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What To Do?, Fortnightly lessons for young pupil?

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ad_libitum	May 4 2007, 10:15 AM Post #1
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2438 Joined: 17-December 06 From: N.Ireland Member No.: 8699	Hi! I wonder if there are any thoughts on this scenario? I have a very bright 8 year old girl who's a very promising student. The subject of having lots of extra activities outside of school has been talked about at length in another thread...This is one of those pupils! She's just taken on yet another actvity - gym I think. Anyway, half an hour before she was due to arrive this week, her mother called and said she would be round as normal, but is it OK if she only has a lesson every 2 weeks now instead of weekly? As I had another pupil just arriving, I said I'd phone her back to discuss it... When the girl arrived half an hour later she mentioned something similar, and I said I'd be speaking to her mum later on. Also... This week was "payment" day, and instead of the usual 4 weeks in advance, (they get a note the week before), I was given money for just the one lesson. Obviously this decision has been made and it's been assumed I'll be OK with that... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) If I insist she comes weekly, I could end up losing the pupil, which I don't want. I thought about explaining why it wouldn't be ideal, and hopefully they will understand. If not, would it be unreasonable to say that if I get another pupil who intends to come weekly in that time slot, I will have to move the one who comes fortnightly? After all, I would be losing half the money for that time, which is a popular after-school one. I'd be grateful for any thoughs! Thanks!

sbhoa	May 4 2007, 10:24 AM Post #2
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 18927 Joined: 31-October 03 From: Tameside Member No.: 24	If you agree to a fortnightly lesson you could make it an hour instead of half an hour?

harmony2	May 4 2007, 10:24 AM Post #3
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 405 Joined: 19-March 07 Member No.: 10155	Hi, I have a few who come once a fortnight BUT they all have unpopular slots - 8 or 8.30 pm and they are in the 6th form, post-grade 8 and have an hour. A few parents of younger children have asked me if I will do this, and I have politely explained that little progress will be made at a young age with lessons so far apart, and that I will also have a redundant 1/2 every other week. Do what you think is best!

petrat	May 4 2007, 10:29 AM Post #4
Unregistered	At this age a lesson once a fortnight is not enough. If she is unwell and misses a lesson she will be a whole month with one and she will be unlikely to practise regularly. I don't think that it is a workable situation and I would tell the parent so. In an ideal world young children would have two lessons weekly, not one a fortnight. I think that you will have to explain that you cannot do lesssons every two weeks at her age. She will need to make a choice of what activities to do and what to drop if she wants to be a pianist. There are plenty of keen pupils to be found. You might do better with one of these. Sorry to be negative, but I have been in this situation several times in the past and it never worked. Now I simply refuse any such requests, at least until the pupil is much older. Even then it is not always a good solution.

ad_libitum	May 4 2007, 10:33 AM Post #5
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2438 Joined: 17-December 06 From: N.Ireland Member No.: 8699	Thank you everyone. Yes I have to say I've never had a pupil do that yet, and I don't like the idea of a child going so long between lessons. It's easier to correct a bad habit after one week than two, by which time it might be firmly ingrained! Also, I only have so many "slots" in a day where I can teach, due to family, so each one is quite precious!

SueHM	May 4 2007, 11:33 AM Post #6
Unregistered	I suspect that one of two things happens if you agree to fortnightly lessons - Either - keen pupil - works hard for 2 weeks between lessons - then you spend twice as long unlearning the mistakes / poor technique that inevitably creep in Or - busy / lazy pupil - no practice at all in week 1, scrappy practice in week 2 - no progress. In any case, less time to fit in aural, sight reading and other bits and pieces. I think a lot of kids do far too many activities and life becomes a merry-go-round of lessons, the majority of which will not continue into later life. The other important point is that the child needs time to practice, and if she is continually on the go after school every day and weekends, when is practice going to happen? A lot of other activities don't require effort in between the sessions. If the parent doen't understand your point of view, you are on a slippery slope. Be firm now and save yourself headaches later.

Cyrilla	May 4 2007, 11:49 AM Post #7
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 11911 Joined: 9-November 03 From: Croydon, South London/Surrey Member No.: 99	QUOTE(SueHM @ May 4 2007, 12:33 PM) I think a lot of kids do far too many activities and life becomes a merry-go-round of lessons Do you want to join the Grumpy Old Women club, Sue??? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

maggiemay	May 4 2007, 11:55 AM Post #8
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 18089 Joined: 12-January 04 From: S E England Member No.: 413	Ad libitum, I don't think this is workable situation either, and I'd go along with what several others have said. As well as the half-hearted nature of having a lesson only every two weeks, it would not be fair to turn down a potential 100% weekly student in order to keep a space open for a 50% -er.

SueHM	May 4 2007, 11:58 AM Post #9
Unregistered	QUOTE(Cyrilla @ May 4 2007, 12:49 PM) QUOTE(SueHM @ May 4 2007, 12:33 PM) I think a lot of kids do far too many activities and life becomes a merry-go-round of lessons Do you want to join the Grumpy Old Women club, Sue??? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Sign me up immediately, I am feeling particularly cantankerous and intolerant this morning. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/angry.gif) The youth of today...

jo.clarinet	May 4 2007, 01:55 PM Post #10
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2776 Joined: 21-December 03 From: London Member No.: 303	I've had a couple of adult pupils come for fortnightly lessons this year, taking turns in the same time slot, and it has worked quite well, although I must say I'd still prefer to see them weekly! One of them has now said that from next term he does want to come weekly, which is great, but it means that the fortnightly pupil will have to fit in with any cancellations I have from then on, and take those times, because I'm not holding a slot open to be used only fortnightly, and it's highly unlikely that anyone else could fill the gaps! With the young ones, I wouldn't even think of lessons less frequently than weekly, for the reasons other posters have given (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif).

chocolatedog	May 4 2007, 03:03 PM Post #11
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 3861 Joined: 4-June 05 Member No.: 3798	I would agree that once a fortnight is not enough......I tried it for a while with an older pupil and now she is back weekly again it is much better....

susiejean	May 4 2007, 03:18 PM Post #12
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 378 Joined: 29-March 07 From: Aberdeenshire Member No.: 10392	QUOTE(sbhoa @ May 4 2007, 11:24 AM) If you agree to a fortnightly lesson you could make it an hour instead of half an hour? I have had a couple of pupils do fortnightly lessons. I have an adult who does an hour a fortnight and that works ok, but with younger people an hour is sometimes too long and the concentration goes. The other problem is if something goes wrong, and the child either doesn't do the work as they don't understand, or they misunderstand and practice it all wrong. A nightmare to undo after a fortnight. In the end of the day it was very wrong of them to 'assume' you would be ok with this. If they can't come weekly, and there happens to be a school trip/swimming gala/gymnastics competition on the day of their lesson, that would be a month without lessons, which is just not good enough from your point of view. I suppose what I am trying to say is that it didn't really work for me, and to think about it carefully. If they're fairly new to you, it could be the start of a pattern which involves mucking you about lots. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

ad_libitum	May 4 2007, 03:51 PM Post #13
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2438 Joined: 17-December 06 From: N.Ireland Member No.: 8699	Thanks again all! Just dropping in before my last pupil arrives (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I have plenty to think about now when I phone the mum later on. As Susie said, I think I'm feeling a bit miffed about the way it's been handled. I don't think half an hour before the girl's lesson was a good time to phone to dicuss it, and yes, it does appear that not much thought has been given to how an arrangement like that would affect me! It's just been assumed she will miss one week and attend the next etc... The new class the girl mentioned was also on a Sunday, so I couldn't quite see the problem, but I have a feeling she's been asked to drop or cut down on something.

sarah-flute	May 4 2007, 05:07 PM Post #14
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 25735 Joined: 14-December 04 From: Insomniaville Member No.: 2729	QUOTE(SueHM @ May 4 2007, 12:33 PM) if she is continually on the go after school every day and weekends, when is practice going to happen? I think it's been mentioned in another thread a parent who rapidly changed the subject when asked this question........ (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

ad_libitum	May 4 2007, 06:02 PM Post #15
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2438 Joined: 17-December 06 From: N.Ireland Member No.: 8699	QUOTE(sarah-flute @ May 4 2007, 06:07 PM) QUOTE(SueHM @ May 4 2007, 12:33 PM) if she is continually on the go after school every day and weekends, when is practice going to happen? I think it's been mentioned in another thread a parent who rapidly changed the subject when asked this question........ (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) It's a very valid question though isn't it? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'll need to approach it carefully, but I think I need to be firm on where I stand. The parents aren't musical themselves, so maybe don't realise the work/commitment involved?

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