Make-up lessons…a topic of great debate. Here at Time Music Studios we have opted for the “No Make-Up Policy”. Now we know that for some of you this policy seems unfair and inconvenient. Other small studios in the city may allow for make-up lessons or will refund those missed but these are few and far between. However, if you would lend me your ear for a few moments you may be able to understand our reasons for this policy.
Let’s talk about our teachers for a moment: Those wonderfully talented people who bring music to life in your children; the people who nurture a love for the arts in your kids; that guitar teacher who taught your kid how to shred the electric you spent an arm and a leg to buy; the piano teacher who prepared your young maestro to impress at the recital; that voice teacher that built confidence in your quiet little bird or that drum teacher that showed your rock star how to rock out! These teachers have signed a contract with our studio to put aside 30 minutes a week from September to June for your child/children. For many of them, this paycheque is their main income. If we were to refund you for your lessons missed (for illness, holiday, or some other event), their paycheque would be drastically affected. Could you survive on that kind of lifestyle? On the other hand if we were to offer make-up lessons for each lesson you missed, our teachers would have to come to work earlier, stay later or even a completely different day to accommodate you all without pay because they are paid for the original time you booked on your registration form. Now as most of you know, life can be so terribly busy. Do you have the time to accommodate something like this on your schedule, especially if you are not being paid for it? All in all, this “No Make-Up Policy” values both your time and your teacher’s.
Now think for a moment about your monthly bills: Mortgage, Cable or Cell Phone. These are services for which you have signed a contract. If you go away on holiday, the bill doesn’t change. Your monthly charge remains the same and according to your legal contract, you must pay the amount. In the same way, our studio offers a service for which you have signed a contract. Also in the same way, if you choose to go on holiday, you are required to pay this monthly bill like any other.
Consider our studio as you would consider any other educational institution. If as a student, you miss a lesson, your class will not be made-up and your teacher will not refund your money to you. At any other school this idea would be preposterous and most likely comedic. Time Music Studios operates as a school giving quality music education and our policies reflect the same.
That being said, we at Time Music Studios would like to be as accommodating as we can while being fair to our teachers. If you will be missing a lesson, call our studio and we may be able to find you a make-up lesson time within the teacher’s schedule. If a student has previously given us notice of their absence, we can offer you their spot. This is not guaranteed and spaces will be limited to available times.
We hope with this knowledge you accept our policies with understanding and grace. We thank you for your continued support and we shall endeavour to raise our standards to bring you the best musical education our studio can provide.
NB: It is important to note that our “No Make-Up Policy” does not cover teacher absence. In this case your time would be made-up as your teacher missed the contracted time of your lesson.