Pianist.Catherine
New member
Hi everyone I am a piano teacher. Recently I was approached by this tuition agency for a piano assignment..I think it's a new agency and I am bothered by the way the commission works. At first the agent told me they take 60% from the teacher's 1st 4 lessons... I know other agencies all charge only 50% which means they take the 1st 2 sessions.. but I think never mind with the 10% more since I get to keep the student eventually so I went ahead with the assignment..
The assignment was for 2 young foreign kids at $300. The parent had requested for both children to take the class together as much possible instead of back to back arrangement, leaving minimal time to work on the playing 1 by 1. It was a 1.5 hours duration class per session thus. After the 1st class, and upon a discussion with the parent of the kids, we both felt that 1 of the younger kids isn't ready for class at all. She can't even sit still... So the parent and I think going forward only 1 of the kid will do class and she seems really interested so the parent wanted her to do a 1 hour session weekly. And when the parent asked me how much it'll be, I quoted 180. I was thinking if I should quote 200 but I think it is too high for a child beginner.
May I ask usually how tuition agency will proceed with the commission since there is a change of plan here? From what I know, it's only fair that either the agent take the 1st session as a trial and give it to the teacher without charge and take payment from the next 2 sessions, or, charge the 1st 2 sessions conducted.. I may be wrong here, but if u were to take the 1st session as a trial, I believe teachers are not charged for it.
So after the lesson adjustment, I got a message from the agent that he'll be taking the 1st 1.5 hours session as a trial class and charging me 60% for that trial class, and also, 60% for the next 4 sessions of 1 hour lessons with that 1 girl... and that any classes postponed by teacher or parent even is charged as a trial class even after having make up for that class on another day in that month ( which means if u cancel a class, u got to conduct not 4 but 5 classes for that starting month to which he will entitle 60% of all 5 lessons ).. And I wasn't even informed of this last regulation till today. I wasn't told this when he approached me. And I really have not come across such a weird regulation in my 20 years of piano teaching.
The worse thing I am having problem coming to terms with is my pride as a professional. I was sort of ' put to place' for not letting him discuss and handle the fee for the 1 hour weekly sessions. I was told that he was my agent and I should leave it to him.... I have worked with piano agents before but never had I been given the connotation that I belonged to the agency? I am a freelance. And I was asked how much it'll be for 4 hourly lessons by the parent herself on the spot after the 1st class, as a professional and I am the one conducting classes why can't I discuss with the parent what I felt was a reasonable rate..
I really don't know if I should continue with this assignment. I am struggling against my professional pride but I really love teaching that young kid. She's so cooperative.
Hais...since when has teaching music became so complicated.
The assignment was for 2 young foreign kids at $300. The parent had requested for both children to take the class together as much possible instead of back to back arrangement, leaving minimal time to work on the playing 1 by 1. It was a 1.5 hours duration class per session thus. After the 1st class, and upon a discussion with the parent of the kids, we both felt that 1 of the younger kids isn't ready for class at all. She can't even sit still... So the parent and I think going forward only 1 of the kid will do class and she seems really interested so the parent wanted her to do a 1 hour session weekly. And when the parent asked me how much it'll be, I quoted 180. I was thinking if I should quote 200 but I think it is too high for a child beginner.
May I ask usually how tuition agency will proceed with the commission since there is a change of plan here? From what I know, it's only fair that either the agent take the 1st session as a trial and give it to the teacher without charge and take payment from the next 2 sessions, or, charge the 1st 2 sessions conducted.. I may be wrong here, but if u were to take the 1st session as a trial, I believe teachers are not charged for it.
So after the lesson adjustment, I got a message from the agent that he'll be taking the 1st 1.5 hours session as a trial class and charging me 60% for that trial class, and also, 60% for the next 4 sessions of 1 hour lessons with that 1 girl... and that any classes postponed by teacher or parent even is charged as a trial class even after having make up for that class on another day in that month ( which means if u cancel a class, u got to conduct not 4 but 5 classes for that starting month to which he will entitle 60% of all 5 lessons ).. And I wasn't even informed of this last regulation till today. I wasn't told this when he approached me. And I really have not come across such a weird regulation in my 20 years of piano teaching.
The worse thing I am having problem coming to terms with is my pride as a professional. I was sort of ' put to place' for not letting him discuss and handle the fee for the 1 hour weekly sessions. I was told that he was my agent and I should leave it to him.... I have worked with piano agents before but never had I been given the connotation that I belonged to the agency? I am a freelance. And I was asked how much it'll be for 4 hourly lessons by the parent herself on the spot after the 1st class, as a professional and I am the one conducting classes why can't I discuss with the parent what I felt was a reasonable rate..
I really don't know if I should continue with this assignment. I am struggling against my professional pride but I really love teaching that young kid. She's so cooperative.
Hais...since when has teaching music became so complicated.
