Question for Teachers here with students who quit
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 4:02 pm
I recently had a student quit (last night) who I've had for at least 4-5 years. I've had a couple of long discussions with him recently about him wanting to quit. He's a freshman in high school and wants to play hockey. He said he enjoys coming to lessons, but he doesn't like practicing. He's got a bit of a Joe Jackson situation (minus the beatings, thank goodness), where his dad feels like he's invested a lot of money in both of his son's playing (my student's older brother plays guitar) and he thinks they should be able to just play a tune at the drop of a hat. Realistically, not just any tune, but one they've worked on. I don't normally teach songs in lessons,I like to teach technique, reading, and show them some things I think are pretty cool. Then, if they want to learn a song, I'll gladly work on it with them, but I want them driving the bus on how serious they want to take it. If they are serious, I'll push 'em, but if they're in it for fun, why make it not fun.
Well, here is the meat of my question. My students pay at the beginning of the month for the entire month, and I call it "tuition". His father sent me a text message telling me again that he is quitting (my student called me himself last night to tell me) and wondered if he owed for any lessons. Normally, if I get less that 24 hours notice of a cancellation, the student loses the money for that week. I'm pretty reasonable about rescheduling if I can. His lesson would have been tonight, so his call was within 24 hours, no money back. But, there are two lessons left for this month, and I don't know whether or not to offer it back to them. The student was taking hour lessons, which equals $35/lesson. $70 doesn't break me, but it's not easy to refund money that I've already budgeted for. His dad hasn't asked for it back, but I don't know whether to offer it up since he quit in the middle of the month. There is a specific time with college tuition where if you drop a class, you don't get your money back. I'm not a college, but I've never dealt with something like this in my lesson practice before.
Ideas? Thanks!
Mike Meyers
Well, here is the meat of my question. My students pay at the beginning of the month for the entire month, and I call it "tuition". His father sent me a text message telling me again that he is quitting (my student called me himself last night to tell me) and wondered if he owed for any lessons. Normally, if I get less that 24 hours notice of a cancellation, the student loses the money for that week. I'm pretty reasonable about rescheduling if I can. His lesson would have been tonight, so his call was within 24 hours, no money back. But, there are two lessons left for this month, and I don't know whether or not to offer it back to them. The student was taking hour lessons, which equals $35/lesson. $70 doesn't break me, but it's not easy to refund money that I've already budgeted for. His dad hasn't asked for it back, but I don't know whether to offer it up since he quit in the middle of the month. There is a specific time with college tuition where if you drop a class, you don't get your money back. I'm not a college, but I've never dealt with something like this in my lesson practice before.
Ideas? Thanks!
Mike Meyers