Archive for the ‘Policies and Procedures’ Category

 

Studio Report Time

May 9th, 2012

When I wrap up another year of lessons, I always like to send out a studio report to my current students, and post a link to it on my website and studio Facebook page for prospective students to see. I do this for many reasons. At the end of the year, some students [...]

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Why Vacations are Essential to Every Studio

April 24th, 2012

April is an interesting month in my studio. My students’ spring breaks fall on different weeks throughout the month, so each week is a little lighter than usual.
But what’s most interesting is that when they come back, they’re just a little bit more focused and motivated than usual.
The same goes for me when I return [...]

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To Make-Up or not to Make-Up

April 15th, 2012

Do you offer make-up lessons? Do you require 24-hour advanced notice? Are there make-up lessons built into your semester or yearly calendar? Do your make-up lessons ever bleed over into summer lessons eating away at your precious summer income? Do make-up lessons make you feel stressed, overworked or manipulated?

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Decreasing Student Turnover

April 9th, 2012

One of my goals as a piano teacher–and probably one of the goals of many teachers and studio owners out there–is to avoid student turnover.  I understand that many students who quit piano at a young age will go on to have regrets as adults for not sticking with music lessons longer, which I find [...]

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Practicing Integrity

March 21st, 2012

Spring has definitely sprung! Soon your phone will be ringing (or your inbox will by chiming!) with parents of prospective students. How do you handle a transfer from a different teacher? If handled poorly, you lose respect among your colleagues. I have experienced both sides of the transfer student dilemma. When faced with this [...]

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Volunteers to Make Your Program Thrive

February 15th, 2012

I recently came upon an article entitled 10 Tips for Engaging a Volunteer Community. The article piqued my interest and led me to Jeffery Cufaude’s blog. Here is a quick summary of his work;
Jeffrey Cufaude is an architect of ideas …custom-designing keynotes, workshops, and leadership conferences that promote learning and community.
What most impresses me about [...]

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When Parents Are Too Critical

January 25th, 2012

For the most part, my students are blessed with incredibly supportive parents, siblings, and other family members…many of whom accompany them to their lessons and cheer them on before and afterwards.
And while I very much appreciate that parents are not just cheerleaders — they are also responsible for setting expectations and enforcing regular practice — [...]

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Ensemble playing- music as language

January 13th, 2012

What ensemble experiences do your students participate in? Do you see a difference between those students who are engaged in music with their peers and those who are solitary? Do you require ensemble participation?

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The Importance of Performances

January 9th, 2012

Two common struggles of teachers/studio owners are motivating students and keeping students long-term.   These are, of course, related to each other.  A student who isn’t motivated to practice his instrument probably isn’t enjoying the experience and isn’t progressing, and it’s likely that it won’t be long before his family feels the investment is a waste of money and [...]

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Collaborating with Parents

November 21st, 2011

Communicating with parents can be scary and intimidating. After all, they are our bread and butter and we certainly want to keep them happy. However, they deserve to know exactly how their children are proceeding at all times in their musical studies. There are many ways to handle sharing your [...]

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