How to manage recurring lessons and makeups

Keep your teaching schedule organized without the administrative headache.

The unique challenge of music lesson scheduling

Music lessons are different from one-off appointments. Most students take weekly lessons at the same time, creating a stable but complex recurring schedule. When life happens—sickness, holidays, vacations—managing makeups can become a nightmare.

Setting up recurring lessons

Why recurring slots work

Students (and their parents) thrive on consistency:

• Same day and time each week builds habit

• No need to book every single lesson

• Protects your prime time slots from being snatched

• Simplifies billing (monthly autopay)

How to configure recurring lessons

Block your teaching days: Tuesday 3-8pm, Wednesday 3-8pm, Saturday 9am-3pm

Set buffer time: 5-10 minutes between students for transitions

Create lesson slots: 30-min, 45-min, and 60-min options

Enable recurring booking: Student books once, lessons repeat weekly

Protecting your schedule

• Hold slots: Reserve slots for existing students before opening new ones

• Waitlist popular times: After-school slots (3-5pm) fill fast

• Block personal time: Don't let booking creep into dinner or family time

Handling cancellations gracefully

Create a clear cancellation policy

Students need to understand the rules upfront:

#### Sample policy:

• 24+ hours notice: Full makeup lesson available

• Under 24 hours: No makeup offered (lesson counted as taken)

• No-show: Lesson charged, no makeup

• Teacher cancellation: Makeup always offered

Communicating your policy

• Include in your welcome packet/email

• Display on your booking page

• Remind parents at the start of each term

• Be consistent—exceptions undermine the policy

When to make exceptions

Use judgment for genuine emergencies:

• Sudden illness (especially contagious)

• Family emergencies

• Weather emergencies

• Long-time loyal students with good track records

Keep a mental note. Pattern of "emergencies" = time to enforce policy.

Managing makeup lessons

The makeup lesson problem

Makeups can quickly spiral out of control:

• Students accumulate makeups they never schedule

• Your schedule gets fragmented with random makeup slots

• Revenue becomes unpredictable

• Some students exploit the system

Solutions that work

#### Option 1: Makeup bank with expiration

• Makeups must be used within 30 days

• Maximum 2 makeups banked at any time

• Expired makeups are forfeited

#### Option 2: Designated makeup slots

• Offer specific makeup times (Saturday morning, holiday weeks)

• Students schedule makeups during these windows

• Keeps your regular schedule intact

#### Option 3: Group makeup classes

• Once a month, offer a group "makeup masterclass"

• Students who missed lessons attend together

• Efficient use of your time

#### Option 4: No makeups, but flexibility

• No formal makeups

• But offer 1-2 "flex lessons" per term for any reason

• Simpler to manage

Tracking makeups

Use your booking system to track:

• Lesson cancellation date and reason

• Makeup owed (if any)

• Makeup scheduled date

• Makeup expiration date

Review monthly to catch students hoarding makeups.

Handling holidays and breaks

Plan ahead

At the start of each year, block your calendar:

• School holidays

• Personal vacation

• Recital/performance dates

• Any other closures

Communicate early

• Send a "term calendar" with all break dates

• Email 2 weeks before each break

• Clarify billing during breaks (do you charge? pause autopay?)

Break billing options

• No lessons = no charge: Simplest, but cash flow varies

• Monthly rate prorated: Consistent monthly fee, fewer lessons some months

• Annual tuition divided by 12: Same charge every month regardless of lesson count

Many teachers prefer the annual/12 model for predictable income.

Dealing with schedule change requests

Common requests

• "Can we move from Tuesday to Wednesday?"

• "Can we switch to an earlier time?"

• "Can we add a second lesson per week?"

How to handle them

Check availability: Is the new slot open?

Consider the ripple effect: Moving one student may displace another

Give a timeline: "I'll check and get back to you by Friday"

Use a waitlist: If the desired slot is taken, add them to a waitlist

When to say no

It's okay to decline change requests:

• If it disrupts multiple other students

• If the reason seems frivolous

• If the student frequently requests changes

"I'm sorry, that slot isn't available. I can offer [alternative] or keep you on the waitlist."

Pro tips for music lesson scheduling

• Time blocks: Group similar lesson lengths together (all 30-min in one block)

• Travel buffer: If you teach at multiple locations, block travel time

• Energy management: Schedule challenging students when you're freshest

• Sibling scheduling: Back-to-back lessons for siblings reduce family trips

• Trial lessons: Offer a specific "trial lesson" time, don't give away prime slots

• Review quarterly: Check for chronic no-shows, underperforming slots, or scheduling issues