[Guest Teacher]

Hi both,

Yes that helps a lot, thanks! I’m creating a spreadsheet to look at what the maximum I can teach is and the best way to charge and plan time vs where I think that fits with the value I offer and what I would need to do/the time it would take to maximise that value.

I have to say I’m not sure I’d be comfortable putting prices up AND shortening lesson time to all in one go. What I might do is shorten lesson time and keep the currect price available only be block booking.

Eliza – are you teaching 45 minutes lessons back to back? That would be worth doing for me, though sometimes I find the crossover can be awkward and it doesn’t leave much time for casual conversation as it is. I imagine that would be even harder with 45 minutes lessons and I don’t want people to feel like they’re on some music lesson conveyor belt. On the other hand, evenings is when the work usually is so I need to be able to get to people!

[Guest Teacher]

Actually, to answer half of my own question about terms and conditions, remembered that old Musicians Union thing I pay for every month and went and found this, in case anyone else is interested:

http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/Files/Contracts/Teaching/T1-Contract-Private-Teaching

Still interested in anything else people have got, though!

[Guest Teacher]

Hi Kat,

Yeah I’d thought of that – I was planning on taking the risk, same as they would do with overpaying me, only seems fair. Plus it’s likely that most would already have paid for that lesson anyway. Cancellation policy would still apply as usual.

However, I think in the short term I’m going to drop the subscription model as my payment platform doesn’t give me the flexibility I’d really like to enact it! I would like to come back to it though.

[Guest Teacher]

Hey there, sounds good and is something I’m looking at focusing on in the very near future.

I’m also looking at the possibility of making it into a subscription, so basically they are automatically billed for 4 lessons every month but still have the flexibility to schedule weekly if they need it, offset any lessons they haven’t had against next month’s subscription (or save them up for a free month) and get access to a membership website where I give them a bit extra in terms of practise aids, video lessons and sheet music etc.

Do you think that could work? I’ve mentioned it to one or two who have seemed enthusiastic about the idea but the reality may be different. Any thoughts would be very welcome!

[Guest Teacher]

Hi!

I’m tempted to try this – even if just because this week I’ve had a few cancellations for the first time, which makes me a little nervous. I’m still fairly new to MGR and have only been teaching in Exeter since February (I was in the Midlands before) – I do worry that although I’ve done well at picking up new students, if they start to cancel is this because they’ve become comfortable enough to do it on a regular basis.

Is it easy enough to put block bookings through the system on the website?

The majority of my students are young adults and I worry about asking for that amount of money upfront – do you only really find that it’s parents with children who can afford block bookings?

Thanks:)