Just a short post that’s as much for me as all of you, my fellow teachers
Like the old saying: “The teacher teaches what he most needs to learn.”
Most of us who teach have a naturally giving personality.
In fact, a career coach I regularly work with, Barbara Deutsch, told me the first time she met with me over ten years ago that my competitive edge in any industry is…giving.
But like any good quality we may have, we always have to be vigilant to make sure we stay in balance.
I’m not great at this sometimes, okay, often…and I’m guessing many of you have your own struggles with it as well.
What are you doing to fill your own tank creatively? Personally? Read more…
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Posted in Financial Business, Professional Development, Studio Management, Teaching Tips
It’s the start of a new school year on my side of the world, which means that it’s time to reflect on my goals and plans for teaching in the coming year. The first thing I do when making new goals and resolutions is to first look backwards at the year just finished. In order to create realistic goals for 2012, I need to assess what worked and what didn’t in my teaching in 2011. Read more…
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Posted in Financial Business, Professional Development, Teaching Tips
Do you use the invoicing in Music Teacher’s Helper? Below are some tips if you do, and a bit of encouragement to try it if you don’t. Managing a studio means running a small business, but who becomes a musician in order to run a business? MTH provides built-in guidance for the business end of a teaching studio, and invoicing can be a big help.
Tip #1: How to find the invoicing function.
Invoicing functions are found under the Billing tab, where you can select Invoicing and view Invoice History, Create Invoice(s), or work with Automatic Invoicing.
Tip #2: Preview everything.
Any time you make use of invoicing, first preview your invoice(s) by clicking the “Preview or Print” button. You need to see what the student will be seeing – does the invoice show the right dates, the right events, and does it add up to what you expect? If not, see Tip #4. Also, make sure only the invoices you want to create are showing – if there’s more than one invoice, there will be more than one page to preview.
Once you take a look at the preview, click “Go Back to Invoicing Creation” at the top of the page, so you can either revise the invoice or send/print/record it. But beware! When you go back to the Invoicing Creation Read more…
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Posted in Financial Business, Studio Management, Using Music Teacher's Helper
R&B vocalist Kira Small and her husband, bassist Bryan Beller, was in our area this summer to perform at a house concert that I was hosting. After the concert, Kira was selling CDs at the merch table. She was taking credit card purchases with this tiny white box that plugs into to her iPhone.
She told me about Square, and I decided I would test it out and see how it worked for my teaching studio. At this point all my credit card transactions were happening through PayPal, so it seemed wise to develop some alternatives.
Square has been fantastic so far, a huge step up from Paypal in many respects. The transaction fees are lower (we will look at data shortly), I have the ability to take payments anywhere quickly, I can provide receipts on the spot, and all the money is automatically deposited overnight in my bank account.
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Posted in Financial Business, Music & Technology, Studio Management
Right now, teachers are gearing up for end of semester recitals, benefit concerts, holiday school concerts, and holiday gigs. And then there’s the additional blur of holiday shopping trips and social commitments. But it’s definitely time to make plans for the January 2012 NAMM show if you haven’t already done so. NAMM is taking place from January 19th to January 22nd, 2012 in Anaheim, California. Music Education Days is Jan. 21st to 22nd. About 1,400 exhibitors are participating and over 90,000 people will attend.
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Posted in Financial Business, Music & Technology, Professional Development
One of the most challenging aspects of being a private music teacher is running the studio as a business. One of the most frustrating aspects of being a private music teacher is dealing with payments. Many students and parents do not understand the price of private music lessons, what it means and what it includes. Situations involving late payments, non payments, cancelations and make-ups, are not uncommon in the life of a private music teacher. Who was it that said for every hour of lesson given, at least an additional hour went into preparation? I recently went to a doctor’s appointment; while chatting with the doctor I learned that she arrives at the office everyday at least two hours before her first appointment – to read patient charts and review lab results. It is common knowledge that you pay the doctor not just for the actual contact time you spend with them. The same is true for us music teachers. The price of private music lessons includes so much more than the 30 min or whatever time frame the student signs up for every week. Let me attempt to list some of the things it includes: Read more…
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Posted in Financial Business, Studio Management
Even though I’ve taught piano lessons for years, I admit that I have dabbled
Copywright www.morguefile.com talldude07
in a few other home businesses along the way. Most of the businesses that I tried out were multi-level marketing businesses. And while it was fun and challenging to be involved with those organizations, I always came back to the piano with a renewed sense of passion and determination. The beauty of MLM’s is that they teach business skills that transfer to many different kinds businesses, so what I learned while selling cosmetics and term life insurance actually helped me run my piano studio more efficiently. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way.
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Posted in Financial Business, Studio Management
I am currently on my studio summer break, and planning to reopen my studio in August. Most retail shops are having their Back to School campaign; it got me thinking about what I need to do to get ready for another exciting year of teaching, learning, and discovering music with my students. Here is my to-do list:
1. Reorganize the studio space
I decided to move my piano to the other side of the room so it is further away from the window. I also decided to hook a midi keyboard to a computer and put that in the studio for recording and other music related softwares. This means moving bookcases, rearranging chairs and tables, and rethink studio layout. I think this will result in a more efficient use of available space, as well as give a fresh look. Kind of like a make-over!
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Posted in Financial Business, Studio Management
How connected are you to your local music community?
Do you have an instrument repairer who you could call on at the last minute if something goes wrong just before a performance? Do you now teachers who you would be willing to pass students onto if your studio is full? Do you have teachers who refer students to you? Do you have a physiotherapist who understands the nature of your instrument? Read more…
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Posted in Financial Business, Promoting Your Studio, Studio Management
The Search
This month I am closing my West Coast Vocal Studio and heading to the East Coast. As I prepared to do this, I wanted to assist my students in the process of selecting a new teacher. I hope the letter below is helpful to some of you!
Hello Dear Singers and Families,
Well it is that time! As we begin to prepare our move and I close my west coast studio, it is now time to refer you to other teachers.
I am copying all of you on this list of teachers, and recommending one for each of you to try first. I have taken into account the following aspects of both you and the teachers I am recommending, including :
1. Personality
2. Skill level
3. Strengths and weaknesses
4. I encourage you to give the teacher I chose for you a try first, and if you are not comfortable, try another.
It is fine to “date” multiple teachers for a few lessons while you determine your new path, but not to be “engaged” to more than one- that is not acceptable private teacher behavior.
1. Be up front that you are shopping for a new teacher, tell them I recommended you if I did, and try them a few times.
2. When you have settled on the teacher you think is the best fit for you, then tell them you have decided.
3. This “dating process” is a two way street. If the teacher feels they cannot help you or your personalities do not fit, they can say “no thanks” as well. Do not take this personally, as it is part of the matching up process! You want your teacher to be at their best, and you want to be at your best, and if your personalities and skills don’t mesh, learning may be a struggle. Read more…
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Posted in Financial Business, Music & Technology, Performing, Practicing, Promoting Your Studio, Studio Management, Teaching Tips
