Piano Lesson Terms and Policies

20010-2011 School Year

Mrs. Chariti Fox, Piano Instructor

Teacher’s Philosophy

Learning to play the piano is a valuable skill and discipline to enhance the mind, develop muscle coordination, and enrich the soul. As a teacher of such a worthy exercise, I realize the weight and importance of my role, and I promise to do my best to give my students the instruction and training that will best suit their individual needs and challenge each student’s abilities.

In order for me to do my job effectively, I expect my students to apply a good amount of diligence and hard work to their piano study. The piano student need not have great talent or natural ability to progress or excel in this field, but I must insist that my students demonstrate a serious commitment to their piano practice and lessons.

Tuition and Payments

1.      Tuition for piano lessons will be $15 per half hour and $30 per hour. Forty-five minute lessons will be $22.

2.      Payments may be made either at each lesson or at the beginning of each month.

Buying and Borrowing Books

3.      Most students will need 3-4 new books in the course of the school year, depending on their rate of progress. The prices of most books will range between $4-$10. Books may be purchased from me as needed.

4.      Any books that are borrowed from me must be returned to me in almost the same condition in which they were received. Damaged books (cover removed, pages missing, badly creased or stained pages, etc.) should be replaced or compensated monetarily at the book’s retail value.

5.     All borrowed books must be returned when piano lessons are terminated.

Lesson Schedules and Home Practice

6.    Please be punctual for lessons. Due to a tight schedule of students throughout the day, I will be able to teach only during your allotted lesson time.

7.    The amount of time required for good quality practice will vary depending on the student’s age and playing level. As the student progresses, I will assign the specific amount of time for the student to practice throughout the week. The minimum level of practice for any student is five days a week. Parents, please ensure that your child’s practice sessions are specifically scheduled into each school day so that this minimum requirement can be met.

8.    Parents of young children (between the ages of 5-8) or learning impaired students: You will play a very important role in the success of your child’s piano playing career, and, especially during the first few years of their learning, it will be imperative for you to dedicate extra time and effort to help your child to progress efficiently. Your child will need structure and consistency in his schedule and diligence and creativity on your part to understand and grasp the concepts he will be learning during his weekly lesson. If you are unable to offer the time and effort that your child will need to advance properly, then it may be wise to postpone lessons until the child is able to learn on his own.

9.    At the end of the school year, students who wish to reserve their time slot for lessons in the fall semester must take a minimum of three summer lessons with me. Otherwise, they may forfeit their lesson time to another new student.

Cancellations and Missed Lessons

10.   Acceptable reasons for canceling a lesson, for which no payment will be required, are as follows: planned vacation, student illness, funeral, special one-time events (i.e. wedding, school play that sibling is in, etc.), and “acts of God” (i.e. inclement weather, car breaks down, etc.).

11.  Unacceptable reasons for canceling a lesson, for which payment will still be required even if the lesson is missed, are as follows: student hasn’t practiced, sports, work, parties, after-school practices, doctor’s appointments, lack of transportation, etc.

12.  If a lesson must be canceled, I must be notified at least 48 hours in advance, except in the case of emergencies. If a lesson is missed without prior notification, payment will still be due for the missed lesson.

13.  In the case of a missed lesson, rescheduling that week will not be available except on rare occasions. The lesson will be picked up the following week at the regular time.

Termination of Lessons

14.  If you feel you must terminate piano lessons before the end of the school year, please give at least one month's prior notice or two weeks advance payment to compensate for the difficulty of filling an open time slot in a partial year.

15.  Because I see my time and your money as valuable commodities, I may deem it necessary to dismiss a student if any of the following situations persist after I have notified you and provided time to correct the problem:

a.     The student consistently demonstrates a lack of desire and self-motivation to learn to play the piano.

b.   The student continually misbehaves or disrespects the teacher during lessons. 

c.   The student consistently fails to show diligence and responsibility in home practice, including failure to complete written assignments.

d.    The student or parent shows a consistent lack of dependability and commitment to piano lessons, characterized by frequent absences or chronic lateness.

Special Events

16.  Group lessons are scheduled approximately once every other month in place of the regular lesson for the week. The sessions are one hour long, while the cost is the same as a half-hour lesson (i.e. $15 for the entire hour).

            a.   For children 8 years or younger, beginner students (less

                  than 6 months of lessons in total), or adults, private  

                  lessons will be available before and after the group lesson, 

                  provided I am notified one week in advance. 
      b.   Attendance is mandatory at either the private or group

                  lesson.

17. Since one of the keys to learning to play the piano well is listening to quality piano music, I would like to provide my students with the opportunity to see professional pianists perform live at various events throughout the year. The cost of these events would range from free to $12 per student, and parents will be notified in advance of any fees.

             a.   One musical event per semester will be substituted for a group lesson. This event will be a free public performance; however, the group lesson fee ($15) would still apply. Attendance at this event is mandatory unless the time conflicts with the student's schedule, in which case, the student would still be required to attend a weekly private lesson.

            b.   One musical event per semester will be a special concert which will require purchasing tickets. Attendance at this event is optional, though highly encouraged. This event will be in addition to the weekly lesson.

18.  A piano recital is scheduled for the end of the spring semester. Attendance and participation in this event is highly encouraged. A $5.00 fee per participating student will be charged to help offset the costs of refreshments, programs, and decorations.

    Discounts and Incentives

19. Families which have more than one student taking lessons are eligible for the following discounts:

   a.    First child: $15/half hour

   b.    Second child: $13/half hour

   c.     Third child: $12/half hour

   d.    Fourth child or more: $10/half hour

20. In an effort to reward faithful attendance to lessons, this year I am offering a Perfect Attendance Incentive:

   a.    When a student comes to 5 scheduled lessons in a row,             he or she will receive the 6th lesson FREE!

   b.    Any cancellations on the student's part for any                           reason (including vacations, emergencies, weather, or other     "acts of God" will negate the incentive, and the 5-week             cycle must start again. Cancellations by the teacher will             not affect the student's current track record; the next                 lesson will count toward the student's 5-week attendance.

   c.    With this discount, the average cost of lessons would                 equal $12.50/half hour.

Who likes rules, anyway?