+++ date = "2018-10-01T00:00:00" draft = false # Order that this section will appear in. weight = 2 title = "Lesson Policies" +++ ## Attendance At the beginning of every school year I will send out a Google form asking for student availability. I understand sports schedules change from season to season, and will communicate with the parents to find a time that works for each student. Be sure to keep your child's weekly piano lesson times clear of other appointments. If you forget about your child's lesson that lesson time will not be made up and the fee for that lesson will be forfeited. In the summer I will work with each family to find times that work well for all parties. Family vacations and summer opportunities are important and I try to be more flexible when school is not in session. Online Lessons
Piano lessons are currently only being offered via FaceTime and Zoom. I am not certain when I will begin having students in my home again, but I will be watching other teachers, the school system decisions, and the CDC guidelines. While this is not my preference it is certainly in everyone's best interests at this time. At the time of your child's lesson, I will either dial them via FaceTime or be available via Zoom. I have my Zoom meetings set up to include a waiting room so that there is no interruption in a previous student's lesson when the next student dials in.
## Practice Practice is incredibly important. I would like every student to practice at least 5 days a week, 15-30 minutes for the younger children and 30 minutes to one hour for older, more advanced students. I encourage students to find a regular time every day to practice so that it becomes part of their routine. Is your child an early bird? Encourage them to practice before school. Do they need a break from school in the afternoons? Have them practice, it will help stimulate another part of their brain. I will always write down what is to be practiced and send it to either the student (for older children) or the parent via email, text, or Facebook Messenger. In many cases (if time allows) I will ask the student to write in their assignment book at the end of the lesson and have them show me. Please help your child remember to keep a pencil on the piano for lesson time. Practicing the evening of or the day after a lesson is very important. Your child will get the maximum benefit from their lesson if they take the time to reproduce on their own what they learned in the lesson while it is still fresh in their minds. All books, notebooks, and extra handouts need to be available for every piano lesson unless previously discussed. I suggest using a backpack, string bag, bin, or tote bag to help keep everything together. ## Piano Studio Class Several times a year I host a piano studio class for students. This has also moved to a virtual platform and I divide the kids in to smaller groups to play for each other via Zoom. It is not required, however, I do encourage all students to attend. Each student will play for the others, teaching them not only confidence and performance skills but also proper audience manners. The children seem to enjoy this and often end up playing multiple times at each gathering. The dates for this school year are tentatively: * October 3 * December 5 * February 6 * April 10 * June 5 ## Non-Teaching Days During the school year there are certain days I do not teach either due to national holidays or personal commitments. See below: * September 7 - Labor Day * October 12 - Columbus Day * November 26 and 27 - Thanksgiving * December 19 through January 3 - Winter Break * January 18 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day * February 15 - Presidents Day * March 29 - April 3 - Spring Break * May 31 - Memorial Day ## Scheduling Conflict If you have a lesson time conflict, let me know with at least 24 hours notice. Failure to notify me of a conflict will result in a forfeiture of the lesson fee. I will do my best to find a makeup time if something unavoidable arises but there are very, very few opportunities in the weekly schedule this year. ## The Exceptions ***Most of this will apply when we are back in person for lessons. With any of these exceptions, we can move back to a virtual lesson as necessary for sickness or snow.*** Sick kids! I go by typical school rules: if they can't go to school, they can't come to lessons. Children must be fever/vomit free for 24 hours in order to return to lessons. Do not bring a sick child to piano lessons! Let me know as soon as possible and we will work on rescheduling the lesson. Emergencies happen. As with sick kids, if there is an emergency, please let me know as soon as possible and we will either work around it or work on rescheduling that week. Snow days in Loudoun are a bit of a gray area. I usually text with parents the day of the lesson if weather is dangerous. Since we live on a hill with a very steep driveway, I tend to be very cautious.