Summer time may have a reduced amount of lessons available. I will announce my summer plans for teaching in May or June.
There is much value in continuing the student’s musical education over summer months. The more a student is immersed in the process of learning and perfecting technique, the more ease in fluency of mind, body and artistry, which is very rewarding for students and beneficial for their musical development. It also sets expectations for students that this kind of learning is on-going. In my experience students who have these expectations enjoy piano more, and feel less tugs of resistance to practice ‘beginning again’ after a big break.
As long as I am teaching over the summer months, I encourage private students to continue taking lessons and practicing over the summer.
If you won’t miss a whole week, please have lesson swap be your first course of action.
If you are gone an entire week, I will work with families going on vacation by scheduling make-up lessons or prorating if I have advance notice. Often make up lessons are scheduled back to back for an extra long lesson, which creates value, as even if there isn’t as much practice time, we may delve deeper into sight reading, collaborative playing, music theory, history, and keyboard skills, and have more teacher time instead of less.
If my summer schedule doesn’t allow me to make up lessons there will be credit given or I will prorate.
If my vacation schedule changes and I am unable to teach previously scheduled lessons, tuition will be adjusted.
I realize that a few students leave town for the entire summer, or wish to take a break over the summer. In this case, summer tuition will not be due, nor lessons made up. Please note, that I may need to add students from my waiting list and therefore cannot always guarantee spots will be back open in the fall. I reserve the right to charge a holding fee for four or more missed lessons in a row in the summer. Typically this hasn’t been an issue and I have not charged holding fees, so, if your student needs a break talk to me.
Please feel free to talk to me if you have concerns or questions. I do my best with families to make working with me supportive and friendly, so, never hesitate to ask or discuss anything with me.