First and foremost thank you for being one of my students. Each one of you is a delight and blessing to me. I am so privileged to be able to teach music as my job. Thank you for making that possible! I hope these policies make our experience even better by providing ease of communication and clear expectations. 🙂
Lesson Cancellations
I schedule the next month on the last lesson of the current month. If you need to take a week off let me know then! We can either reschedule or cancel. Life happens though, and if you need to cancel last minute I understand. I will still charge for cancellations within 24 hours of the lesson. If you cancel before that I will give you a lesson credit for the next month.
Payment Schedule
On the first lesson of each month I charge for that month. I will take a check or Venmo depending on your preference. Checks are made out to Heather Dressler.
One Parent/Adult at Home
If you have an emergency and really need to leave, feel free to talk to me. However my policy is that at least one parent/adult must be at home while I teach the kids. When I’m teaching an adult, there must be at least one other adult in the house. Thank you for understanding!
Piano Practice
My general goal for each of my students is five days of practice, not including the lesson. Practice is key for musical progress and motivation. I find that the more consistent a student’s practice, the more excited and motivated they are to continue learning. However everyone’s needs and priorities are different, so I’m happy to work with you to establish doable practice goals which fit your lifestyle.
When practicing, younger students normally play each song a certain amount of times (ex. 3x). Older students practice for a given amount of time (15 min. – 1 hour depending on their age & level). Of course you are always welcome to practice more. 😉
Performances
While I encourage students to participate in performances, I do not require it. If you have committed to an in-person or online performance, please show up on time out of respect for all the hard work all the students have put in. These performances are a culmination of months of hard work, and we want to celebrate that appropriately. Students are expected to dress formally (think church attire). If an emergency comes up and the student cannot make it or will be late, please notify me ASAP.
Studio Calendar
The studio will be on break for two weeks in July and two weeks in December. I believe in the importance of rhythms of hard work and rest. I want to provide the opportunity for my students and myself to relax and reset for the upcoming semester so that we can continue our musical journey with excitement instead of burnout.