Monday 30 April 2018

Communicating With Parents





How many times have you tried to explain yourself online only to dig yourself deeper and deeper into a mess and end up having to resort to emoticons?  ¯\_()_/¯      

Generally, we don’t have as much face to face communication with people, even our friends, as much as we used you.  Depending on your age, most communication you have with others is done via text; on your phone or computer.  Because of this, you’ll know that things can be easily misconstrued.  It’s really easy to misunderstand someone because of a missed comma, a misdirected attempt at sarcasm or people who continue to use caps lock.  ALL OF THE TIME!

What does this mean for your music teaching?  I’m assuming you teach children.  Children who need rides to lessons, workshops, competitions.  Children who can’t pay your fees. Children who forget to tell the adults in their lives about the lessons, workshops, competitions, fees. 

You need some form of communication with their parents/caregivers.  If you keep parents onside, they will be more likely to support their children, are happier to be flexible when you need it, and are more likely to recommend you to others as the music teacher of choice.  And one of the best ways to keep them onside is through effective communication.

This post gives you 7 tips for better communication with the parents of your students.


Tuesday 24 April 2018

Reliability




Be on time.

If you say you’re going to do something, do it.

Don’t call in sick every second week.

Don’t double-book yourself.


If you are not reliable, no-one is going to hire to you to be a teacher.  No-one is going to hire you for gigs.