December 21, 2024: Saturday Remix
Teachers and Staff: Happy Saturday!
Teaching Lessons - Starting and Ending Shifts
My goal for teachers' starting and ending their shifts is that we arrive 15 minutes prior to our first lesson, and stay for 15 minutes after our last lesson. Rationale and benefits include:
These 15 minutes before and after are paid, but only if you are actually here, working on-site during those times. Please log your actual arrival and departure times. If you actually arrive only 5 minutes before your lesson, or right at your actual lesson time, then that is the time you would log on your timesheet. If you leave right after your lesson ends, that is the time you would log on your timesheet.
The general rule is that we arrive 15 minutes prior to our first lesson, and stay for 15 minutes after our last lesson. There are some predetermined exceptions to this general rule, and these are exceptions that we have worked out for various reasons. But besides these exceptions, the rule should be followed all other times. 15 minutes before, and 15 minutes after. Barring exceptions, if you arrive 5 minutes late for work, it will mean you arrived only 10 minutes before your first lesson. Arriving 5 minutes after the lesson start time means you are actually 20 minutes late for work.
We never want students to arrive at the school for a lesson and not have their teacher there ready for them. Ready to greet them as they enter the lesson room. Prepared to teach their lesson and build a healthy and nurturing relationship. We want students to always have the best and most positive experience possible. And we want teachers to present themselves to students and families in the most professional light possible.
Teachers need time to prepare for lessons. And time to wind down, clean up, tidy up, put things away, make notes for next lesson, print music, photocopy worksheets, etc. These 15 minutes before and after can go a long way toward a more positive experience for teachers, less stress, and a better, more organized, and tidier school and enhanced experience for students.
Please schedule your day and evening so that you can come 15 minutes before your first lesson, and stay 15 minutes after your last lesson. Please strive not to have to rush out after your last lesson. Please use the time to your advantage and to the advantage of students and the school.
Now, we don’t want to just sit and waste time; we want to make positive use of the time!
You also generally have 15 minutes between lessons (with some exceptions that we are striving to minimize and/or eliminate). Use this time wisely as well! If everything else is set, you can always practice your instrument, learn more music theory, arrange simplified music for your students, do online research, screen supplemental educational or music videos for your students, learn about a topic such as classroom management, read a useful book or magazine, stay on top of professional and music industry news, and more! You can use the time for your own professional development – to become better and more informed musicians and teachers.
Timesheets
Timesheets should be completed at the end of each day. Please do not save up days and add them all at once. Use part of the paid 15 minutes after your last lesson to update your timesheet. Use your own device or use the computers onsite available to you in every lesson room.
Individual Private Lessons versus Small Group Lessons on the Calendar
On your Teacher calendar, individual private lessons will begin with the student’s name, and then a hyphen and instrument; small group lessons will begin with the word “Class” followed by a class code. The two most important elements of the class code are the first letters and the last letters. The first letters indicate the instrument(s), and the last letters indicate the age range.
BA = Baby, ages 0 to 1 or 2
TO = Toddler, ages 2 or 3 to 4
CH = Child, ages 5-7
YO = Youth, ages 8-12
TE = Teen, ages 13-17
AD = Adult, ages 18+
Ages are approximate; every child is different and the lines are sometimes blurry.
More will be said about the class code elements in other communications.
When you have a Class (a small group lesson), you will have (generally) between 1-4 students. Always make sure you look at all the details inside your calendar item (including the MODIFYs), so you know what is happening. An absent student in a small group lesson doesn’t mean the lesson is canceled, since there could be other students in the class, even just for that day. Be diligent and “check it twice!”
Calendar items can change during the day, as sometimes we receive notification of an absence or other change at the last minute. Use your Teacher calendar as a communication tool. It is providing you information about your lessons, dynamically, throughout the day.
Remember, you get paid for scheduled lessons, even if no student attends, as long as you stay there and work. (If you decide to leave, then you do not get paid for that time.) Please enter your time accurately on your timesheet, to reflect your actual time there. (Up to 15 minutes before your first lesson and 15 minutes after your last lesson.)
Off-week Reminder
Our next off-week is over the Christmas / New Year holidays, from December 23 - January 2. No regularly-scheduled lessons during this period. Lessons resume January 3.
Teacher Seminars January 2, 2025!
Thank you to those who have responded so far!
I will be hosting a teacher seminar on Thursday, January 2, 2025. This is the day after New Year, and also the last day of our off-week over those holidays. (We have regular lessons again starting on Friday, January 3.)
Teacher seminars are available to all teachers, including teachers who do not presently have students. Teacher seminars are paid, and totally optional. You can attend as few or as many as you wish. Sessions will be 50 minutes each and be in the range of 1:00 to 6:00 pm.
This schedule is tentative. Actual sessions will be determined and firmed up once I see the interest levels. If you express interest, please pencil into your calendar but be aware there may be changes. I know that some teachers will not be available at this day/time. We will have more seminars as we go along, and I try to vary the days and times. Please use this form to express your interest and availability. Please respond as soon as possible so we can plan ahead.
https://forms.gle/ozqk6BjupAYBcR7G6
Special Theme Recital coming in January
Yes! Your student can participate in Theme recitals! All levels, ages, instruments, and styles are welcome and encouraged! Students wishing to participate in this recital should already have their selections made and near ready to perform. Please discuss with your students, and make sure you are supporting students participating in recitals.
And Yes! Teachers may participate, too! Please let me know as soon as possible if you would like to perform.
I have sent an email to teachers and parents showing the developing roster for this recital. Please look out for it so that you can best help your students prepare.
More on HVAC
Another guideline:
c) Strive to keep the temperature in the range of about 72 degrees. Don’t set it higher or lower. Let the temperature be mild, not warm or cold.
Statutory Compliance for Employees
Employees will receive notice from ADP to complete mandatory training sessions online. This is to comply with state laws. Please complete as necessary. Completing these training sessions is paid work. Please try to do them during down time at the studio. A great time to complete this is if you have a canceled lesson. If this cannot be done at work, please complete at home and log your hours. They should not take more than a couple of hours in total to complete.
Q. What is the most important skill that contributes to growth and success in our careers?
A. COMMUNICATION
The Saturday Remix on the Website
Find them historically from inception, here:
https://www.dennisfraynemusicstudio.com/saturday-remix
Thank you, everyone, for all that you do!
Have a magical Saturday, a musical weekend, and a very Merry Christmas coming up!
Thank you,
Dennis Frayne
"Dr. Dennis"
Laguna Niguel School of Music
Dennis Frayne Music Studios
30110 Crown Valley Pkwy, Suites 105/107/108
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 844-9051 (office cell)
(949) 468-8040 (personal cell)
www.lagunaniguelschoolofmusic.com
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