Teaching Studio Guidelines

May 10, 2020
PO Box 1731
Knoxville, TN 37901-1731
` (865) 691-8897
jmfoxviolin@gmail.com
foxteachingstudio.com
foxteachingstudio.blogspot.com
Fox Teaching Studio is an BBB
Accredited Business!!
Dear Students and Parents,
To be more user friendly, I have I made my studio guidelines more concise and easier to reference!
1) Mission Statement:
To provide first-class violin, viola, and cello instruction in a care-giving and nurturing environment that
places human dignity first and foremost. My violin performing reflects the highest artistic standards in
the most musical and technically responsible manner. We work with area symphonies, churches, and
educational institutions, to promote beautiful music-making!
2) Procedures:
To stay effectively on task, lessons are weekly year-round. Vacations etc in the summer are
rescheduled. Lessons are paid monthly at the beginning of the first lesson during the first week of the
month. If a student is absent during the first week, payment is still required at that time. Non-payment
may delay further lessons and or require a late fee of $25.00 with the fees. Thank you! Returned checks
are charged a $25.00 late fee for banking reasons. Please pay cash at that time if that happens. I can
take cash but not credit cards!
The student may reschedule a lesson with more than 24 hours notice provided a reason is given and the
make-up occurs in a timely fashion.(I do not want to forget your make-up!) Serious health and
personal emergencies are the only exclusion of the 24 hour procedure if a specific explanation of its
nature is provided to the teacher at the time of postponement. Serious emergency cancellations must be
communicated to me prior to 2 hours of your scheduled lesson period. Work schedules etc and
educational reasons for postponements are not included under 24 hours by the student however. At all
times, the decision to make-up a lesson is at my discretion but I always try to accommodate the
students’ needs as I also will have schedule issues due to changes in my work schedules! If I am late to
a lesson(traffic or overtime at rehearsals)-- please stay at site for 20 minutes before leaving. No worries
then however. I always guarantee make-ups due to my schedule issues.
Please have voice-mail on your phone in case of an emergency and I need to contact you enroute.
When able, I will text. Please do not email schedule requests. I will also give a card with schedule at
the prior two lessons before payment is due each month.
When bad weather occurs, 1:00PM is the time to communicate the pending schedule that day. The
roads must be poor even if schools etc are closed.
We do remote lessons when necessary- or between lessons.If the student needs clarification on a topic,
this gives us more options. I am happy to assist with no charge or fees- consultation on equipment and
music purchases. When I ask for a book for the lesson, please obtain this as soon as possible for
continuity reasons.
3) Philosophy:
The student may study any style of music whether beginner, intermediate, or an advanced level student.
I will share my experiences as a performer directly for the benefit of my students. We are all artists and
students of the instrument!
Fox Teaching Studio upholds effective dialogue and conflict resolution in the most dignified way!
While disagreements will occur at times regarding the pedagogy(playing and teaching the instrument)
and guidelines; its resolution does not have to occur immediately but at its best time. Please do not
argue in the room or outside the lesson- as we wish the lessons to always be enjoyable for you! We can
agree to disagree but a solution is always possible. We are in this endeavor together!
Thank you!!
John Michael Fox

Boundaries for the blogging

Dear Parents and Students:

I am not going to place personal and individual financial information on this blog site for your privacy and consideration. The messages will be for general reading inside and outside the studio since it is in the public domain.
Please do not respond to these posting with individual requests and scheduling. Please phone me at (865) 691-8897 for scheduling and for questions. I am away from the computer for long stretches of time and I wish to return messages promptly. If you e-mail me at the above e-mail address, I can send a copy of the fee sheet or guidelines of the studio in an attachment to an e-mail.

If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know!

Sincerely,

John Michael Fox

Communique to students!

Dear Students and Parents:

For those who plan to ship bows for rehair, please consider not shipping over a weekend. We do not know the temperatures and climate of the wearhouses where they are stored over the weekend. Due to some of the issues I have with my equipment, it is not going to be practical to bring student's equipment with me on trips. I am having climate issues and issues where bows for instances, have been mistreated in their 50 or 150 year old past and I am restoring them back to their ideal condition. There is some unpredictability on a schedule.

Of course I am very happy to consult with my students and parents on the care and maintenance of equipment.
Obviously, those renting rely on Lunsford's for care of the rental equipment.

Overall, I think we are off to a solid start. I think balance is the key. Don't forget to have fun!