than the minimum, just a few do the minimum, and none of them drop out completely.  Last year, one family went to Europe for the entire summer, so they just paid their minimum and that was that. 

If they don't understand or if they want to argue with you about it, they aren't worth having as clients, honestly. 

[keyofc]

Besides the obvious cash problem - like Bob says - (I think it was Bob)
seven weeks without piano lessons does really hurt the pianist'skills.

One thing - I have done to try to keep them interested in taking lessons over the summer that has worked so far is,
doing something different in the summer -With some, I like to focus on duets - With some,
jazz - and my favorite part is teaching them by ear.  I do only one of these things with one student depending on how they are inclined.

I emphasize how all of these things work together to make one more confident in their playing.
Kids have a lot more time in the summer to work on duets.  I think duets are a lot harder to teach.  So often, one is more motivated than the other - and during the school year - they don't have a lot of time to get together and practice together when they are crammed with tests, etc.  (Especially when the parents aren't highly motivated for their kids to play well, but sometimes the parents are motivated - but their kid is struggling with math - and they have to put that first for the tests, etc.))

So during the summer they can look at it as a more fun way.

[Bob]

If they take the summer off, that's 3 months out.  At least.  It will take a bit to get back into the swing of things.  It could be a halfyear later before they start making progress again.  Do that for a few years.  Tf they take summer lessons they will be years ahead of those that didn't.  That's one idea, anyway.

I can't really see a way around it unless you just refuse to give lessons unless they take year round.  They lose their spot of course for the fall.

[quantum]

I may be the odd one out here but I think a summer break is very healthy for student and teacher.  I find a long break from an activity refreshes the brain when you come back to it in September, along with renewed enthusiasm. 

I don't require summer lessons for my students, but I do teach for those students that wish to continue. 

[Bob]

Maybe those summer dropouts can be filled by summer-only lesson students?  For those that only want a taste.

Maybe raise the fall/spring lesson fee and make the summer fee cheaper.  That would cover the summer dropouts and make it more attractive to students who want to come in during the summer.

And if it's cheaper and summer, you could really ease back.  More fun, no end of the term recital.

[m1469]

At this point, I teach right through the summer months.  Last summer was hard for me as far as the income went because I was not strict enough yet in my policies during the year before.  I learned some lessons and made some changes.   I have been saving some money all year just in case this summer brought about some drops -- since it seemed that most summers did -- but, it's looking like I will not have to use it after all (which is not a bad position to be in).

I just got through telling my longest standing student what my current policies are, after mom announced that they would be gone for 5 weeks and would like to just "restart" once they were back.  I calmly explained the studio policies and why they are as they are. 

My policies require that each individual slot is reserved *solely* by tuition payment in full, every month, as I could otherwise fill that spot with another paying client.  If a student decides to unenroll from the current roster, they are placed at the bottom of the waiting list and their slot will then become available to those who are already on the list waiting for a spot.  If a student eventually re-enters the studio as an active student, they re-enter as a brand new student having lost any "seniority" they had gained as a former student. 

I have had one student decide to drop anyway (supposedly financial reasons, too), deciding to take their chances, as they explained (meanwhile hooking a brand new TV satellite dish up at home), and they are still waiting for a spot  .

Other than that, I have not had to say much more to the others.  They have always agreed to stay on and pay in full whether they are "present" or not. 

[chocolatedog]

I may be the odd one out here but I think a summer break is very healthy for student and teacher.  I find a long break from an activity refreshes the brain when you come back to it in September, along with renewed enthusiasm. 

I don't require summer lessons for my students, but I do teach for those students that wish to continue. 

A long summer break ain't very healthy for my bank balance though - but having said that, they'll still be getting a break as I;m only requiring 2 lessons from them over the summer. And I like teaching a bit over the long summer too........

[Bob]

Some numbers would be interesting.  I always had more students wanting lessons during the summer, but those were the "summer-only" crop.

How many teachers are losing students?  Or gaining?

Do the new summer kids stick?

What percentage of your studio drops out during the summer?  How much of a financial hit is it?

[allthumbs]

Greetings

I am about to retire this August and I am starting a piano studio to be operated out of my home in September. Yay!

I've just spent the last several weeks planning and setting up materials needed for studio operation such as a studio policy, brochures, business cards, fliers, newspaper ads etc.

I've done a lot of research on line as to other teachers' policies and one of the mistakes that many music teachers seem to make concerning the money aspect of music teaching, is that they charge and present their services to clients as an hourly fee instead of the concept of tuition.

An hourly fee is something one would pay for services such as baby-sitting, a fee for services rendered. Music instruction isn't like that at all; it should be viewed as an investment in one's learning and future development.  Universities charge tuition not an hourly fee.

It has been suggested that if a teacher charges an hourly fee, more likely than not, they will be treated like a paid employee rather than a respected teacher. I believe it's all in the mindset on how it's presented to the parent.

Further to the concept of tuition, I have decided to charge that same amount every month regardless of how many weeks there are in the month. Tuition is based on 4 weeks per month, twelve months per year, totaling 48 lessons per year.

As there are 52 weeks in the year, the other 4 weeks will accounted for with planned studio closures, (2 weeks at Christmas Break, 1 week at Spring Break and 1 week just prior to September's return to school.)

As far as summer goes, I agree with m1469 and I have adopted the same policy that the tuition paid secures the student's time slot, whether they wish to use it or not. Anyone dropping out for the summer months chance losing his or her time slot for the fall. New students enrolling during the summer or continuing students involved in the summer sessions can usurp those students who have dropped out. End of story.

I think, (having been a former high school teacher), that whatever policies and procedures you adopt for your studio, if it appears to be firm yet fair, parents will abide by them.
 
This is one site that was helpful in all aspects on the topic of 'Business Practices in the Private Music Studio'.

https://www.serve.com/marbeth/business.html

Wish me luck!


Cheers

allthumbs

[nanabush]

Summer drop outs are the worst!!!  I have one girl doing a grade 9 exam at the very end of August, and her mother decides to pull her out of lessons for the summer!!!  She's definately not ready for this exam, and a failure to come is not going to look good on my part :S... It was the mother who had signed the girl up for the exam, and it was her, not the student oddly enough, who decided to end the lessons for the rest of the summer...

It sucks because where I teach, there are alot of kids under the same family taking lessons at the same time with different teachers.  When these people just decide not to show up (calling the next week saying they're gone), there are like 3 teachers sitting doing nothing. 

These people are aware of the policies involving the contract, (the weekly lessons are paid for at the beginning of the month), and these parents insist on getting 'free' make ups because they forgot to call and say they were going to be in California for 3 weeks, leaving three teachers and a chunk of their time hanging!!

I'm having a terrible summer teaching; thankfully the owner of the place has offered to pay me to repaint the building, and renovate several rooms, and is paying me pretty nicely  .. but this is due to the fact that 4 students have called midway through the summer endng their lessons, and one kid just never shows up, and we can't reach the family... Until I was offered the painting/renovating thing, I was literally broke, and had refused several other jobs prior to the 'dropout' epidemic. 

After reading the posts involving the summer lessons securing a spot.. I might speak to the owner regarding this, because it is getting to a point where I want to find a teaching job elsewhere (but can't, because where I live there's like 2 places, and the other one sucks  )

[amelialw]

Summer drop outs are the worst!!!  I have one girl doing a grade 9 exam at the very end of August, and her mother decides to pull her out of lessons for the summer!!!  She's definately not ready for this exam, and a failure to come is not going to look good on my part :S... It was the mother who had signed the girl up for the exam, and it was her, not the student oddly enough, who decided to end the lessons for the rest of the summer...

yikes..and if the girl fails, it goes on your record too, oh and by the way you could remove your name I think.
Did'nt you talk to the mom before she signed her daughter up for the exam? And her mom has decided to pull her out from lessons too? that's horrible. Well if your student fails her exam it's her mom's fault.
I always have lessons before my exams, lessons twice a week even to make sure I do well.

[jlh]

One teacher I had required summer enrollment.  Her studio was not an easy one to be accepted into, so she could make demands such as this.  I don't think it was income motivated though.  I think she just knew how little students practice in the summer if there is no motivation.

[ingagroznaya]

 It is partially private schooling income motivated, but partially "where is the middle C" question. After 7 years of teaching full time I would like to suggest to go for full year tuition. Make your studio not easy to accept to from the very begging, if you can humanly afford it. It will save you a lot of headache some years from now.

[jinfiesto]

Charge a yearly tuition. and take the same vacations the local school system does. Charge per lesson during the summer. Fixes all your problems. When you charge a tuition, you'll know how much you'll have during the year regardless of monthly fluctuations.