I require a hefty deposit (goes towards tuition in the fall) plus registration to hold lesson space at the end of May, and also ask for their 3 preferences and times that they absolutely cannot come. Then, I schedule according to seniority, those studying the longest usually get their first preference.

As for summer, I too enjoy my summers off. We have long winters in the midwest! I teach Mon – Thurs for six weeks during the summer and do not require that students continue lessons through the summer to continue in the fall. I strongly recommend lessons and try to teach no less than 4 lessons per student. I have found that one or two lessons during the summer is not very beneficial. Last year, I started offering packages of 4 and 6 lessons at a discounted rate and found that it worked well.

Thanks for the feedback! They don’t pay for the summer, or schedule the whole summer. I break lessons down, so they choose how many lessons to take and when. Lessons are offered from June 21st-August 25th (and they choose between 4 & 10 lessons) with a cascading rate per lesson… so more lessons are less per lesson. It encourages families to schedule more lessons, but I still have some sort of income when there are fewer. They pay for half the summer in June & half the summer in July. By August, they’re caught up and we’re focusing on the school year.

I have honestly toyed with the idea of keeping the schedule the same throughout the year (a 12-month schedule), but in my geographic location, families are VERY keen on their summer vacations, trips, swim lessons, breaks, friends, and BBQs. I have had students who have quit lessons around summer time just because I require they take a minimum number of lessons at all. So, this offers a level of flexibility the families appreciate, gives me time to rest & plan & strategize for the coming year, and allows everyone vacation time we all desire. It’s rainy here in the NW 9 months of the year, and so these 3 months of summer are pure amazing. In the summer, I also only teach Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – which allows for spontaneous weekend trips for my students and my family.

How do you handle summer lessons year round? Is it better for your studio that way? Does everyone go along with it? Have you been doing it that way for a while?

I’m not opposed to the idea – and now have a school year schedule that would seemlessly flow into the summer (teaching Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays this school year). Hmmm… thanks for the food for thought! I’d love to hear more about how you handle summer lesson scheduling.

what is thebenefit to you for creating a different summer schedule and school year schedule?

JB