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ESL forum >
Message board > Private class cancellations
Private class cancellations
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manuelanunes3
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Hi 
I don�t charge cancelled lessons but I always warn my students that they must tell me beforehand if they can �t come, and they always tell me when they can�t come.
However I know that some colleagues of mine charge before (in the beginning of the month) and then they schedule the number of lessons during the month according to the availability of the students...
Have a nice day
Manuela |
18 Jun 2010
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Bruna Dutra
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@ Zora: Have I already told you (today) how much I admire you and love to read your answers!? 
As to the question, I also have private students and they pay a fee for the whole month, with a certain amount of hours per week, say 3 (12 hours total), if they don �t cancel beforehand, meaning, simply not showing up, I consider the class given, because like others have mentioned, I was there waiting, not doing anything else. If they let me know, say the day before, or even a couple of hours earlier (being careful not to allow this become a common practice), I allow them to recuperate that class in a time set by me.
Usually I do not have a problem with this, I don �t charge as little as some teachers in my city do, and people tend to have more consideration for things when they �touch their wallet �, I �d say. Sad but true. We all are like this, I guess.
So, I think you should charge them, yes, But also, have some kind of boundaries, like time for the class to be canceled and transfered and so on.
Regards to all the teachers out there!
Bruna.
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18 Jun 2010
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Gaby141
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Hi La C,
For my first year of private teaching, I also struggled with this problem. I had many problems with constant cancellations, sometimes twice in one week by the same person! The reason was often sickness, but sometimes calling at the exact time that they should have been with me. They did not want to pay for a late cancelled lesson, despite one student being a dentist who I �m sure charges patients who also don �t cancel in advance.
I also love my job, I work hard planning for each student or class, and treat my students as people, but I am not happy when I am left sitting around waiting or being let down at the last minute. Yes, of course I understand that in some cases, last minute cancellations are inevitable, but I think we are aware when this ios the case and when it �s not. So we do have to have some kind of guidelines or agreement beforehand.
So La C, I put together some terms, trying to be fair to both sides. I have emailed this info to you. Hope it helps! |
18 Jun 2010
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class centre
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I have worked for 16 years in my private school. All these years I have not been charging for the missed classes ( with or without warning from their part). But I �ve got sick of counting how much they have paid and how many lessons they have worked. So, from this year on I �m going to count only the missed classes. If their number is lbigger than 4 per year I say good bye to the st. It has been this way all the time in my school. And all my sts and their parents know about this rule.But I �m going to charge the missed classes now. Let them think of their money and decide what is more important to them. We are overbooked and the parents are afraid to lose their place in our school. If they miss a computer lesson ( which is one-to-one) I warn them that next year he or she will be deprived of the computer lessons. I understand and support Zora about their respect to the teacher �s time and efforts about the teaching.
As far as I see people are very alike all over the world.
Have a nice week end!
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18 Jun 2010
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lshorton99
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I rarely teach private classes and have never been cancelled on. However, I believe that not charging for a cancelled class (obviously with some lenience depending on circumstances) sets a bad precedence and undervalues your services. Think about other professionals or services you have paid for that charge if you don �t give 24 hours notice. We are professionals and deserve to be treated as such. Set down the rules at the start of the contract so it �s clear to all parties involved. I often feel that TEFL is undervalued in general - particularly if you don �t work in mainstream education. I worked with a girl in Madrid whose parents were always asking her when she was going to get a proper job - once in front of me - which I found extremely insulting. Since when is teaching not a proper job?!!!! She went on to get a job which made her parents happy.
I think nowadays we have to demand respect, which includes making sure we are treated as professionals in every aspect of our job!
Lindsey
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18 Jun 2010
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mercader11
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Hi
Generally I tell my ss that the first month they can pay the way they want. I mean they can pay in advance, after each class or after a fortnight. This way they get to know me.
After the first month they have to pay in advance for all the classes they have programed for that month and there are certain parameters for this program.
My ss can reprogram only 25 % of all the classes in a month.
When a ss wants to cancel a class, he has to send a notice, a txt message or phonecall 12 hours in advance so as to agree another date and it gives some time to re order my duties. Otherwise the class will be cosidered as taken and paid.
I prefer to be crystal from the very beginning and have my ss to be aware that we both have got a lot of responsabilities and we wouldn�t like to be left waiting in vain. So it�s better to tell an absence in advance or simply assume we�ve lost time and money.
I love english but I�ve made teaching a business and that�s why I have to assume teaching as a very serious work. All the classes are a compromise, when you fail a compromise one way or another you lose sth (time or money). Every action has a consequence.
In order to convince my ss to pay a whole month in advance I tell them my experience has taught me that when there is a downpayment ss stick to the program what makes to finish the course in the agreed time.
Well, that�s my viewpoint.
Greetings
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18 Jun 2010
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mercader11
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Sorry I said DOWNPAYMENT
I should have said PAYMENT IN ADVANCE
thanks
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18 Jun 2010
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