And while I very much appreciate that parents are not just cheerleaders — they are also responsible for setting expectations and enforcing regular practice — it makes me sad to hear from students that their parents have criticized them as being “no good”, “untalented” and used other negative language regarding their musical skill.

As a teacher, how do you deal with the repercussions of this?

When this situation has come up in my studio (and unfortunately, it has on several occasions), I take action in two different ways: first with the student, and then with the parent(s). My first priority is validating my student as a musician, which I do by pointing out his or her progress, highlighting particular skill areas, and reassuring that everyone has room to grow, and will continue do so at his or her own pace.

If a student shares with me that he or she has received overly critical feedback at home, I never bring that up in my conversations or correspondence with parents. I simply make it a point to repeat the validation I’ve given my student, either in my weekly lesson summary email or via phone.

It is extremely important as a teacher to keep the lines of communication open with students’ families. While I don’t see all of them face-to-face each week (in fact, many parents drop their students off and I never see them at all), I do make sure to keep them abreast of progress, specific goals, and most importantly, successes. This has proven to be the best method of dealing with critical parents without overstepping my boundaries.

What are your strategies for dealing with negative criticism on the home front?

Recently my ensemble policy has been questioned by some of my colleagues as well as a family within my studio. Isn’t it too much of a time commitment? Jr and Sr high school students are so busy. Can’t my child just keep taking lessons even if they don’t sign up for band in school? I have been tempted to make exceptions to my requirement.

Then, just a few weeks ago, I had one of my long-time students stop taking flute lessons. I was sad and disappointed but had seen it coming. I wondered if there was something I should have done differently. My student had been struggling all fall. She was coming to lessons unprepared, withdrawn, and disengaged. The change in our lessons was dramatic. I spoke with her family, we talked in lessons, I looked for music that was particularly fun and engaging. I was working hard to help her through what felt like a particularly difficult practice slump. (We all have them!) Just six months ago she was progressing through her repertoire, well-known and respected as the most advanced flutist in school music program, and she had just gotten a new flute. Then this past fall, for the first time in three years, she did not audition for the after school honors band. She didn’t want to join a chamber music class. She began to balk at playing in front of our group class. She decided not to take band in school. It was a slippery slope that ended in a wonderful, talented young girl feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, and bad about herself.

The more I have thought about the situation, the more confident I am that my “ensemble requirement” is absolutely right on. Many of my students begin playing when they are very young (age 4-6). At that age a private lesson and group class is sufficient and they work with their parents daily at home. For my pre-teens, the parent relationship is changing. They are no longer as willing to have the parent actively working with them at home. Developmentally, it is appropriate that they are craving independence, peer interactions, and acceptance. In my experience, no matter how long they have studied their instrument, making music cannot be a solitary experience for this age group. They need to communicate, to feel like “one of the gang”, and to be surrounded by an environment of music. Sending a student to practice alone in their bedroom day after day is like a watching a beautiful plant slowly being starved of light and water. Music is a living language and it needs to be shared with others.

There is nothing more exciting than to see one of my teenage students thriving in school and in music. To know that their instrument has become their “rock” and it has helped them to weather one of the most volatile and difficult stages of growth. To see that they are well on their way to becoming what Dr Shinichi Suzuki calls “the good citizens of the world”.

What ensemble experiences do your students participate in? If you are a piano instructor, how to do manage to make playing the piano exciting and fulfilling at this every social time? Do you see a difference between those students who are engaged in music with their peers and those who are more solitary? What creative solutions have you found for your home-schooled students or those who do not fit into the typical programs? I look forward to your thoughts.

That said, I’ve never been one to implement reward programs to try to motivate a student.  I’ve known teachers who provide prizes or even monetary rewards for students who practice a certain number of times per week, but in my experience these can be ineffective and expensive.  Instead, I have found that providing students with performance opportunities motivates students to practice and in doing so, helps encourage a long-term relationship with the student and his family.

A student who is preparing for a recital or competition is likely to practice faithfully.  He doesn’t want to embarrass himself by playing poorly in front of his family and friends, but wants to impress them with his musical abilities.  A student playing for a competition or festival will, likewise, want to impress the judge and earn a good score.  A student who doesn’t practice and gives a poor performance is likely to want to turn things around the next time and prevent this experience from happening again!  Since some instruments can also be a bit isolating, hearing their peers play can also be motivating to kids.  A beginning piano student has the opportunity to hear a high school student play a famous Chopin prelude, and becomes excited about what he will be able to learn someday if he sticks with his instrument.

Parents also enjoy opportunities to see their children shine.  Hearing their children play in a recital or festival makes them proud and helps them understand the real gift they are giving to their children by keeping them in music lessons.  Hearing advanced students play also allows parents to see the rewards of a long-term commitment to lessons.

At my own studio, I try to provide students with many opportunities throughout the year to play in a variety of settings and through a variety of organizations.  I never require that a student participate in all of the events I offer, but I always make my students aware of what opportunities they have and help parents select a few that fit their child’s abilities and personalities well.  Some of the performance opportunities I provide are:

• Annual studio recitals, held at the community room of our local library
• Seasonal recitals put on by my local teachers organization at our university (allows students to play in an amazing venue on an amazing instrument)
• Masterclasses put on by my local teachers organization each spring
• Students share holiday music selections each December at a local nursing home
• Competitive opportunities through the National Federation of Music Clubs and my state music teachers organization

Reconciling Lessons

Music Teachers Helper has been an invaluable resource in following through with my goal. Reconciling lessons after each day of teaching helps me to reinforce assignments that were given at the lesson (Music Teachers Helper can automatically email these notes to both parent and student). I always include something positive that the student did during the lesson or as a result of good practice during the week, and constructive comments for improvement. I use the private notes to help me prepare for the next week’s lesson and to remember to follow up about something that the student told me during the lesson (like an upcoming music concert, sporting event, or special occasion). Since this takes some time, I hope that the parents read it! I think most of them do and I was especially surprised when one parent emailed me asking where the notes were (I had been a little late in getting them out)!

Phone Conferences

Though I prefer the ease of communicating electronically, some issues are better discussed on the phone, especially delicate issues like a behavior problem or lack of adequate practice. Emails can be easily misconstrued. An old-fashioned phone conversation is often necessary. I have found out the hard way that it is better to deal with problems immediately and directly before they become irreparable. This year I have decided to conduct mid-year phone conferences. I plan to contact all my piano families to touch base on progress so far this year. This will be a nice personal touch and helps to establish healthy relationships with my clients.

“Live” Parent Conferences

For several years I have conducted year-end parent conferences where we sit down eyeball to eyeball and discuss progress as well as future goals for their child. Prior to the conference I send out a Student Report that includes questions for the student about what they enjoyed most and least, pieces they would like to perform, their favorite composer, etc. During the conference, the parent and I review the Student Report and I share my written evaluation with the parent. My main question for the parent is, “Are you satisfied with your child’s progress and if not, what can I do to help?”

We can perhaps look to schools for how they handle structured interaction with the parents. I view piano lessons as part of the child’s education and take my students’ progress or lack there-of very seriously. The conversation between parent and teacher is vital. How do you handle it when you have a student that is not making sufficient progress? Do you communicate with the parent immediately? Or do you hope that it is just a phase that the student is going through and it will pass. If it doesn’t pass, what do you do?

How do you communicate with the parent? One book that has helped me to understand this tenuous relationship is The Essential Conversation: What Parents and Teachers Can Learn from Each Other by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot. It is a beautifully written book that contains many examples of the dialogue between parents and teachers.

In the Suzuki philosophy of teaching music, the parent, student, teacher triangle is emphasized. The more we can do to strengthen this triangle, the better. Though not always easy or pleasant, it is necessary to view our communication and conversation in a collaborative spirit – as Bill Cosby so eloquently wrote, “Parents and teachers need to work in unison for the benefit of our children and our world.”

Here’s what my business records show for this month:

Membership renewal in my national, state, and local teachers’ associations: $135

Ad in the local paper: $45

Ad in local parenting magazine: $100

New teaching materials for lessons: $50

Business license renewal: $25

                                                                                           You get the idea.

Here are a few ways I try to help offset some of the costs of being a small business owner:

• Charging an annual registration fee.  Having a two year old myself who has taken tumbling class, swim lessons, and a Music Together class, I realize that every other activity charges an annual–or sometimes even a semester — registration fee.  Why should piano be any different?  Last September I began charging each family a $20 registration fee to help offset some of the expenses that inevitably come for me as a teacher and studio owner each fall.  No one has sounded any complaints, which echoes my belief that registration fees are fairly common with any activity these days.  Since I charge this every fall, my most expensive time of the year as a teacher, it has definitely been helpful.

• Charge appropriate fees for your service.  If you and every other teacher in the area are charging $15 a lesson, but you are the only teacher who participates in ongoing education (at your own expense), rents recital halls (at your own expense) and belongs to teachers associations (at your own expense) then you are offering something the competition is not.  Your rates should reflect this, and it is probably time for you to charge a bit more than other locals in your field.  It can be easy for us and our clients to think that we make $15-$20 per half hour, but the hours we put in behind the scenes and the expenses we incur as studio owners should be reflected in the rates we charge, too.  Don’t undercharge your clients for your services.  Educate your clients about this, too!  Let them know about the preparation, continuing education and studio expenses that you put in outside of their child’s weekly piano lesson or ballet class so that they understand how much you offer them as a teacher and realize that they are paying for more than just a weekly lesson slot.

• Keep track of your expenses for tax purposes.  Music Teacher’s Helper and Studio Helper are excellent resources for studio owners in this regard.  I had no idea how many things that I did as a studio owner were tax deductible until purchasing an account with Music Teacher’s Helper.  Now, keeping track of my monthly studio expenses and gas mileage and entering them in when I do my taxes each year is simple.  Whenever I purchase an ad for my studio or pay a membership fee, I enter it into my Music Teacher’s Helper account right away.  (Note: I keep a folder in my file with all these receipts in case I am audited.)  At the end of the year, the website does all the math for me and prints excel charts and graphs with my annual totals.  This has helped me take advantage of the tax breaks I can receive as a self-employed studio owner.  Do you use a portion of your home for your studio?  Check with your tax accountant about riding off portions of your utilities and mortgage based on the square footage and amount of time you use the portion of your house for a studio.

I hope all the studio owners out there have an enjoyable and successful year!

That being said, I have to admit that when I began my home piano studio, I did not write out a formal business plan or even a startup plan! I did, however, create professional documents such as a studio policy, studio brochure, business cards, tuition statements, and many other documents necessary for running my studio. I also had a lot of goals for my business but they were mostly in my head. In spite of not writing out a business plan, my business has flourished and I am now in my ninth years with a full studio and a waiting list. As I become more and more educated on the business end of things, I realize the need for a business plan. It’s never too late to write one. In fact, to insure that my business continues to be successful, it is absolutely essential.

Why Write a Business Plan?

Putting everything on paper is powerful. Similar to writing weekly assignments for our students and asking them to document their practice for the week, writing a business plan aids in solidifying goals and recognizing both strengths and weaknesses. The United States Small Business Administration stresses the importance of writing a business plan for the following reasons: to obtain outside funding and credit from suppliers, to manage operation and finances, to promote and market your business, and to achieve goals and objectives. A standard template for a business plan usually includes:

1. Executive Summary (statement of the business purpose): It is recommended to write this last after you have completed the other pieces of the business plan.
2. Company Description: Legal establishment, history, startup plans, etc.
3. Product or Service: Describe what you’re selling focusing on customer benefits
4. Market Analysis: Know your market, customer needs, where they are, how to reach them, etc.
5. Strategy and Implementation: Be specific. Include management responsibilities with dates and budget.
6. Management Team: Include backgrounds of key members of the team, personnel strategy, and details.
7. Financial Plan: Include profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheet, break-even analysis, assumptions, business ratio, etc.

Now, all of this seems a bit daunting to me because some of it does not apply to my business. In my research I found that you don’t have to follow a standard outline. It is more important to create a business plan that will work specifically for your business to give you direction, examine and clarify goals, allocate resources, and prepare for problems and opportunities. The plan can be done as simply or as detailed as you like.

Whether you are a new or experienced studio business owner, I urge you to consider writing a business plan if you have not done so yet. To get you going on the process, here are some fun suggestions:

Visioning:

First of all, write a letter to your studio and date it a year in advance congratulationg yourself on completing your goals for the year. I got this idea from an article I read years ago on New Year’s Eve regarding setting personal goals for yourself. I did it and was amazed at how many goals I had achieved in the letter. Be specific in what it would look and feel like to have met your goals. Place the letter in an envelope, seal it, and do not open until the following year.

Ideas – Dream Big! Brainstorm!

Take some time to answer the following questions:

What would you like to change about your studio?
What would you like to change about your life?

Revisit in three months and ask yourself, “Have you started to make the change? If not, why?” Then, revisit in six months and ask, “Have changes been made? If not, why?”

What is Your Five-Year Plan? What is Your Ten-Year Plan?

Where do you want to be living in five years? Doing what? What changes would you like to make in your personal life? What hobbies will you be pursuing? How much will you be working or teaching? How much money will you make per student? What will be your total income per year? Then ask the same questions for ten years.

Next month I will explore more options for embarking on building a business plan. To be continued….

E-mail

The Internet has made communicating simple and effective.  When I think of how my own piano teacher growing up had to make phone calls whenever there was a schedule change or send letters home with students about upcoming events (and rely on us actually giving them to our parents…), I realize how lucky I am to be running a studio in the age of the Internet.  I use e-mail to communicate nearly everything that happens in my studio–upcoming recitals, workshops, lesson reminders, etc.  Not only does this simple and efficent way of communicating make life easier for me, but busy parents appreciate the quick, non-intrusive updates.  I also use e-mail to tell students about events in the community.  For example, if there is an upcoming symphony performance or a great sale at our local piano store, I will send a brief e-mail to my piano families to let them know.

Newsletters

I have found newsletters to be a great way to not only get studio information into my clients hands, but also to provide motivational and educational tips and articles to my families.  This has also been a wonderful tool to promote the benefits of music education. 

Once every quarter, I send a three or four page newsletter home with each student.  The newsletter includes upcoming studio event reminders and a welcome to new students, so that parents can see that there are new and exciting things happening in the studio.  I will also either write or reprint an article from another professional that covers a topic of interest.  The article might be general tips for encouraging home practicing, or it might be a study that tells about the academic gains made in students who take music lessons.  I also include a resource section where I provide parents with information such as recommendations for local piano tuners or websites that have fun music reading games for young children.

Annual Studio Report

At the end of each school year, I provide my families with an annual studio report.  I e-mail a copy to each family and also make the report available on my website, so that prospective families can learn more about what is offered at my studio.  In the report, I summarize the performances and workshops that students have participated in during the course of the year.  I include a section that lists the new equipment I have purchased for use in the studio (digital pianos, recording equipment, etc.).  I also provide a professional update and information about events that families can look forward to in the year ahead.  When some parents are perhaps feeling burned out after a year of negotiating practice times with their child, this studio report can be a great little boost.  It reminds parents of all the things their child has accomplished over the course of the school year, and gives them some new things to anticipate.

But there are some things to consider when using social media to promote your studio. Here are three key questions to ask, along with my thoughts on each.

1. What kind of information should I share? My studio’s presence on the aforementioned social media sites is dynamic, meaning I add content on a daily basis. Of course there is the basic description, contact information, and services provided, but I don’t stop there. I share stories, successes, pictures, student quotes, and anything else that I think might capture the attention of a potential student or parent.
2. Do I have permission to use my student’s images, videos, and names? This question is critical to your social media policy, as you can find yourself in hot water if you use any of the above without permission. Each year on my annual student survey, I include this: “Do I have permission to feature pictures/and or videos of this student (using first name only) on my studio website and or social networking site such as Facebook?” Then I give three options: 1) Yes; 2) Please ask permission on a case-by-case basis; and 3) No. I have been pleasantly surprised to find that most parents and students check the “Yes” box.
3. Should I allow students and their families to follow me on Facebook? The answer will vary from teacher to teacher, most likely. My studio is a very tight-knit, casual one, so I don’t have any problem accepting friend requests from older students and teachers. However, I know other teachers who have a strict policy against this. Either way, I highly recommend creating a business page which anyone can “like” and follow. And as is always the case, think carefully about anything you post online.

It’s hard to imagine what running a business was like before the advent of the internet and social media sites. I love being able to connect on a personal level with current and future clientele, and the feedback I’ve received (as well as students gained) confirms its effectiveness. What other questions would you add to the must-ask list when it comes to social media and your studio?

In pondering the subject of this blog entry, I decided to use an example from my own studio – and hope the strategies and thought-processes I have used will be helpful to you.  I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter.

Scheduling is a convoluted mess at best, and a nightmare at worst, but it does not always have to be that way.  When juggling so many families, students, schedules, and conflicts, the teacher’s job is rarely (often never) just teaching.

How many times have you put off that deadline until last minute?  Or, how many times have you assumed the teacher or organization would make an exception for you, because your situation is so unique?  Many teachers spend hours coordinating the schedule and arranging time-frames so students are given the best possible scenario for their lessons.

This coming school-year, a few major changes are happening in my studio.  One such change… I am returning to school, possibly full-time, while continuing to teach.  I may also become very involved in the care of my nephew & niece, so my sister & brother-in-law can both work.  Teaching is my career, my livelihood, but I can make some sacrifices to help family and farther my own education.  While I would like to retain all my students, sadly some will just not be able to handle the changes I need to make.

Way back in April, I sent out a time sheet request of all 6 days (Monday through Saturday) for lesson times, asking students to indicate their top three time requests spread over at least two days.  In May, we finalized the summer schedule.  In August, we will be finalizing the school year schedule.  But, changes and conflicts occur.

How do you handle the last-minute changes when parents and students can no longer make their requested time and day?  What do you do if you discover you are unable to teach on a day you know is your student’s only option?  Hopefully the family is very understanding.  Hopefully you’re able to find them a new teacher who is able and willing to take them in as a student.  Hopefully your schedule fills up where needed and gives you space when it is necessary.

Here is the deadline schedule set in my studio…
May 1^st = registration for summer (lessons June 21-August 25)
May 10^th = last payment for school year tuition
June 10^th = ½ payment for summer tuition
July 1^st = registration for school year (lessons begin September 12^th)
July 10^th = ½ payment for summer tuition (remaining)
August 10^th = ½ payment for September (counts as holding fee)
August 11^th = school year schedule published to studio
September 10^th = remaining payment for September
October 10^th = begin normal monthly tuition payment schedule

Notes about Schedule:
So far, almost all the families have submitted their requests for the school year, and all but one or two different families have paid the remaining summer tuition.  Deadlines matter, and families who are respectful of my time constraints will be given the school-year lesson times they need.  In return, I do my best to make clear my expectations and communicate the schedule as soon as possible – because most people like to plan ahead.  Students on the waiting list are then offered the available times, and sadly, current students who procrastinated to make my studio life & education planning easier, may lose their opportunity to continue lessons.

As it turns out, teaching will only be able to happen Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.  Friday & Saturday lessons are out – and while the entire idea saddens me (I’ll be losing a couple students), I know I will be a healthier, happier, better prepared, more energized, and more focused teacher than if I spread myself, my time, my energy, my resources, and my family out a little over each day of the week.  Simpler is better, and I am certainly glad I set clear expectations, and that the families in the studio are prompt and flexible.  I hope to return the favor when needed.

How do you handle scheduling?  When do you start the process?  Do you keep the same schedules as the previous year?  Do you continue through the summer?  Do you have a free-for-all first-come, first-served system?  What has worked and what hasn’t?  Do you ever run into any problems in your studio as a result of the system you use?  How well would you say you are able to focus on teaching and leave the business side of lessons out of the lesson when possible?  Let’s share with one another, so we can all grow and learn as teachers, administrators, and schedulers.    The new school year will be upon us before we know it!

Yesterday during a break between lessons, I checked my voicemail to find three messages from parents seeking a voice teacher for their children.  Three inquiries in a week? Completely normal.  But three in the span of two hours?

I got my explanation when a teacher from another local studio called and revealed himself as the referral source.  He is in the process of downsizing his student load in order to take on other projects, and has been recommending that his students continue their studies with me.

To most teachers and studios, this would be a jackpot situation (literally and figuratively).  But when you already have a completely full studio with a growing waiting list, receiving a slew of new referrals all at once is a bit overwhelming.

The good news is that if you find yourself in this situation, your reply to potential students and parents doesn’t have to be “no”. 

If you use Studio Helper or Music Teacher’s Helper, you already know that it is easy to offer available time slots to students.  Instead of explaining to potential students that they’ll have to wait until a regular studio spot becomes available, my studio adds them as active students and allow them to pick up lessons as they become available.

This is a win-win solution, because not only are the students receiving instruction while waiting in line for a regular spot, but your studio is also filling in gaps where it might otherwise lose income for cancelled lessons.

The biggest complaint I hear from other teachers in their inability to maintain a steady income.  There will always be vacations, illness, basketball games, and summer camps getting in the way of or replacing music lessons, which is why the best thing you can do for your studio (and peace of mind for your spouse, in my case!) is to keep the referrals rolling in — even when you can’t offer a regular time slot just yet.