NANCY ROST
LESSON POLICY
LESSON PHILOSOPHY
Commitment to the individual: Each student has unique motivations, interests and learning styles. I will get to know what works best for you. We will create your lesson plan together and adapt it according to your needs. I will continually seek out teaching materials, repertoire (including personalized arrangements), performance opportunities, and other resources tailored to you.
Continuity is key to getting the most out of lessons. Continuity comes from regular attendance, practice and communication. I will make practice/progress notes and put them at the front of your folder/binder, which you’ll bring to each lesson along with your books or materials. This helps ensure continuity both for the student and the instructor.
Most of all, I want you to enjoy making music! Let’s get the administrative details out of the way so we can focus on that.
PAYMENT & MISSED LESSONS
PAYMENT
Tuition is paid directly to me monthly, in advance. It is not calculated as an hourly fee for services rendered because teaching is more than the time spent in lessons. Tuition also covers teacher preparation time, resources and lending library, continuing education, self-employment taxes, and studio expenses including recitals, student jams, booking performances for students, equipment purchases and creating a clean and pleasant learning environment for everyone at Madison Music Foundry.
Payment is due one week before the month starts. For example, October tuition is due at the last lesson of September. Rates are as follows:
|
TUITION RATES |
30 min |
45 min |
60 min |
|
Per month |
$120 |
$180 |
$240 |
This is a flat monthly fee that reserves a weekly time slot. Fees are charged by the month, and are not lowered nor refunded for missed lessons. Fees are also not raised when there is an additional week in the month.
To make timely payment easier, I offer multiple payment options:
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By cash, check or money order directly to me (preferred).
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By cash, check or money order dropped off at the MMF office Monday-Thursday 2-8 p.m.
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By mail -- see me for details.
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By Paypal -- see me for details.
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Automatic monthly payments -- see me for details.
If payment is not received by the 1st scheduled lesson of the month, there will be a $20 late fee applied. If payment is not received by the 2nd scheduled lesson of the month, your time slot will be forfeited.
MISSED LESSONS
If a student has a conflict and gives advance notice, I will attempt to reschedule. However, if we can’t find a time or the makeup lesson is missed, there will not be a credit regardless of the reason for missing the lesson. Makeups with less than 48 hours notice will be handled on a case by case basis.
INSTRUCTOR TIME OFF
I occasionally will miss lessons due to illness, vacation, performances, or otherwise. If that happens, I will attempt to make up the lesson just like when you miss one. However, as a self-employed musician, I don’t have any built in “sick days” or time off. And so I would like to create a small safety net for myself by adding a caveat to my lesson policy that allows me to miss up to four days per year without issuing a credit.
HOLIDAYS
Occasionally your lesson will fall on a national holiday: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day. There will not be a lesson on these days, nor will they be credited.
SNOW DAYS
In the case of questionable weather, I will contact you that day by noon to let you know whether the Foundry will be open. If you can’t make it in, I can offer a lesson at your regular time by Skype or Google Chat instead.
TAKING A BREAK OR STOPPING LESSONS
Lessons continue as usual during the summer months. If you are taking a break of a month or more, you may pay tuition in advance to hold your time slot open for when you return.
If you are taking an indefinite break or stopping lessons, I would greatly appreciate as much advance notice as possible so that I can schedule and budget accordingly.
COMMUNICATION
You may email me any time to discuss your music learning, and we can follow up by phone or in person if wanted. There is no need to wait until the next lesson to ask me to clarify an assignment, or you find you’re being challenged too much or not enough, or you have a new song you want to learn. Parents can help me to adjust my teaching to their children’s needs. Email works best for me, and I would like to have your most frequently checked email address to keep you updated.
I prefer email for scheduling issues as well. For last minute cancellations you may also use text messaging. If you want to discuss schedule changes, progress, etc. in person, please do so at the beginning of the lesson rather than at the end, in order to respect the next student’s lesson time.
Feel free to contact me with any questions regarding your lesson material, instrument, or any other music related questions.