What To Do?, Fortnightly lessons for young pupil? Options

[sarah-flute]

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)

Beyond a doubt!

The parents aren't musical themselves, so maybe don't realise the work/commitment involved?

Quite possibly.

[Robodoc]

At this age a lesson once a fortnight is not enough.

At any age.

[AnnC]

Could it be that money is an issue? I have quite a few students who come fortnightly, and still progress, if they work between lessons. Some just can't afford weekly lessoms.

[jacobvaneyck]

When I had lessons last year they were basically every fortnight, largely because of what my teacher was charging and my poor budget, and I still progressed. I may have got further with weekly lessons but fortnightly still worked. That was at diploma level though, and I'm not sure it would have worked at a lower level.

[Aquarelle]

I think it is unreasonable to expect teachers to have empty spaces in their timetables on alternate weeks and certainly not reasonable for parents simply to assume that a change from weekly to fortnightly lessons will be fine.

I have a family of four who come on a roundabout basis. We simply blocked an hour and three quarters and I take whoever comes. The eldest boy can’t be very regular because he is at boarding school and his exits are very limited. So far it’s worked reasonably well despite the long gaps between lessons which can occur. I also have two sisters who alternate – again because the elder is a weekly boarder with a heavy homework load on the weekends when she does get home. The younger is in her first year of piano and it’s a slower start than it would have been with weekly lessons. The elder simply didn’t want to give up when she got sent to boarding school (where there is no possibility of having lessons or even of practising). We just do what we can.

I did once have an adult who rang me regularly to say she wasn’t coming because she hadn’t practised and didn’t want to waste her money paying for a lesson. She was one of the reasons why I insisted that the association for which I work made it plain that pupils pay for missed lessons. However, I have forgiven her. She gave up piano because she was getting married and eight years later has sent me her quite talented and delightful little boy – every week - but then he practises regularly!

[sbhoa]

I did once have an adult who rang me regularly to say she wasn’t coming because she hadn’t practised and didn’t want to waste her money paying for a lesson. She was one of the reasons why I insisted that the association for which I work made it plain that pupils pay for missed lessons. However, I have forgiven her. She gave up piano because she was getting married and eight years later has sent me her quite talented and delightful little boy – every week - but then he practises regularly!

I had an adult who used to phone and cancel for that reason.
I charged for the missed lessons as she'd had a copy of my conditions and knew that is how it works.
Sometimes adults, like children, don't realise what having to practice between lessons really means and find out that learning an instrument takes a bit more effort than they imagined.

[ad_libitum]

It does seem there is a bit of a problem with the expense of so many activities. The girl is so good at everything though, and doesn't want to drop anything completely, hence this new suggestion.

I only got to speak to dad and he was very understanding about my concerns, but briefly explained the situation. Mum will ring me for a chat (she's the one to talk to, as is so often the case!).

I can see how difficult it must be - faced with not wanting to disappoint your child. I know I shouldn't feel bad, as I'm probably worse off than they are.

To be honest it makes me feel a bit awkward now, as I'd prefer not to know someone's financial situation. It makes me feel a bit "on the spot" if that makes sense?

[Glass Mountain]

I would only agree to once a fortnight lessons if they themselves can provide a pupil who would take the alternative weeks. If you really feel you want to keep this pupil, then how about they suggest they come to the last lesson of the evening - that way every other week you would get an early night and it would stop an inconvenient gap in your teaching? I would also stress the fact that their progress will be only half as good as it would be if they came every week.. Fortnightly lessons only work for very motivate pupils.

[all ears]

Son Viohazard had fortnightly lessons from age 7 until about 2 years ago (??can't quite remember??) on classical guitar.

However, his teacher didn't have anybody waiting for lessons at that particular time and venue (he teaches in different suburbs on different days). His teacher only teaches 3 weeks per month, so there are often fortnightly gaps in any case.

His progress on guitar has undoubtedly been slower.

I worried quite a lot about the possibility of bad habits setting in, but that has not happened any more than with violin.

Getting bored with pieces between lessons *was* a problem at times, but he would simply teach himself something new.

One reason why it has "worked" is that guitar was his second instrument, so he already had 3 years of music, and understood that he needed to practice.

[maggiemay]

To be honest it makes me feel a bit awkward now, as I'd prefer not to know someone's financial situation. It makes me feel a bit "on the spot" if that makes sense?

I do understand how you feel about that - but I think you should put it on one side. It's not your problem. You have to make a living. I don't mean to sound harsh - but if they have bitten off more than they can chew, it is not your responsibility. If they made you feel bad it's not really on - I hope they didn't !

[Violinia]

Once a fortnight isn't on unless it's the last spot of the teaching session, or in school hours, and it's unfair of this family to expect you to manage this. I'd tell them (nicely) that your lessons in the after-school slot are weekly and they can take it our leave it. If this child is doing a lot of after-school activities then it's not a financial thing but a matter of priorities, and if they can't prioritise your lessons enough for her to see you weekly, then they've got their priorities wrong and they just don't understand what it takes to learn a musical instrument.

I'm doing an experiment with a new 7-year-old pupil and giving her twice-weekly lessons. It was meant to be just for the first month to get her going in the right way, but it's worked so well that they've decided to continue with it! It's brilliant and she's progressing amazingly well - the complete opposite of how it would have been with fortnightly lessons.

Just tell them that if she's serious about her lessons it's got to be once a week or not at all. If they decide to leave it you'll soon find someone else to fill her slot.

Violinia

[jenny]

[quote name='Violinia' date='May 5 2007, 11:11 AM' post='507749']

I'm doing an experiment with a new 7-year-old pupil and giving her twice-weekly lessons. It was meant to be just for the first month to get her going in the right way, but it's worked so well that they've decided to continue with it! It's brilliant and she's progressing amazingly well - the complete opposite of how it would have been with fortnightly lessons.

Just tell them that if she's serious about her lessons it's got to be once a week or not at all. If they decide to leave it you'll soon find someone else to fill her slot.

Violinia
[/quote

I did the same thing last year with a young student - she'd been having lessons once a week and started to enjoying playing so much (after a rather slow start initially) that her mum asked if she could start coming twice a week. As you say, Violinia, the progress is amazing! She's actually back to once a week now (mostly due to finances, I think) but it made a huge difference and she's now about to take Grade 1.
As everyone else has said, fortnightly lessons just won't work with young students and perhaps the reasons need to be spelled out to parents who suggest it.

[ad_libitum]

To be honest it makes me feel a bit awkward now, as I'd prefer not to know someone's financial situation. It makes me feel a bit "on the spot" if that makes sense?

I do understand how you feel about that - but I think you should put it on one side. It's not your problem. You have to make a living. I don't mean to sound harsh - but if they have bitten off more than they can chew, it is not your responsibility. If they made you feel bad it's not really on - I hope they didn't !

Yes I'll try not to let it influence anything, as they could always have dropped something other than piano!

I don't think it would have been said deliberately to make me feel bad, but just knowing that is the situation makes me feel for the girl anyway.

No one has phoned back as yet. As someone else suggested, I had thought of simply moving her to a more convenient time for me, when I wouldn't normally have a pupil anyway. To be honest I think I may just stick with "all or nothing" as it could end up that her playing does suffer, (it seems likely), and that would be another situation to deal with.

I really appreciate all the feedback - thanks!