4. What Policies Should I Establish For My Studio?

Professionalism in your studio will earn you the respect of students and parents alike.  Give careful consideration to the policies you adopt and give a copy of your studio policies to every student at the beginning of every year.

4.1  Fees and Payment

Do not set your fees too low!  Find out what other teachers are charging.  Some music teacher associations will tabulate this for you.  If no information is available, take a survey of the teachers in your area.  Base your fees on the average fee charged.  All lessons should be prepaid, but you may want to offer discounts for multiple students from one family.  It is easier and more professional to collect fees in advance.

Many teachers require a music deposit at the beginning of the school year.  This deposit should be an estimate of how much money the average student will need for music during the year.  When music is purchased for the student, the amount is deducted from the music deposit.  If the deposit is depleted during the year, an additional deposit should be required.  The unused portion of the deposit may be refunded at the end of the year or carried over to the next year.  If a student terminates lessons, the deposit should be refunded.

Before you begin the teaching year, determine your schedule for the entire school year.  Decide which holidays you will take from teaching and when summer vacation will begin.  Some teachers charge their students an annual fee, that is broken up into monthly payments.  For instance:  A teacher charges $20.00* per week for a weekly 30-minute lesson and will give lessons for 36 weeks during the school year.  The fee for the entire year would be $720.00.  A student would be required to pay $80.00 per month for 9 months.  This evens out the fees, making it easier for the parents (or adult students) and the teacher.

*This amount was used to demonstrate a pro-rated payment plan and should not be considered a suggested fee.  Private lesson fees vary in different regions.  To determine an appropriate fee, contact music teachers in your area.

4.2 Attendance

Set your attendance policy and stick to it.  Some teachers give makeup lessons for missed lessons;  others do not.  Some teachers have one day of the week reserved for makeup lessons, while others encourage the students to switch lessons with each other when neccessary.  Refunds are not recommended, unless the circumstances are extreme.   A piano teacher reserves a certain time slot every week that usually cannot be filled when the student cancels.  The teacher should be guaranteed this income for setting aside the time.

4.3  Communication

When teaching children, communication with their parents is vital.  Sometimes information needs to be sent to everyone regarding recitals, vacation reminders, etc.  Mass communication  is best done with a letter sent home or an email, for those parents who check their email on a regular basis.  When issues regarding specific students needs to be addressed, a phone call is ideal, but not always feasible.  Some teachers have been creative enough to develop a simple flyer that says:  "We need to talk!  Please attend your child's next lesson."  With this note, one-on-one communication will take place and the note does not have to be personalized.  Find the method that works best for you, your students and their parents.  Refer to your policies, when applicable.

4.4  Other Policies

Studio policies serve to avoid potential problems.  As problems or difficulties arise during the year, consider revising your studio policies to address these issues for the following years.  Other policies may be included concerning whether parents, siblings, and/or friends may attend lessons and where students should wait when they arrive early.