tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276182621472086076.post9138464221594668920..comments2023-10-26T00:20:34.556-07:00Comments on Thoughts on Tutoring: How to Deal with Tutoring Sessions Cancelled at the Last MinuteAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02163711484569958393noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276182621472086076.post-82746038900045574322020-03-13T21:26:40.744-07:002020-03-13T21:26:40.744-07:00Give preference to regular and fair parents and ju...Give preference to regular and fair parents and juggle the parent or student who regularly cancels at the last moment but don't give them priority if regular student wants their spot. Play it as a business with preference to better clients. If you are flexible then you can fit in a few floaters but keep preference for a better client. Once your books fill ditch the unreliable student/parent for a better client. Depends on your situation and demand for your tuition. <br />Don't alienate an ongoing parent over an occasional and reasonable cancellation. Most parents are very fair and reasonable. chris60https://www.blogger.com/profile/17046720108501151694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276182621472086076.post-8464628028323352242018-04-06T01:10:41.666-07:002018-04-06T01:10:41.666-07:00Exactly! I'm like you and have been tutoring f...<br />Exactly! I'm like you and have been tutoring for 15+ years, but only in the past 5 years have I implemented a written policy.<br /><br />I recently had a parent sign up for lessons with me after going back and forth over e-mail, then speaking over the phone ("phone interview"). We agreed on the time for the first lesson, and as I usually do, I followed up over e-mail, stating the time/place of the first lesson, basic policies. I attached my Lessons Policy which is one page and pretty standard IMO (24 hour cancellation policy or pay in full; if more than 24 hours notice is given will make up lesson free of charge; if 15 mins late with no notice, lesson will be cancelled and full amount is due; payment is due in advance; check bounce/late payment fee of $25 -- and that's pretty much the entire policy). <br /><br />Anyway, once I sent my lesson policies over the parent responded back saying that she couldn't work with me anymore, to cancel the lesson, and "never before" has she ever had to agree to a policy before working with a tutor, she's "very responsible" and has had "excellent relationships" with all of her tutors, she needs "more flexibility", etc. I wrote back asking which parts of the policy she needed more flexibility with and she wrote back saying she needs to think about it. Personally, I think it's crazy that none of the other tutors have ever brought up policies before -- I've hired tutors for myself and I found that good tutors always had some kind of policy in place. Would you say good riddance to working with this parent?<br /><br />In your experience, have parents/students ever refused or been upset when asked to agree to a lessons policy? And when do you find the best time to introduce the policy? Prior to the first lesson or during the first lesson?Naohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06556721989482407773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276182621472086076.post-45719309487896097282018-04-06T01:07:02.737-07:002018-04-06T01:07:02.737-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Naohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06556721989482407773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276182621472086076.post-73772733292764273882018-04-06T01:04:21.658-07:002018-04-06T01:04:21.658-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Naohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06556721989482407773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276182621472086076.post-6607699629132204412017-10-25T07:49:58.759-07:002017-10-25T07:49:58.759-07:00I just wonder what the motivation for it is. I un...I just wonder what the motivation for it is. I understand the emergencies, but people cancel last minute for long foreseeable events. Going to other events, a family member's birthday party, they tell me about vacations the day they're leaving as opposed to in advance, yada yada yada.<br /><br />WHY???? It's not like they gain anything doing so.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04383580923956639312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276182621472086076.post-69596288003742525412017-09-04T09:11:02.280-07:002017-09-04T09:11:02.280-07:00And if they can't handle that, then I tell the...And if they can't handle that, then I tell them to look for another tutor.Eric Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07299586237656870440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276182621472086076.post-48271578261319619152017-09-04T09:08:36.716-07:002017-09-04T09:08:36.716-07:00This is a no-brainer. I have my students sign a p...This is a no-brainer. I have my students sign a policy statement, the jist of which is that they pay for the whole session if they don't provide 24-hours advance notice. Emergencies are understandable and I give leeway for them but they should also be rare too, and I also put it out there that "having a game to go to" is not an emergency. Been tutoring since 2002 and I didn't start charging for missed sessions until about 4 years ago. I had to come to terms with the fact that students and parents WILL walk all over you otherwise and then treat you like you are crazy for getting upset (for the same reason, I have them sign an academic honesty and integrity statement too). I'm known throughout the area for being an eccentric "hard ass" and that actually attracts families to me, lol.Eric Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07299586237656870440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276182621472086076.post-1538491003441597912016-07-16T16:35:52.926-07:002016-07-16T16:35:52.926-07:00Adults who cancel more than once or twice last mi...Adults who cancel more than once or twice last minute (e.g. 2 hours bore scheduled appointment) without offering to pay at least half of the tutoring educational fee, must be dropped; especially when the said tutor is fortunately unaccustomed to such behavior + has enjoyed a successful track record of the achievement w/ their private students otherwise.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02821990449274278939noreply@blogger.com