Foxx Piano Studio Resources

Music Camps and Workshops Part 2 of 3

foxxpianostudio — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:38:24 +0000

Today we will be focusing on what to charge for your camp or workshop and how to go about scheduling. I will share what has worked well in my studio over the years.

1) How much should I charge?

My tuition for the year covers August-May, the tuition remains the same each month regardless how many lessons are in that month and includes Christmas camp in December. Summer is billed separately. However, you can easily include your summer camp in your yearly tuition if you want the monthly cost to be the same even during those summer months. Camps and workshops take quite a bit of prep time and you want to be sure that you are paid for all the time you put into it. I personally charge the same as it would cost for 2 months of private lessons for the summer camp. Because this is a group experience and not private, my camp is longer than what they would normally get in a given month. For example, my camp this year is a little over 8 hours long. Normally a student would get 4 hours of private lesson and 2 hours of lab time in the span of 2 months. So with camp a little over 8 hours, they are receiving a little more than 2 “extra” hours. If you wanted to do a shorter camp then I would probably charge about 1/4 less what your regular tuition would cost.

Keep in mind when you are charging for your camp or workshop of any materials that they might receive. Are you going to include the materials in the camp tuition cost, or is it going to be an added fee?

2) How do I schedule when I have so many students going on vacations and other activities at different times?

- If this is your first time doing a camp or workshop, it may be best to survey parents- SurveyMonkey.com is free. This will give you an idea of what times may be more popular during the day, weeks that hardly anyone will be around, etc… I have students coming from at least 4-5 different districts, charter schools, private schools, etc.. So schedules vary a lot.

- I highly recommend giving several session options for families to choose from. I begin my session options the last week of May right after our spring recital party but before most of the students get out of school. This way there is no excuse even for those who take off as soon as school gets out. If I am doing workshops instead of a camp that year, I require a 2 workshop minimum (equal to 1 camp) in order to keep their spot for the fall. Otherwise they go on the bottom of my waiting list and right now that would mean they would have to wait at least a year before they would be able to get back in. Sometimes I have to remind newer families of this. There have been a couple occasions when I did have a student pay for their required sessions but did not participate because they were too busy.

-Decide how long you want your camp or workshop to be. My workshops are at least 4 hours long (each- remember 2 are required) and my camps are at least 8 hours long. When I first started doing summer camps, I had families come everyday that week (4-5 days) for an hour each day. This was when I lived in an smaller city where most of my students were within 10 min. of my house. It wasn’t until I got a family that travelled a distance a way that I started offering the camp as an 1 day – four hour camp. They would then choose which session would work best for them. Fast forward to know and I run my schedule more like you would see in your local community rec program schedule. I offer several sessions. One might be a 1 day- 4 hour session, the other two might be a 2 day- 2 hour each day session. I have families that like to just get it done in one day, and others that prefer the other. This is something I found from surveying parents.

-When I give my summer registration schedule, families must check ALL sessions they can participate in. I make it clear that if a session doesn’t have a minimum of 4 students sign up for it, that session will not be available so they need to try to give more than one option. They are welcome to put 1st choice, 2nd choice, etc… This also helps me tremendously when I’m putting the schedule together.

Here is a sample schedule of a couple workshops I offered years ago…

And another sample of my schedule options/summer registration form for my camp this year…

If you have any other questions on this particular subject in regards to camps and workshops, please let me know and I would be happy to answer your questions in the comment area.

Miss Part 1 of 3? Just click here.

Music Camps and Workshops Part 1 of 3

foxxpianostudio — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:23:28 +0000

Today I begin my first session of Piano Olympic Training Camp. Every summer I do either a camp or a choice of workshops students can participate in. I thought I would blog about how I go about music camps and workshops each year and give some ideas that might help teachers that have thought about holding one but not quite sure how to go about it.

First to explain the difference between a camp and a workshop… Camp- typically has several topics that you are teaching in one setting. Workshop- is more focused. For example the subject is only on composing.

Today’s post will concentrate on Why, When and Who.

1) Why music camps and workshops?

- Schedule conflicts. Avoiding schedule conflicts with vacations or other events that might happening in certain times of the year. I live in AZ where it can get pretty hot during the summer. Many families want to leave the heat and go somewhere cooler but I can’t afford not to teach in the summer. So camps and workshops are the next best thing. Matter of fact, my families appreciate and me and my students prefer it because it is so fun!

- Review/Learn something new. This is a great time not only to review what students are learning through the year, but to learn something new that can’t be fit in the regular weekly lessons. When I say learn something new. This isn’t necessarily just for students. When I decide a topic that I would like to do a workshop on, I consider topics that maybe I’m not as strong in but would like to improve in. For example, one year at my spring recital I had a student draw four note out of a hat where I was to start an improvised piece from and create a theme per se based off of those four notes. If you were to ask me even 5 years ago to do this, I would have told you, you were crazy! But because I have gone to workshops like Forrest Kinney (Pattern Play), I was motivated to implement improvisation in my studio and would hold workshops, and group lessons on improvising. This allowed not only my students to grow but for me to grow as well. Another workshop that I have done during the summer was on reading lead sheets which is something I was never comfortable in doing but had the desire to get better at it. Bu picking a topic that I’m not comfortable doing, gives me the drive to learn all I can about the topic so I can teach it to my students.

-Retain income. Music camps allow me to retain income that could drop dramatically during those summer months but at the same time give me and my students a much needed break.

2) When should I hold a music camp or workshop?

I hold my camps and workshops starting the end of May right after my recital party and into June. Then I hold a Christmas camp in December.

Summer is a great time to hold camps or workshops. I have students that are gone all summer, they leave the country, they go visit their other parent that lives out of state, they go on vacation, participate in other summer activities, etc… By doing summer workshops, I am able to retain my income but allow them the freedom of having summer plans.

I started Christmas camps in December well over 10 years ago after being very frustrated at all the no shows that would happen that month. Music camps and workshops have solved many frustrations for me over the years and has become a win-win for both me and my piano families over the years.

3) Who should participate in the music camp or workshop?

Target audience- Are the camps going to be for your current students only or are you going to open them to others that aren’t in lessons? One of the workshops that I hold each summer is an intro to piano class. So my target audience is those on my waiting list and those who are inquiring for lessons.

Pre-requisites- While you are considering your camp topic and activities keep in mind if there is is certain pre-requisites for students in order for them to take that class. For example my lead sheet class that I did has a level 2 pre-requisite. I want them to already be familiar with basic chord structure and so on before they take this class. But my rhythm class does not have a pre-requisite so anyone can sign up, including siblings, friends of students, etc…

Mixed/ages- My camps/workshops typically have mixed ages/levels in a group. Pre-requisites determine a lot of what ages end up in the classes, but when there are not pre-requisites I can have a variety of ages in one group. It has never been a problem to do this. Matter of fact, it’s been helpful to have the older students assist the younger students if needed.

For some camps it may be helpful to have an assistant depending on the size and dynamic of your group. For example one of my intro to piano classes had 3 brothers all a year a part in age. At the time, I hadn’t yet worked with them yet, but after meeting them realized that I will need my daughter to help assist me in this particular session so we can keep the class controlled because I predict that if I’m not on top of it at all times, they might lose focus. It ended up being a good decision. So always be prepared or have a back up plan. And always plan for more activities then you think you will need.

Coming soon… Part 2 will focus on how to determine what to charge and scheduling.

Tech Tuesday: Blog feature- Technology in Music Education

foxxpianostudio — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

One of the blogs I subscribe to is Technology in Music Education. Christopher J. Russell, Ph.D., also known as the “choirguy” is the author of the Technology in Music Education Blog. You can read more about Dr. Russell here.

On his home page you can find helpful links such as: Choral Warmups for iPad, iPad FAQ, My iBooks, Recommendations (Apps and Accessories) and more!

There is a recent post that was written that I particularly wanted to share on iPads and how much memory one really needs. Many times when teachers are looking at purchasing an iPad for the first time, they are not quite sure how much memory they are going to need. More memory= more money. So sometimes a purchase might be based solely on price instead of what will give you the most bang for your buck. Please check out this post and many others on the Technology in Music Education blog.

A giveaway for Facebook Fans!

foxxpianostudio — Tue, 07 May 2013 22:26:37 +0000

Not a FPSResources Facebook fan yet? Well, what are you waiting for? Head over to the FPSResource Facebook page and click “like” so you can enter the giveaway that is going on over there…

An idea for your recital program

foxxpianostudio — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:59:05 +0000

This year in my studio students earned jewels throughout the year for different accomplishments. Next week at our group lesson (post recital) party I am holding an auction so students can “spend” their jewels (we did a pirate theme).

I have 36 students that participated in this and I was realizing how expensive this auction would be. So I was trying to come up with an idea to generate a little more money to help fund the auction. I tried asking for some gently used or new donations from parents that could be auctioned off and got no response. Then I remembered our local MTA Ensemble concert does support ads and I figured why not? So I went ahead and offered it in hopes I’d get some bites and I did. By doing the support ads I was not only able to fund my program printing costs in color but now have a good budget to spend on auction items! I think this will be a new tradition in my recital program. Plus I can’t help but smile when I read the support ads.

A support ad is an ad feature in the program with a supportive message from a family member, friend or even a business. I’m including the pdf version 2013 Hidden Treasures Program so you can get an idea of what they look like. Keep in mind the pdf file is not the printing order but you get the idea…

Studio Policies: Part 5 of 5

foxxpianostudio — Sun, 05 May 2013 15:21:13 +0000

The last section on my policy is miscellanous things that you may come across or that may be helpful for families to know in advance…

MISC…

• Email or text is the best and preferred way to reach me. If you need to cancel a lesson at the last minute, please text.

I check my email several times a day. I let the voicemail take calls during lessons.

• Any borrowed music from the music library that is not returned or is returned damaged will be charged to the

student at its replacement cost.

• Be certain your piano is tuned and in good condition. It is very discouraging to play on an out-of-tune instrument.

Putting off tuning is not cost effective; a piano, which is very out of tune, will most likely require several tunings

over a period of weeks or months to bring it back to pitch. I can recommend tuners/technicians. If your child is

starting on a keyboard it must be touch sensitive, have a pedal, and have at least 61 keys or more. Please be aware

that this will only get them through the first year, maybe two. An electronic keyboard severely limits the technical

and musical skills a student can practice on at home. After that you will want/need to invest in either a full size- 88

key acoustic piano or a good digital piano with weighted keys to get the full benefit of piano lessons.

• I expect students to have washed their hands thoroughly at home or when they get here. Long fingernails preclude

the development of good piano technique, so please be sure they are trimmed short.–no longer than the end of the

finger! This is necessary preparation for every lesson. If they are too long, we may use the lesson time to study

theory. (A basketball player wouldn’t play in high heels!)

• Foxx Piano Studio and Jennifer Foxx are released from any liabilities, accidents or injuries that may incur from the

enrolled student with the participation of piano lessons, group classes, piano parties or piano events.

• During student and group gatherings and performances the teacher reserves the right to use video recording or to

take photographs of students for use in the studio scrapbook, advertising materials, lesson demonstration and studio

owned websites. Photos taken by the teacher OR that are shared with the teacher by other parents or students of

gatherings or performances become the property of the studio and can be used at the discretion of the teacher in

regards to the studio. The studio follows online safety rules in this matter.

MY RESPONSIBILITY-

• My responsibility to the student is to provide an atmosphere for learning and a well-balanced musical education. Professional standards will be

maintained and definite goals will be established for each student. It is my goal to give your child the best possible music education. I belong to

professional organizations, attend workshops and educational programs, subscribe to professional publications, and engage in other activities on a

continuing basis in order to provide opportunities for professional growth and enhance my own teaching skills.

Disclaimer: Not all of the wordings in my policy are original. Over the years I have come across great ideas in teachers policies that were willing to share so I have adapted them into my policy as well. If you see something that is your original idea, thank you! And feel free to credit yourself the comments.

Studio Policies: Part 4 of 5

foxxpianostudio — Sat, 04 May 2013 19:44:34 +0000

Today’s post focuses on what I expect from my families in regards to practicing. In my studio, I much rather students focus on practice goals versus accomplishing a certain amount of time. Here is what I expect…

PRACTICING-

• Students are required to complete their assignments each week. Daily practice is vital to musical progress. If you

treat piano lessons like an academic subject, students will progress and grow and enjoy it more in the long run.

Students are encouraged to keep a practice record, and to work toward musical goals rather than simply counting

minutes. The study of music is rewarding and enjoyable, but it is also work! The recommended amount of practice

time will be discussed with the student, and should be practiced at least 5 days a week. However, in my studio I

stress quality practicing more than quantity practicing. To help with this, I also give some fun ideas that help with

quality practicing through “ practice games.” Encourage your child to use the practice games. Your child will

receive a practice record, which is to be maintained by the student and signed by the parent each week. Remember

“You get out of it what you put into it.” Unprepared lessons cost the same as prepared ones but their value is

substantially compromised.

Important note: Sometime during the course of taking piano lessons, your child may say something like, “I don’t want to practice,” or “I’m too

tired to go to piano lessons,” or “I don’t want to go- I want to play with my friends,” “I want to quit,” etc… Just be aware that your child’s

interest will probably not be consistent; but to be successful, you will need to be consistent in your encouragement and commitment to music

instruction. In most cases, simply acknowledge your child’s comments, but then go on with your normal routine just as you would if you heard

the comment, “I don’t want to brush my teeth,” “I don’t want to stop playing with my toys,” or “I don’t want to go to bed.”

Studio Policies: Part 3 of 5

foxxpianostudio — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:10:54 +0000

Today I wanted to focus on Attendance, when a child wants to quit and if there is a need for dismissal. First attendance… Makeups is always a subject that comes up within music teachers discussions. To do or not to do, that is the question. The way I look at make ups is it’s working overtime for free. However if I have a situation (occasionally this happens) where I have a student who needs to miss and then another one cancels that same week I will let the first cancelled student know and offer them to come at that time. I’m not obligated to do this however. Sometimes I would prefer to see if I could bump my schedule up so I can finish teaching earlier. With that said, I do have some things in my policy that helps my “no makeup” policy. I do offer an exchange list that occasionally will get used and I do give group lesson (regardless if they miss or not) because I think group experiences are important in the studio. There is a favorite article that I have enjoyed over the years that you may or may not have come across. If you haven’t, I would highly recommend reading it: Make-up Lessons From An Economist’s Point of View

Under the discontinuing section of my policy you will notice the last line asking for a parent/teacher conference if appropriate. Now I don’t do this with every student who quits. Sometimes I agree with the decision. However there are times where I will see a very promising student quit and it’s just heartbreaking. In those cases I feel like before we call it quits I need to meet with them personally to see if this is just a set back that can be resolved or if it’s really the right decision.

In regards to dismissal and termination, I know I got this from another teacher (if it’s yours please claim it in the comments). I’ve never had to use it, but I felt that in the event I felt it was necessary it is covered.

Here is my policy on lessons…

ATTENDANCE-

• A student who does not attend a lesson will simply miss the benefit of that lesson. Your tuition reserves you a

weekly time slot and benefits within the studio. There will not be any make-up lessons when cancelled by the

student; however keep in mind there are up to 3 bonus lessons scheduled throughout the year. You may refer to the

student roster exchange list to swap lesson times with someone in case of illness, vacation etc… Please inform me

of any changes. Should 2 people arrive at once, I will teach the one whose lesson is normally at that time. Please

inform me if you do not wish to have your name included on the exchange list. If you cannot attend please call or I

will worry. If I must miss a lesson I will call and reschedule with you or in rare occasions use the bonus lesson.

DISCONTINUING LESSONS-

• Every student stops taking lessons at some point. Please make this decision thoughtfully with plenty of discussion

between the teacher, parent, and student so that lessons can cease with a positive sense of closure. For this reason,

the studio requires a one-month written and paid notice before the semester ends. The student must finish the

remainder of the semester paid in full or forego any unused lessons, as there is no refund given. (ie: Fall Semester:

one month notice by Dec. 1st; Spring Semester: one month notice by May 1st) If appropriate, a parent/student

teacher conference may be scheduled before the last lesson to establish if this might be a temporary setback that can

be resolved.

DISMISSAL & TERMINATION- Should any of the following situations occur after parental notification has been

made along with time provided to correct the situation, dismissal will result:

- Failure to make payments promptly. – Failure to maintain practice standards.

- Persistent unexcused absences or tardiness. – Failure to honor studio policies.

- Repeated neglect on the student’s part to take responsibility for bringing materials, following assignment & practice directions.

- Inappropriate or disrespectful behavior, theft, and/or misbehavior in my home.

We have a winner!

foxxpianostudio — Fri, 03 May 2013 05:52:22 +0000

Thank you for all your comments on the Interactive Listening iBook. Anna Fagan is the lucky winner! Congratulations Anna!

Don’t forget there will be another chance to win on the FPSResources Facebook page next week. Be sure you “like” the page so you don’t miss out on the announcement! Good luck!

Studio Policies: Part 2 of 5

foxxpianostudio — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:04:57 +0000

Today I wanted to focus on Tuition. One of the best things I have done with my tuition schedule is figure out for the year everything I want to include and then divide it into equal monthly payments no matter how many lessons may be that month etc… Last year I decided I wanted to simplify things on the business end and figured out the average of what I spend in core music for my students, raised tuition to account for that and included the music in my tuition. I can’t tell you how much this has simplified things. No longer do I have to keep track of balances etc… I just order what I need and take it out from my “music” savings that I set aside for this purpose.

Another change that I decided to do last year that I am loving is asking for a minimum of a semester commitment. I used to get parents that would have their child quit the last month of a semester when they have been working hard on preparing for the recital etc… and because of this, the poor child would lose out and all their hard work. It would drive me nuts. So this way they finish up the semester fully and the students aren’t getting the raw end of the deal at all. I’ve also noticed after implementing this policy that the overall commitment in the studio has really stepped up.

Here is what my policy says on tuition…

TUITION-

• Tuition is based on a 10-month period (Aug-May) and divided into monthly payment installments that can be paid

with different payment options listed on the registration form. The studio runs much like a private school; Tuition

remains the same each month and is based on enrollment, not attendance reserving your child’s exclusive lesson

time throughout the piano year, whether he/she attends lessons or not. (I can’t teach another student when a student

misses a lesson without replacing the student altogether.) TUITION INCLUDES ALL CORE MUSIC needed each

semester.

• A commitment for a minimum of 1 semester (5 months) is required with a one-month written and paid notice

before the semester ends should you decide to discontinue lessons. (Fall Semester: Aug-Dec; Spring Semester: Jan-

May) Tuition does not change regardless of the actual number of lessons per month. (See yearly calendar for

details) This policy covers both semesters for the school year. If you begin in the fall semester, re-registration in

the spring is not necessary. It will be assumed that both Fall and Spring semesters will be taken unless I receive

your one month notice before semester end. Re-registration for the following year is done every spring and due by

May 1st.

• Tuition is due by the 1st of each month. Please make the tuition check payable to “Foxx Piano Studio”. If you are

late with your payment, there is a 3-day grace period to turn in tuition without penalty. If you are more than 3 days

late, please add a $15.00 late penalty on your check. If you are late with tuition payments more than twice, you will

be asked to pay full semester tuition payments. There is a $25.00 fee for bounced checks. Payment must be paid in

cash before the next lesson.

• A Non-Refundable $100.00 Studio Fee per student is required for each academic year or whenever you begin piano

lessons. The Studio Fee enables the studio to provide students with loaner music, incentives and rewards, and

awards for the spring recital, defray substantial costs for the recital location, theory games, lab materials and upkeep,

music library materials, miscellaneous handouts, and use of accompaniment CD’s and disks during lesson time. This

also includes a monthly subscription to MusicLearningCommunity.com, a mandatory online theory program that

students will have weekly at home assignments in during the time you are enrolled in the studio.