Private Lessons: Policy!

Private lessons can be a scary and daunting adventure to jump into. For this coming summer, I am looking into building a small studio using my connections with the local elementary school. I have been working with their music kids for the spring semester so far, and I believe many of them have great potential. I think that private lessons are not pumped enough with band instruments in New England. While they are young and beginning, I think it is extremely important to have a private teacher to ensure that proper embouchure is formed, keep the students motivated, and assist the parents in getting the child to use the instrument that the parent has paid for! Yamaha student models are running between $750-2500! That is quite an investment to go to waste!

Here are my tips to building and keeping your own private studio.

1. Studio Policies

Always have your studio policies printed and ready to go. Your students should keep them for the duration of their time with you. In my policies I include:

Attendance

Attendance is required, and a student may miss lessons if there is an emergency or scheduling issue. Lessons can be rescheduled upon student request, but make-up lessons cannot be guaranteed outside of the availability of their time slot. This allows the student to think about the severity of missing lessons, especially if they cannot make it up. You reserve a time for them, and they are obligated to show up. I am obviously more lenient with youngsters because they are often not in charge of showing up, it is the parent.

Instrument

The student must either supply their own instrument, or can borrow one from me. I cannot guarantee that I will have a reliable instrument for borrow. But in the event that the instrument is borrowed, it will be understood that the student must respect my instrument, and in the event that the instrument is destroyed the student is responsible for either repairing or replacing the instrument. Obviously, most students I teach already have their own instrument because of school. If the student owns their own, I also ask that they inform me of any issues with the instrument so I can contact a repair person and get their instrument fixed.

Payment

I always give the first lesson for free, so if the student wishes to refrain from lessons, I can ensure that it was not due to financial issues, but rather, the teacher to student relationship wasn't going to work. Otherwise, I charge per half-hour because I recommend that beginners take half-hour lessons. If a student wishes to pay for a months worth of lessons in one shot, I am also okay with that, but payment isn't due until the end of the lesson! I offer lessons weekly, or bi-weekly! This allows for parents and students to find a schedule that works best for them!

Supplies

I supply some music, and maybe a few reeds (for reed instruments) if the student has none. I will also supply a folder for each student to hold lesson assignment sheets, practice logs, handouts, the lesson policies, books, etc. I expect students to also be willing to purchase a methods book if they do not already have one. Always make sure your students know that they might have to buy music. Music is an investment, and will pay off if they...

PRACTICE!!

I do require different skill levels to practice.. for beginners, it's 10-20 minutes per day, 5 days per week; Intermediate 1-2 hours per day, 5-6 days per week; Advanced 2-3 hours per day, 6 days per week. I make it a point to let students know that if they do not practice they will not improve, and in turn their money will be wasted.

Attitude

I let my students know that their attitude is important for an engaging, challenging, and positive environment. I make it a promise to enter each lesson with a positive attitude, and I require my students to do the same. Let your students know that a bad day is acceptable, but cussing, putting yourself down, and yelling should not be tolerated in the studio space. I also say I reserve the right to stop the lesson and ask the student to take a deep breath in order to calm down!

Parental Involvement

I ask that parents check practice logs, and be encouraging, even if they know nothing about music! Parents also need to be in attendance for each lesson (per requirement of the space I use for my lessons) if their child is under 18. This is to prevent false accusations, and allow transparency between teacher and parent. If the parent cannot show up, then the lesson will be recorded and e-mailed to the parent!

Signature

I require my students, and parents (if applicable) to sign the policies, agreeing that they are ready to learn! I also sign the page as a symbol of my commitment to the student and providing them with the highest quality lessons that I can!

When giving lessons, ensure that the lesson is truly individualized so that the student knows you truly care about their musical progress. The student should know their goals, and what they would like to progress on musically!