Starting my own classes

I’m thinking of offering some adult classes from my home, or renting another appt. for them, starting next year. Anyone have any experience with something like this? Any advice? What sort of problems might I have? Any advice or info would be great! Thanks

I plan on doing the same and will let you know how it goes. I sometimes talk to a friend about this and he always tells me how much doing adult classes sucks (in his mind anyway). He said they won’t pay as much and don’t show up as much so it’s hard to get them to stay. He said doing business classes are cool (because more money) but you still find yourself hustling around.

So far the business situations I’ve seen first hand are:
1200NT per hour teaching 2 guys 2 hours twice a week.
and 1000NT per hour teaching for a business (I think the people that attend fluctuates) 1.5 hours 3 times per week.

The two people I know doing this also have day jobs and use it as a supplement to their income.

I’ve heard of other situations and they’re usually similar to this.

I have yet to meet someone that makes a lot of money teaching adults (in my mind an added 30,000+NT a month or living only on teaching adults… privately), but it seems highly possible to me.

They don’t call me “ironlady” for nothing – what I would do (have never done it, but it works in other business models, it seems) is to set forth a policy something like: You sign up for a class, say, 2 times a week at such-and-such a time. You pay a month’s tuition UP FRONT. You receive a punchcard or tickets or whatever equal to the number of classes you have paid for. One punch or one ticket is taken each time you actually have a class. If you fail to give whatever we have agreed on for notice before cancelling, or if you simply don’t show up, you lose a punch/ticket (forfeit the class). If you stop coming altogether, you lose the money. And be sure to put an expiration date on things – one makeup after the month’s end or 2 month period or whatever you want might be OK, but anything more and the non-dedicated will screw you.

Some might be put off by this, but I think the really serious students will view you as a serious professional teacher, not somebody in it “part time” or “on the side”, which might actually help you in the long run. But as I say, I haven’t actually done it, 'cuz I’m not teaching right now. (Well, might be teaching Chinese soon, but that’s a bit different…actually, maybe not! Anyway…)

I met someone who taught privates (kids) for 3000NT an hour, 3 months in advance. She didnt’ get many students, but shedidn’t wnat many.

Brian

Thanks for all the positive responces. I plan to offer 60hr. topic courses, that I belive will be popular, they’re offered elsewhere, but not near my place. I plan to offer to offer a very good price if students pay for the entire 60 hr.s up front and still good offer if they pay by the month, 8 to 12 classes per month. No make up. I know adults are bussy and will skip if they can, but I will have to start new classes, no chance to make up.

I’m still deciding on offering the book with the course, I may be able to get a good price, or at least selling it to students at my good price.

I’ve decided to do this because I have a child now and would make more this way than working for someone else, also I don’t need the ARC so I’m free that way.

I’d really like to know of any possible drawbacks ahead of time, though. What about using a rented residence to hold classes? No prob., right?

I would do it someone other than your home. Not good for students to know where you live. After all, they are strangers and you only need one “problem student” and you could end up with a hassle.

Ooh! Great point! Thanks.

What are the most effective ways of finding private students that you know of?

Newspaper ads, personal recommendation, junk mail, posters outside coffee bars, walking around in a T-shirt proclaiming your skills and availability? What works for you?

best way to find students is word of mouth

i used to charge NT$1800 per hour for kids, and NT$2500 per hour for adults. I know it sounds high, but when nobody showed up at my house for the first six months, i closed my cha cha school down and went into another business: i now print name cards and design websites for corporate types. Fun. Money okay. Lotsa laffs. Girls aint bad either.

word of mouth is absolutely right.

Forget fancy flyers/stuff: these might help. But most schools do that. you need to get good reputation amongst your current students.

Kenneth

I wholeheartedly concur. I had a sign up for awhile, got maybe 1 student. Almost all inevitably come through word of mouth. Once I had those first couple that though I was very good, I had to ask them to stop recommending me. Now I get calls on a regular basis from Taiwanese who heard I was a good teacher from “Edna,” etc.

Word of mouth. Make those current students happy, but don’t think that means just making them laugh, practicing conversation. They are polite on the surface, but can tell the difference between someone who is well-organized and planned and gives a darn from one who doesn’t.

Word of mouth is the best. That is why I have a school today. Small towns rock!

I’ve only ever taught privates to students already attending the school I work at, usually at their home. Money’s great, and it’s nice to already know the kid and use school materials. I found that letting my Chinese co-teacher know that I was looking for privates helped, she got the word out to mothers quickly and two weeks later, my schedule was full.