The past two days have been a marathon of studio business preparations. It's the middle of August and I can't afford to procrastinate any longer on preparing invoices, book lists and binders. I always find it interesting to see how other teachers get their studios organized for a new year, so I thought I would share some photos, ideas and files that have worked for me.
Assignment Sheet Binders:
I prepare assignment sheet binders for all of my students. I like the binders with the clear pockets on the front and back so I can make nice covers. This year I included a back cover with the circle of fifths and keyboard graphic. I know my older students will like the quick and easy reference while doing theory homework.
My assignment sheets are very simple because I want them to be suitable for ages 6-16. There are two assignments on each page, so I print about 500 sheets for the whole studio and fill up all of the binders with 17 sheets each.
You are welcome to download and use any of these resources yourself. Here are the links to Dropbox:
Binder Front Cover
Binder Back Cover
Assignment Sheet
Invoices and Book Lists
I have learned that two weeks notice for tuition payments is about right. So creating and sending out invoices is top priority for me this week. I give families the option of paying in 2, 4 or 10 equal installments. We have two Open House dates at the end of August when families can drop in at their convenience to take care of tuition payments and pick up new books and materials.
I create a pdf of the tuition invoice and email it to each family (that is supposed to happen today). This year I may also experiment with sending invoices via Dropbox. This way I'll be sending a link rather than an attached file, I know some families have issues with receiving attachments. I'm interested in creating a shared Dropbox file for each student, where I can drop and share things like photos, videos, exam results and invoices. Sounds like a topic for another post.
Choosing and ordering new books is always a struggle for me. Should I go order and buy all of the books myself and have parents reimburse me, or should I give them a book list and send them off to the music store? There are equal pros and cons.
Student Files
I find it helpful to keep a simple record for each student. This binder contains lesson notes for all of my students and I leave it open on my piano and quickly make notes at the end of each lesson.
I keep track of lesson dates, cancellations and make-ups here. I also take note of repertoire progress, technique and theory pages.
Here's a link to my Lesson Notes file:
Lesson Notes
I have also started a collection of file folders for my students. This is a new idea for me this year. My thought is that I will save special bits and pieces here, like photos, compositions, exam results and so on. I will keep the file active for the years that the student studies with me. When they decide to stop taking lessons I will pass over the file with the collection of special mementos.
All students stop taking lessons at some point. I always hope that it is done with a positive sense of closure. I believe that looking back at their musical accomplishments will be a rewarding way to finish lessons when that time comes.
When students reach the intermediate level it becomes especially important to pass on solid learning strategies and problem solving skills. I like to think of it as the Piano Practicing Toolbox. If we equip our students with a variety of strategies for different situations, eventually they become able to look at a new piece and make a smart plan for learning. Or if they are running into problems in the practice room they can come up with a solution that gets results. 
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