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Lesson Tuition & Attendance
Lesson tuition is to be paid at the beginning of each month. Tuition is $190.00 per month for ½ hr. lessons once per week and $375.00 per month for 1 hour lessons once per week. I take cash, check, Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal. The tuition is the same regardless of the number of weeks in the month or which month of the year it is. Most months have 4 weeks, some have 5 weeks and in November and December sometime have 3 weeks depending upon which day of the week you lesson falls on. It averages out throughout the year. I take time off for Easter, Thanksgiving as well as last week or so of the year off which include Christmas and New Years. Consider the months with 5 weeks the compensation for that time. I do not pro-rate or bank lessons which you have missed. If you’re unable to make your lesson for whatever reason, I cannot guarantee ‘make-up’ lessons. When you book your time initially that time is reserved for you. If you ask for a ‘make-up’ lesson I then need to find time in my schedule which I may or may not have then effectively using two time slots to accommodate an absence. If you pre-arrange a time in advance which you know you are not able to come on a given day and we can find a mutually convenient time within a 7-day period to reschedule then I am happy to accommodate. If you are late for a lesson you still owe the tuition for the entire time slot. Anyone who has taken lessons from me knows that I try my best to reschedule missed lessons but only if my schedule allows for it. I almost always am able to accommodate. If you miss a lesson without pre-arranging the absence or don't bother to call and you then wish to have a lesson I do charge the normal lesson rate on top of your monthly tuition due at time of make-up. TRIAL LESSON? If you would like to come in for a one-time lesson before committing to an entire month you may book the time. PLEASE NOTE: I do charge for my time and do not offer 'free' trial lessons. If I am absent I owe you the lesson, if you are absent you owe the tuition. SUMMERTIME VACATIONS: During the months of July and August I will hold your slot if you are gone for up to two weeks if the balance of the weeks of the month are paid for in advance. If you plan to be gone for more than two weeks I cannot hold your time slot unless you prepay for weeks missed past the initial two. September through June are set tuition rates without adjustment. The last two weeks of the year I do not teach as the calendar year will still average out so that you are still ahead two lessons even with the last two weeks factored out. No lessons on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years Day. THIRTY DAYS NOTICE PLEASE Taking a break or need to stop lessons for good...? Please give me 30 days notice so that I can adjust my books accordingly. THANKS!
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Make-up Lessons from an Economist's point of view Make-up Music Lessons from an Economist's Point of View
By Vicky Barham, Ph. D. Like many parents, I pay in advance for lessons each term. In my mind, what this means is that I have reserved a regular spot in the busy schedules of my sons' teachers. I understand — fully -- that if I can't make it to the lesson one week (perhaps my son is sick, or we are away on holiday, or there is some other major event at school) then we will pay for the lesson, but that my teacher is under no obligation to find another spot for me that week, or to refund me for the untaught lesson. And this is the way it should be. In my “other life” I am an economist and teach at our local university. Students pay good money to attend classes at the university; but if they don't come to my lecture on a Monday morning, then I am not going to turn around and deliver them a private tutorial on Tuesday afternoon. When I go to the store and buy groceries, I may purchase something that doesn't get used. Days or months later, I end up throwing it out. I don't get a refund from the grocery store for the unused merchandise. If I sign my child up for swimming lessons at the local pool, and s/he refuses to return after the first lesson, I can't get my money back. So there are lots of situations in our everyday lives where we regularly pay in advance for goods or some service, and if we end up not using what we have purchased, we have to just “swallow our losses.” On the other hand, if I purchase an item of clothing, and get home and change my mind, I can take it back and expect either a refund or a store credit. So why do I believe that music lessons fall into the first category of “non-returnable merchandise,” rather than into the second case of “exchange privileges unlimited” (which I think is one of the advertising slogans of an established women's clothing store!)? Speaking now as an economist, I would claim that the reason is that items like clothing are "durable goods” — meaning, they can be returned and then resold at the original price — whereas music lessons are non-durable goods — meaning, once my Monday slot at 3:30 is gone, my son's teacher can't turn around and sell it again. The only way she would be able to give him a lesson later in the week would be if she were to give up time that she had scheduled for her own private life; and that seems pretty unreasonable. I can't think of many employees who would be thrilled if their bosses were to announce that they couldn't work from 3:30 to 4:30 this afternoon, but would they please stay until 6:30 on Thursday, because there will be work for them then! Post Script by Dave Head: This article pretty much sums up my personal policy however when a student asks for a different time THE SAME WEEK as their absence and I have an availability that I am able to offer certainly I am happy to oblige. I do not BANK or PRO-RATE lessons or payments. When you reserve my time you owe the tuition. When I am absent I owe you the lesson. |
AuthorDavid Head is a Guitar, and Bass instructor in Redmond, Washington. 
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