Sam wrote in to ask:
One or two mums have asked me if I can give them the dates and days of the course for next year. As for some of their after school activities are asking for a deposit to reserve places now, for next year.
Do you plan at this time?Or do you wait till the beginning of term when everyone rushes around trying to juggle the after school activities..like football and dance etc.. Β I have always waited..till the term begins to see who is doing what..then I have sent out messages trying to juggle who is free etc. ages, days. Β What do you advise?
Always, always, always set *your* dates in stone first.
Let the other groups manage their schedules around you (after all you’re the most valuable lesson they’ll take!)
It’s amazingΒ what happens when you do this:
- As if by magic all the other activities manage to fall in around you.
- It raises your profile (“Wow, she must be good, we can only get her at these times!”)
- It reduces your stress hugely at the beginning of term.
So yep, definitely set everything as soon as you can.
Be genki,
Richard
P.S. Β Or the alternative is to say “Oh well, wait till you know about soccer and piano and animal balloon making lessons etc. etc. and then let me know when you’re free.” Β and guess what happens then??
P.P.S. Β We have had *one* space open up for Sunday’s School Owners Workshop. Β If you’d like to take get, get in touch ASAP!Β AndΒ it’s gone!
The key is becoming their most important activity/class. This is something that the school I work at fails to do, which is why I’m not a big fan of using book series. Chinese parents want their kids tutored up for their regular school tests. Introducing a whole different book system doesn’t really make much sense. Genki accomplishes making English fun and getting the kids quickly good at basic stuff and their is the freedom to target older student’s problem areas or review things they need to do on their ALL-IMPORTANT school English tests.
It is all too common for my classes to be missing students who are bailing because their double or triple booked and piano, chess, or art class have become more important and useful in their schedules.
This was the best business tip a couple of years ago (of course also HERE!)
I was like many other teachers, trying to decide things with the moms.
(I thought I need to as soccer school etc are team classes, so it is easier for someone like me to adjust than a teacher who has a group of 30 kids)
Well, it did somehow work with the “what day is best for everyone” idea, but on cost of my own nerves and times and schedules.
So, I took the advice, set a schedule, and tell me moms “you either make it or I’m sorry” and they ALL make it. I have more students per class than before, the kids come from pretty far away, passing along many other English schools.
The other day I even had a student ( 5 years old) coming by taxi as the mom is working, she couldn’t pick her up in nursery school for class time, so she ordered a taxi and a nanny to put her in and out. And this is NOT a rich family at all.