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ESL forum >
Ask for help > Private tutoring - cancellation fees
Private tutoring - cancellation fees
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colibrita
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Private tutoring - cancellation fees
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Hi, once again I need your advice on charging students for cancelling classes...
Before students start classes with me I give a sheet with my rules and cancellation policy. Yet when it comes to the time that some have to cancel (which even with the best intentions will happen) they ask oh, can i just do double the class time next time? (ie not pay you for cancelling) I get rather frustrated because if they couldn �t attend a class at a language school then that would be that, they wouldn �t be looking all doe �eyed at you and expecting you to reschedule for them. The class is lost and that �s that. (I know some teachers are willing to offer rescheduling, but I don �t. I could but then I would charge more per class.)
So, I would like to give them a clear example that they can identify with in their working life...
I don �t know, along the lines of "imagine how you would feel if tomorrow they said oh we have to shut the office all day to refurbish it but you can catch up on those "lost hours" doing an extra shift..." Well, maybe that �s a wee bit long-winded. Better ideas would be much appreciated. I need to get the message across that I have organised my schedule for you on a particular day, and I don �t deserve to lose all/or some of my pay because you can �t attend.
It �s complicated, as you don �t want to appear like a hard-arse, but you don �t want to be a push-over either, and I have been too soft up to recently and have lost out so much financially.
I think a little part of the problem comes from some students not appreciating that the hour they pay is not just an hour of your time. You have costs that come out of it, taxes, travel time, material, training, and so on. Obviously you can �t spell this out to them, although tempting sometimes!
Gosh, this is turning into a little bit of a vent. Thanks for listening! Hope you have some pearls of wisdom for me! Hugs, Colibrita
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7 Feb 2013
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almaz
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Colibrita, I �ve just received an appointment card from my dentist with a wee admonition that �a fee will be charged for any missed appointments or cancellation without 24 hours notice �. You �re sitting waiting in your classroom prepared for a lesson, they �re sitting waiting in their surgery prepared for a check-up - what �s the difference? (apart from the fact that your average dentist will charge you for actually doing nothing ("your teeth are perfect, Alex - no treatment is necessary - that �ll be 45 squids, thank you") ). |
7 Feb 2013
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Zora
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I used to use the old sports analogy... If you signed up to football classes (swimming/gym - whatever you think might work best) and you missed a class, would the coach make up the hour??? The answer you get is, �no � and hopefully, they clue in a bit. Also, be firm, say �no � to a two hour class... tell them you have somebody after them and can �t stay - no matter what!!! It �s hard but people will take advantage of you and like my sister likes to say, �you gotta train them or they will keep on doing it �.
Spain is strange in that �making up classes � (i.e. not paying extra for a class) mentality seems to be the norm. My boyfriend was appalled when I told him about such an idea; and in Canada, it �s also virtually unheard of. You pay for a class, you go or lose it. Period.
I think it has to do with values, education just is not high on the list. Heck, when I was in school (I did high school and university in Spain) failing was cool. The more subjects one failed, the cooler they were... they just did the make up exams in September and voila - a passing grade and on to the next year where they could skip classes and fool around. Thank god that has changed somewhat. The idea though that teaching is easy and your time means nothing is still widely spread and I just shake my head because they would never ask the football coach to make up a class!!!
Sorry for the rant. This is a pet peeve of mine... and always will be.
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7 Feb 2013
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mariec
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I�m afraid it�s a lost cause, I�ve been given classes for 30 years and there�s no way. |
7 Feb 2013
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MoodyMoody
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Maybe something on the order of "You are paying for my time. If you come, I will teach you. If you don �t come and you don �t let me know, I can �t teach another student. Use it or lose it!" Depending on how busy you are, you might even put in a policy that if a student cancels at the last minute x times in a month/year, you will discontinue further lessons. But be as flexible as possible rescheduling students who are responsible enough to let you know. |
7 Feb 2013
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mercader11
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Hi just to
add sth.
Whe I begin
my classes I always tell my ss that all the classes he takes the first month
are paid immediately after the class but from the second month on she/he will
have to pay in advance every 15 days, I mean all the classes he wants to take
in the 2 weeks ahead (or you might change it to 1 week only ). The reasons are clear I tell my ss: You
decided to begin to study English on account of learning it because of your
work , you like it or whatever and acoording to my experience as a teacher I
know ss always need some compromise In order to achieve his/her goals in the time
agreed , because as a general rule after a couple of weeks of classes the
motivation starts to slow down and so ss need another reason to keep motivation
alive and the best way is �paying in
advnce at least some classes�.
All the
same, I also give my ss the opportunity to cancel or change (24 hrs in advance)
25% of the classes previously paid, the rest 75% must keep as programmed, I
mean they have to be given the day and
hour scheduled and just in case the
ss pretends to change any class from the
rest, the ss then will have to pay againfor this specific change.
Spelling
out from the very beginning will save me misunderstandings and I think ss will
appreciate our being serious and professionalism
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8 Feb 2013
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Apodo
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How about a signed agreement including how much notice you require for a cancellation?
I understand that if I do not attend a class and I do not give 24 hours notice to the teacher I must still pay for the teacher �s time.
Name: Student Name Signed: Student or Person who pays Date:
Of course if there is sudden genuine illness, or accident you can decide how to deal with each case individually.
Good Luck! |
8 Feb 2013
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colibrita
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Sorry for my tardiness in replying but thank you so much everyone for your thoughts and ideas. You �re the best!
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12 Feb 2013
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