olympic torch!, missed lessons! Options

[barry-clari]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Football fan here (well, Charlton fan, does that count? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) ) - I think you have every right to be put out - again, it isn't as though they didn't know - the fixtures were released in December 2011!

The Ukraine game clashes with a band rehearsal. And I will be at band. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Norway]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Yes - and we haven't even got to the Olympics yet, so it's only going to get worse. I should reinforce your Ts and Cs now. I need somewhere to hide (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) for the duration - any suggestions?

[grandadsboots]

[quote name='hammer action' date='Jun 13 2012, 10:29 PM' post='1153433']
Charge them for the missed lesson. You shouldn't have to suffer financially. I make it very clear in my T&C's that all missed lessons will be chargeable unless adequate notice is given. I'll try my best to re-arrange the lesson at a later time in the week, but that isn't always possible. When i started teaching many years ago, i soon got fed up with the last-minute cancellations because of birthday parties, swimming lessons, cinema visits or whatever. It's amazing how organized parents become with their forward-planning when they know missed lessons are chargeable.
[/quote]
How I agree with you. I too have been teaching for many years and have frequently had to revamp my T&Cs when new issues come to light.( No pun intended)!I now make it clear that I allow 2 cancellations/ reschedules during the academic year.
I look back to the time when I actually billed people at the end of a course of ten lessons ? what a learning curve that was. I now insist on fees in advance but even so young pupils are sneakily dropped off at my door on the first lesson of a unit of ten with messages such as ? sorry we forgot and will pay next week.?
I have noticed another phenomenon. I have always offered a free consultation for people wanting to discuss the possibilities of lessons. On several occasions recently the appointment has been carefully arranged with due consideration to all concerned and they simply don?t bother to turn up or even have the courtesy to cancel. A lucky escape for me I suppose (possible unreliable student) but even so Grrrrr!
[/quote]

[Seer_Green]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

That's daft - there should be no question over them offering to pay; if your T&Cs state that payment is due (or you have some other scheme in place) then it should be you who is demanding payment! Surely it's not possible to run a business on the basis of hoping your clients offer to pay you?

[Susie]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Yes - and we haven't even got to the Olympics yet, so it's only going to get worse. I should reinforce your Ts and Cs now. I need somewhere to hide (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) for the duration - any suggestions?

Come and stay with us. We aim to be an olympic-free-zone for the duration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Norway]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Yes - and we haven't even got to the Olympics yet, so it's only going to get worse. I should reinforce your Ts and Cs now. I need somewhere to hide (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) for the duration - any suggestions?

Come and stay with us. We aim to be an olympic-free-zone for the duration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Brilliant! You'll probably be overwhelmed with requests! Wouldn't it be a laugh if half the forum ended up in your house! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[DaisyChain]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Yes - and we haven't even got to the Olympics yet, so it's only going to get worse. I should reinforce your Ts and Cs now. I need somewhere to hide (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) for the duration - any suggestions?

Come and stay with us. We aim to be an olympic-free-zone for the duration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Brilliant! You'll probably be overwhelmed with requests! Wouldn't it be a laugh if half the forum ended up in your house! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Great! Party time! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drummer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/guitar.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chorale.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rocker.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rockin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flute.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/violin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/harp.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sing.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clarinet.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/highfive.gif)

[lorraineliyanage]

Luckily mine have all paid up now for this half-term in advance, so if they really must go and see the torch, then so be it. I have no idea when it's coming this way but out of curiosity I may look it up!

Thursday 26th July (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

That's end of term so I don't think that will be coming my way as a missed lesson excuse!

My terms are no refunds or rescheduled lessons for any reason which keeps things simple. Likewise, I never cancel lessons as I always have a supply teacher cover any lessons I can't teach (which is about 1 a year!)

[Norway]

[
Great! Party time! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drummer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/guitar.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chorale.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rocker.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rockin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flute.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/violin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/harp.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sing.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clarinet.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/highfive.gif)
[/quote]

Awesome use of icons! I hope the ABRSM are reading this! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[sbhoa]

Morning Baz. I would say that if a student wants to bunk off to see an event, it is their job to inform the teacher, not the teacher's job to keep up with every possible event that students might want to go to. I had a student dock my invoice 1 lesson when she went trick or treating which happened to fall on the first lesson of the half-term when payment was due. Unbelievable! However, they promptly paid up when I pointed out this was taking the p**s and I couldn't possibly run a business if I allowed that sort of carry on! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

True : but I think the torch is one of the very few things that may be an exception. Perhaps teaching in an area that's even more Olympic drenched than yours, lorraineliyanage, makes me slightly biased, I don't know! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I can't bear Hallowe'en : I know what I'd have done about your situation there...

edit : I'd be asking if they wanted to see the torch, I'd be equally miffed if they just told be out of the blue that they were going to do that.

The only way I'd be missing a lesson for it would be if I was doing the carrying.....
I'm with lorraineliyanage on this. If people want to do something else instead of their music lesson then it's for them to tell the teacher not for the teacher to guess.
I'd be a bit put out if my teachers suggested I might want to miss my lesson for something like this....

[Susie]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Yes - and we haven't even got to the Olympics yet, so it's only going to get worse. I should reinforce your Ts and Cs now. I need somewhere to hide (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) for the duration - any suggestions?

Come and stay with us. We aim to be an olympic-free-zone for the duration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Brilliant! You'll probably be overwhelmed with requests! Wouldn't it be a laugh if half the forum ended up in your house! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Great! Party time! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drummer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/guitar.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chorale.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rocker.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flute.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/violin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/harp.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sing.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clarinet.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/highfive.gif)

Oh, wow! I've only just seen this! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Gulp! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) In fact, I think we've probably got enough instruments and people to accommodate all those smilies. We could have a non-Olympic party (sort of an opposite idea to the Jubilee party).

[Norway]

Great! Party time! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drummer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/guitar.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chorale.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rocker.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flute.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/violin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/harp.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sing.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clarinet.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/highfive.gif)
[/quote]
Oh, wow! I've only just seen this! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Gulp! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) In fact, I think we've probably got enough instruments and people to accommodate all those smilies. We could have a non-Olympic party (sort of an opposite idea to the Jubilee party).
[/quote]

I'm totally on board with this! Any suggestions for non-Olympic events, eg. Marathon eating? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Tenor Viol]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Yes - and we haven't even got to the Olympics yet, so it's only going to get worse. I should reinforce your Ts and Cs now. I need somewhere to hide (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) for the duration - any suggestions?

Come and stay with us. We aim to be an olympic-free-zone for the duration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

This Northern Salopian residence is also a football free zone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Norway]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Yes - and we haven't even got to the Olympics yet, so it's only going to get worse. I should reinforce your Ts and Cs now. I need somewhere to hide (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) for the duration - any suggestions?

Come and stay with us. We aim to be an olympic-free-zone for the duration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

This Northern Salopian residence is also a football free zone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

There you go Susie - this could be a great business opportunity for you (don't tell Alan Sugar in case he pinches the idea!) - retreat holidays for loathers of sports, royal occasions, Christmas...the possibilities are endless!

[Susie]

Sorry to gate crash this thread, but I had two lessons cancelled on Monday and one this evening, all for the bloomin' England football matches! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Only one has offered to pay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Yes - and we haven't even got to the Olympics yet, so it's only going to get worse. I should reinforce your Ts and Cs now. I need somewhere to hide (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) for the duration - any suggestions?

Come and stay with us. We aim to be an olympic-free-zone for the duration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

This Northern Salopian residence is also a football free zone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

There you go Susie - this could be a great business opportunity for you (don't tell Alan Sugar in case he pinches the idea!) - retreat holidays for loathers of sports, royal occasions, Christmas...the possibilities are endless!

Excellent ruse. We can go to concerts, go on organ crawls, or if we feel adventurous, go on field trips to see puffins and fungi. I could quite warm to the idea. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)