Teacher guidelines:
My intention for this studio is to give each student an amazing musical experience and to make a wonderful work environment for all the teachers. I want this studio to be a wonderful place to be! Together, we can achieve this.
These expectations as well as our parent/teacher expectations help to achieve this. Having consistent guidelines for each person in the studio is essential for the success of the studio.
Your job is to teach lessons in the timeslots that we have agreed upon. To build connections with students and parents. To plan, organize and teach engaging and quality lessons. To communicate with Sarah about questions and concerns. To have communication with parents about student progress. To maintain the studio’s reputation in the community and to help facilitate growth of the studio. To make every effort to be here each day you have agreed upon to teach. To have an awareness towards retention from semester to semester and represent the studio well.
Payment:
I use 10-99s for tax purposes. Keep this in mind throughout the year to plan finances accordingly.
Schedule:
Once students are scheduled, if they need to change their permanent time slot, they need to let Sarah know as soon as possible to change their permanent time. All scheduling is done through Sarah, please point parents to me when there is a need for a schedule change.
There will be no make-up times. If a student cannot make it to their lesson slot, we can do virtual lessons, written-feedback or lesson videos. Make-up lessons include expanding the half hour lesson to an hour, moving the lesson to a different time slot in the week, even if you’re just moving it earlier in the day, a time change to their normal lesson time for just one week. We don’t do make-up lessons to be respectful towards your time. (Note: if your student arrives early, but near their time slot, feel free to take them early if you’d like, we just cannot move their actual time slot.)
You are expected to be at each lesson at the time slot we have decided upon each day you have agreed to work. Our consistency makes the studio so successful and so please make every effort to be here each day you have agreed upon to work.
To start and end lessons on time. We want to be respectful of parents time so it’s important that we start and end as scheduled.
You will have a calendar due about 6-8 weeks prior to the start of each semester. After submitting your schedule, if there is another day you need to take off, please let me know as soon as possible, but please do this sparingly. Please make every effort to be at the studio on the days you have agreed to teach. Thank you for planning your schedule in advance! This helps me plan and fill lesson spots.
We take extra time off on Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.
In the event that you must take a sick day but you feel well enough to teach, online lessons are an option. Online lessons should be used as a last possible option. We can do online lessons if the roads are bad in the winter as well.
Days you are not teaching, you will not be paid for.
I am committed to continuing to grow your numbers to get to your ideal pay and student number. Please be in communication with me about this.
General Expectations:
To be at the studio before your first student arrives to have enough time to be organized to start at the first student's arrival.
To be here every day that you are scheduled to teach, I expect teachers to not schedule anything over their previously scheduled lessons. I understand when emergencies happen (sickness, family emergency), but it’s important to commit to the days you are scheduled to work. I expect teachers to treat teaching with the same seriousness as a gig.
Snowy weather-Since we all drive from different locations, if you do not feel comfortable coming to the studio due to road conditions, you can choose to teach from home. Please see the snow day procedure tab for more info.
To plan to create quality and well- structured lessons and to give clear practice goals.
Mindfulness towards retaining students and representing the studio well. The best way to retain students is to provide quality and consistent lessons and to be in good communication about goals and progress. You are a big factor in your student retention.
Treating the studio instruments and other equipment with respect and encouraging our students to do the same. Printers should only be used to print studio materials for students. Personal printing is not allowed.
Record lesson videos (or provide alternative instruction material) if the student is absent, upload them to YouTube and email them to parent(or do written feedback and email that to the parent the day of the missed lesson) Lesson videos should be approximately 15 minutes and have quality content. Missed lesson material should be sent out NO LATER than 24 hours after the missed lesson. The sooner the better though, if it can be sent out the day of the missed lesson, that is preferred.
Please read through the parent studio policies from time to time so you can help answer questions as they come up. If you don’t know the answer to a question, please ask me, I am always happy to help. It’s crucial that we enforce the same policies for each family in our studio. Knowing the policies to give accurate information to families is so helpful.
Professional communication with colleagues, families and students. Gossip is prohibited. Please do not talk negatively about other teachers, families or students to others. If there is an issue, please address the issue directly with the person. I’m also happy to help navigate issues. I aim to create a “socially safe” environment for all involved in the studio.
We will meet occasionally to touch base about your students, recitals, parent feedback.
There are security cameras in each office space for the safety of everyone at the studio. On the new student paperwork you can read the details regarding the security cameras.
You are responsible for locking and turning off the lights in your office space each night. It is ABSOLUTELY crucial that the last person to leave the building locks the back door. Please always double check that you lock it if you’re the last person to leave.
If there are any problems or concerns about anything, please don’t hesitate to talk with me.
Dress code:
Business casual. Nice jeans/slacks are fine. Please dress professionally everyday. It’s important we present ourselves professionally. Even though our teaching ability has nothing to do with our appearance, looking professional creates a credible environment for parents and students. When we dress professionally, clients view us as professionals. I like this definition: “according to the experts, business casual is all about balance, allowing room for your personality while elevating an everyday look. Appropriate clothes for business casual include blouses, dress shirts, slacks or khakis, dress pants, skirts, dresses, and blazers.”
If you need more guidance, please google “business casual” for examples.