The NFA Blog

By: Charlene Romano

In the final part of this blog series, I’ll discuss best practices for maintaining a private teaching studio. Please know the path to a successful studio varies widely from individual to individual. I developed my own studio by trying, failing, consulting mentors, and trying again. There was no social media in those days, and one usually had to attend a class, seminar, or conference or convention to receive even semi-formal training on maintaining a studio. These days, we have a plethora of information and courses for private teachers online. Do your research, and ultimately, do what works for you and your students.

In my studio, the relationship with any new student begins with an Interview Lesson. I make no formal offer of a slot in my studio until this lesson is complete. This is a time to get to know the student and the student’s parents, if they are under 18. (I require a parent to attend the interview lesson. After that, parental attendance is optional.) 

An important safety note for those teaching in their homes like me: Because I have developed good relationships with my area band directors, if they recommend a student to me, or if a current student recommends someone, I feel comfortable inviting them to my home. For cold requests through my website or other avenues, I always make sure my husband is home. Never meet a stranger that does not come through a trusted referral network alone in your home. And if something feels off, it probably is. It is absolutely ok to protect yourself and your family by being “unavailable.”

Ask questions about the student’s interests, academic life, and extracurricular activities. This will give you a good idea about the student’s interest in improving as a flutist, and whether they will have time to practice. Make your own expectations clear. In my studio, I expect students to show improvement at each (or almost each) lesson. The rate of improvement and the amount of “homework” I assign is up to the student, the parent, and me. Encourage the parent to ask questions as well. 

The Interview Lesson also includes a “mini-lesson.” If the student has brought something to play for you, encourage them to play it. I also give the student the option of sight reading a duet with me, if they prefer. Let the student choose. If they choose sight reading, I strongly encourage you, no matter what you know about the student, to choose the easiest thing you can find. I start with a duet in C major in half notes and whole notes. It’s a lot easier to say, “Gee, you read that down. Let’s try something more challenging,” than it is to say, “Oops. That’s too hard for you.”

If the student is a complete beginner, I start with head joint exercises, and then show them how to assemble the instrument. If there is time, I teach them to play G, A, and B.

If the student is used to sitting during band class or their previous lessons, let them sit. You can encourage them to stand later. (I always ask beginner level students to sit. They get dizzy. It’s safer for them and for their flute.)

While the student is playing, you can begin assessing the student and areas that may need addressing. When I was a new teacher, I had SO many helpful things I wanted to say to the student right away. This can overwhelm the student and cause them to shut down and not respond to your critiques. Over the years, I have learned to address one thing at a time. I have a hierarchy of areas that I evaluate while observing a student: posture, balancing the instrument, embouchure shape and placement, tone production, sense of meter, rhythmic placement, pitch reading, phrasing, color, and dynamics.

It may be tempting to try and “fix” the myriad of issues you observe all at once. Instead, I focus on two or three areas the student could improve in. Too much information in one sitting can overwhelm the student.  

Once I have worked with the student a bit on the music they brought or our sight reading, I introduce them to the method books and repertoire I think would be most useful to them. This can be tricky. You want the student to be challenged, and you also don’t want to skip fundamentals. Allow the student to be involved in this decision.

This is also a time to recommend a lesson length to the student and their parents. For beginners, I start with 30 minute lessons. I love the 45 minute lesson length, and recommend that to anyone who is beyond a beginner level, with more advanced students taking 60 minute lessons.

I am also careful at this point to clearly explain how studio tuition and billing works. I give the parent (or adult student) a printed sheet of paper with this information on it, so they can review it carefully before committing to lessons.

I give the student an assignment, which in addition to etudes, scales, and repertoire as appropriate, includes reviewing the studio policy with their parents before committing to lessons. I never push a child student to make a decision while I am there. They need time to discuss this with their parents without me present. (Though you may be a wonderful teacher, you will not be the best fit for every student.) I ask the parents (or adult student) to reach out to me the next day with their decision. I have found this practice helps eliminate confusion on how attendance and make-up lessons are handled, as well as uncomfortable conversations about lesson tuition after the fact. 

You must have a Studio Policy that carefully lays out expectations for parents, students, and yourself. My studio policy is just that - a simple list of expectations for each party involved.

Over the years, I have used different types of tuition plans, and have experienced the pros and cons of each. I have also found that different ways of assessing lesson fees have worked for me during different phases of my personal life and my career.

First, you need to set a lesson fee. Consult other studio teachers in your area. You want to consider the going rate in your location, as well as your own level of training and experience.

When I first began teaching, a student and parent came for their interview lesson. The parent was shocked at my “high rate,” and told me I was overcharging. I felt that my rate was fair, and I called an older mentor and friend, a pianist and studio teacher. She told me, “You’re not charging enough.” I raised my rates, and my studio filled quickly

Setting your rate defines you in the eyes of potential students. If you set your rate too low, you end up being the “discount teacher.” Students with a drive to improve and stick with their flute learning will not seek you out. A higher rate sends the message that you know what you are doing, and are dedicated to your teaching and to your students. Charge what you are worth, unapologetically. I will add that there have been times that I have met students who were talented and wanted to work, but could not afford my fees. If I feel comfortable with the situation, I will quietly work with the student on a “sliding scale.” I have never regretted doing this.

I recommend avoiding bartering. If you do barter, you want to be very clear about the terms and conditions. I recommend putting them in writing. In one case, I bartered with a student whose family owned a farm. At the time, I had small children and was charging on a per-lesson basis. Every other lesson was paid in farm shares equivalent to the value of the lesson fee. While my student was looking over her sight reading for the day’s lesson, I happily stocked my kitchen with wonderful organic food!

Charging a per-lesson rate worked well for me when I was performing frequently, and later when my children were young and my husband worked out of town and toured. The pros are simplicity and flexibility. I did find that students were more likely to cancel, as they had not prepaid for these lessons.

Early in my studio teaching career, I also tried billing monthly. I found that whether I billed at the beginning of the month or at the end, uncomfortable and time-consuming situations arose over missed lessons and whether they would be made up. 

Currently, I charge my students tuition. I have a 15 week fall semester, and a 15 week spring semester. A student who enrolls in fall is not obliged to enroll in spring. (They almost always do.) This works much like a university semester, and I add a few weeks at the end of each semester for make-up lessons. I don’t guarantee makeup lessons for student cancellations, but I do my best to offer possibilities. And of course if I cancel a lesson due to a professional or personal obligation, I always make up the lesson. 

As an adjunct associate professor at Shenandoah Conservatory, this worked well, because I could schedule my semester concurrent with the university semester. While I’m not adjuncting this academic year, it still works beautifully, because I can schedule the semesters concurrently with my daughter’s college schedule, including spring break! 

Speaking of breaks, please take them. I schedule a Thanksgiving break in the fall, and I take two weeks off over the winter holidays. (This is particularly helpful if you are accepting lots of holiday performing work.) I schedule a spring break. In the summers, when I schedule and bill lessons a la carte, I take two weeks off, based around my family’s vacation plans and my performing schedule.

I also use an online scheduling and billing platform, My Music Staff. (It’s worth noting that My Music Staff offers an extended free trial to NFA members.) In addition to streamlining hours of bookkeeping and billing work, using a platform promotes transparency. Parents and adult students can see billing and scheduling clearly, so there are no time-consuming and awkward discussions about either topic. Everything, including the studio policy, is available to the parent or adult student any time they wish to discuss it. Students can opt in to Lesson Reminders, I can keep track of loaned items, and I can send lesson follow-up emails to students and parents.

In closing, meet your students and families where they are, with boundaries that keep you healthy and in your best teaching and performing shape. I treasure the many students and their families I have had the privilege of knowing over the years. May you too enjoy many years of making music with and learning together with your students!

Charlene Romano is past secretary of the NFA. She maintains active studios in Winchester and Richmond, Virginia. Romano has published several pedagogical articles and chapters, and has recorded on the Cantilena label. She performs with clarinetist husband John Romano as DuoRomano, and has served on the faculties of Shenandoah Conservatory, Solano College, and Sacramento State University’s Community Music Division. She held the title of Adjunct Associate Professor at Shenandoah Conservatory, where she taught applied lessons, coached ensembles, and taught music theory, aural skills, and developed and implemented a new applied musicianship curriculum. Her students are her biggest inspiration.