Comments on: Phone Interviews http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/2009/04/17/phone-interviews/ Relax, Share, and Laugh! Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:39:03 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: music teacher http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/2009/04/17/phone-interviews/comment-page-1/#comment-3368 music teacher Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:08:58 +0000 http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/?p=500#comment-3368 You said it all! I will definitely keep these questions in mind and try it to my future clients. Thanks for sharing these tips. Hope you continue writing more posts that can serve as helpful <a href="http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/" rel="nofollow">resources for music teachers</a> like me. You said it all! I will definitely keep these questions in mind and try it to my future clients. Thanks for sharing these tips. Hope you continue writing more posts that can serve as helpful resources for music teachers like me.

]]> By: Kristi http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/2009/04/17/phone-interviews/comment-page-1/#comment-3364 Kristi Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:42:15 +0000 http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/?p=500#comment-3364 Thanks for this script. It's very helpful and I plan to use it! Thanks for this script. It’s very helpful and I plan to use it!

]]> By: Laura http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/2009/04/17/phone-interviews/comment-page-1/#comment-3360 Laura Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:12:06 +0000 http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/?p=500#comment-3360 These are all good things to remember to discuss with parents! Actually, I defer most of those topics to the face-to-face interview, and on the phone, I invite them to read the policies I have posted at my studio web page. That weeds a few out right away! From the studio website, they can submit a registration form, which I tell them on the phone is simply a request for an interview. Isn't it amazing that we actually have to remember to ask them if they have a piano? Makes you wonder if they'd sign up for tennis lessons, and show up without a racket. These are all good things to remember to discuss with parents! Actually, I defer most of those topics to the face-to-face interview, and on the phone, I invite them to read the policies I have posted at my studio web page. That weeds a few out right away! From the studio website, they can submit a registration form, which I tell them on the phone is simply a request for an interview. Isn’t it amazing that we actually have to remember to ask them if they have a piano? Makes you wonder if they’d sign up for tennis lessons, and show up without a racket.

]]> By: Ryan Wright http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/2009/04/17/phone-interviews/comment-page-1/#comment-3342 Ryan Wright Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:30:32 +0000 http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/?p=500#comment-3342 I am very imperessed. This is a great script. It sounds very professional. If I were the parent on the other end, i would most definatly sign up! I am very imperessed. This is a great script. It sounds very professional. If I were the parent on the other end, i would most definatly sign up!

]]> By: Kim http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/2009/04/17/phone-interviews/comment-page-1/#comment-3328 Kim Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:25:32 +0000 http://www.pianoteacherblog.com/?p=500#comment-3328 This is a great list! It's so important to clarify expectations on everyone's behalf before starting with a student. When I first started teaching, my main problems stemmed from the fact that I thought the parents and I were always on the same page about what they wanted their children to get from lessons -- oh, the lessons we learn. I also found it was important to have a conversations about what parents could expect during the lessons themselves. I'm a big proponent of trying to involve all the senses in learning and for having a bit of fun at every lesson; so I would plan music games, and for a while I used an online "game" (a teaching tool for extra help learning to read music). Some parents thought these things inappropriate and every minute of the lesson time should be spent at the piano. I won them over eventually because their kids made great progress and loved their lessons, but it was a whole situation I could have avoided! I also find #7, the practice question, so very important. Often parents think their kids will be happy and motivated every day, and that every day is going to have plenty of time in it so that piano practice will just "fit in there somehow." :-) Not so much! It has to be intentional, and even with older kids, I coach parents to be teaching their kids about long-term goals and the effects of practicing every day vs. longer practice sessions less often. I really enjoy your blog, I'm glad to have found it! This is a great list! It’s so important to clarify expectations on everyone’s behalf before starting with a student. When I first started teaching, my main problems stemmed from the fact that I thought the parents and I were always on the same page about what they wanted their children to get from lessons — oh, the lessons we learn.

I also found it was important to have a conversations about what parents could expect during the lessons themselves. I’m a big proponent of trying to involve all the senses in learning and for having a bit of fun at every lesson; so I would plan music games, and for a while I used an online “game” (a teaching tool for extra help learning to read music). Some parents thought these things inappropriate and every minute of the lesson time should be spent at the piano. I won them over eventually because their kids made great progress and loved their lessons, but it was a whole situation I could have avoided!

I also find #7, the practice question, so very important. Often parents think their kids will be happy and motivated every day, and that every day is going to have plenty of time in it so that piano practice will just “fit in there somehow.” :-) Not so much! It has to be intentional, and even with older kids, I coach parents to be teaching their kids about long-term goals and the effects of practicing every day vs. longer practice sessions less often.

I really enjoy your blog, I’m glad to have found it!

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