Thanks, for 2 students I decided on 25usd/30min, 30/45min, 35/60min per student. Which comes to 50/30min, 60/45min, 70/60min. That seems reasonable, if its more then parents think they might as well just have private lessons, if less, then there is no point in teaching groups.
I thought the teacher of this simply music website has her marketing scheme well set up:
https://simplegiftspiano.com/services. She advocates that group lessons are the best way to learn 95% of the time, and that she rarely teaches private lessons. Which may be so, but you are then just teaching to the masses so to speak, learning to play a few songs by rote, which in most cases is exactly what parents want to see! Both my brother and sister's kids learn simply music and they love it. When I listen to them play, I see nothing but problems, but my bro and sis think simply music is the greatest gift to mankind. So anyways, at 190usd for 6 weeks of lessons, lets say she has 5 kids in a group, thats about 1000usd, or 200usd/session (I think about 45min classes). Not bad indeed, and everyone goes home happy...
And the flat rate is the way to go I am seeing. I teach to expat families in SE asia, so I travel to their homes, and I think its expensive for most, people always pay late, cancel unexpectedly, about 4 months of the year go to holidays. So when I return to Canada, I think a whole new set up is needed. I have discovered the pleasure of teaching pre-schoolers, which in addition to homeschoolers, fills up your days, and then afternoons to groups or private lessons. I am looking into doing a 'music together' teacher certification course, or something similar to that for young learners. Then simply music and play a story for groups and homeschoolers, and of course Toronto conservatory exams and private tuition for more serious students. Also theory classes, and Dj'ing classes and Garageband which is used in most schools now.
So enough of this 50usd/45min, and tearing your hair out over missed lessons or no practice, classes are much easier to teach in many regards. You can do less and students are motivated by peers and probably do in fact have more 'fun' in a group setting.