"Selling" my time and skills - pricing

[Chicken lady]

Ok, I'm looking for some feedback here. I have an opportunity to do some private lessons, but I have never set a rate.

the lessons would be at my school. Tutoring charges there range from $35-$70/hr. Qualifications range from high school diplomas to post doctoral work. The school charges tutors $5/hr of that to let you use the room. I teach pottery. I would charge the standard $65 annual firing and materials fee on top of tutoring charges.

i have 8 years of classroom experience in this subject at this location. I have additional classroom, club, and summer program experience with a variety of ages in a variety of other subjects and I homeschooled for 13 years. I have a 4 year general teaching degree and significant continuing education credit in my subject. I sell (as in have had actual sales) my own work professionally at a level that if I were a retail store on a scale of Walmart to Tiffani's, I'd be in the Macy's range.

Parents pay pay a standard $8.75 - $11.62 for regular hourly classes (discounts for more hours because the administrative overhead doesn't really increase)

i am am a very good teacher. But my subject is an "elective".

i am am also kind of a socialist and wish I could teach for free. But the feed store and the power company keep charging me money.

so, with that data, can you give me some honest feedback on what you think you would consider a reasonable rate? As in, in the market I have described, you would suggest me to a friend looking for classes and not say "but she's kind of expensive."

[ToomuchStuff]

Do you have places that have a kiln and let people finish their own stuff around you to call and compare?
What is some private lessons? Is this people who are expressing interest, or someone who needs help to pass the "elective" class, or some sort of adult education class in a classroom setting?

[nswef]

Are these lessons a group or one on one? That makes a difference in pricing. Is your materials fee high enough to truly cover the costs? I don't know that the recommendation with "but she's kind of expensive" is a bad thing. Probably a good idea to not be much higher than the other "arts" private lessons, but not too cheap either.

[Float On]

http://www.springfieldpottery.com/n_control/pottery-classes/ some friends of ours. Thought you might like to see the details about their class.

A local pottery supplier is also offering classes again: 6 week wheel throwing pottery class for adults. Advanced or beginners welcome.Classes begin July 6th at 6 pm - Aug. 10th.
Must be registered before the start date.Class fee of $180 includes 25 pounds of clay, glaze and firing of up to five pieces.

The classes we offered in glass were more expensive than either of these but glass is just more expensive over all. My husband and I both needed paid for our time as well as the utilities, glass, raw colors, kiln time, and the fact that anytime we weren't making product for selling or orders needed to be covered as well. We also needed a minimum of 5 people to make it worthwhile for a class. One-on-one tutoring was even more expensive.

Don't be afraid to charge what you need to make a profit and make it worthwhile. If you don't, you'll come to resent it. We offered a one-day class onetime sort of a "make your own ornament event" through the local arts council and we told them it had to be a minimum of 8 people. Well the arts council board decided to not share the info with the members and make it a board only event and only 6 showed up. My husband still talks about how that wasted his time and efforts. And yes, he had me withdraw our membership about 2 weeks after that event he was so hot under the collar about it!

[Chicken lady]

Right, I DON'T want to be at "she's kind of exoensive"

this is basically a one on one class for a school age child taught in the building where the parent has already transported the child for academic classes. It is being offered as an alternative to a regular group art class which does not fit into the child's schedule.

as far as comparison, the best I could do would be apples to pears. Either the age group, teacher qualifications, class content, location, or time would be significantly different.

materials fee is standard and pooled to cover costs. If the student is very productive, the fee is a bargain. If the student is lazy it's price gouging.

[Chicken lady]

Float on,

comparable adult classes in this area would be $250 for six two hour group sessions spread over 6 weeks - finish up to 25 pieces. Clay extra. Or, $125 monthly fee plus $50/hr private instruction, clay, firing, and glaze extra. Both also include unlimited time to work in the studio on your own during business hours.

my classes don't include extra time in the classroom (some exceptions made during lunch), but you can work at home. clay, glaze, and firing are unlimited.

[mschrisgo2]

Well, 30 years ago I paid $20/week for a 2-hour group pottery class for my then 10 year old.

it was not at school but 4 blocks away. She walked with a friend. To my thinking, a class at school is worth more, because the parent doesn't have to worry about getting child to class safely.

All other things considered, I would say you should charge $30/session.

dont sell yourself short.

[Chicken lady]

nswef, I just realized you said being kind of expensive might not be bad. I do get your point, but I guess I'm thinking the good version would be "she's kind of expensive, but..." And they they explain why you're worth it.

I talked to my dad (who was a small businessman for years and has done some consulting) and he said 35-45. And I talked to another teacher from school who does not tutor, but whom I respect and she encouraged me not to come in under the current bottom of the range. And I talked to a semi-broke young parent friend, and she still said "at least 25."

and I thought about what I could do with the hour if I wasn't tutoring. And I told the parent $35. We'll see what happens.

(30 years ago I made $4.50/hr)

[catherine]

i am am also kind of a socialist and wish I could teach for free. But the feed store and the power company keep charging me money.


You make me think of the conversation I just had with my son yesterday. He's a struggling singer/songwriter with a day job as a server. The restaurant he works for as a server booked him for a couple of weekend gigs in their summer beer garden. So he had a set the other night and he sold 3 of his vinyls and someone put a $50 tip in his tip jar. He was surprised and astounded. He said, "Mom, people asked me how much my vinyl is and I want to give it away." and he said, "I am getting to play this music and it makes me happy to do it, so I don't see why I should get paid."

The bane of the creative's existence. Same for you, Chicken Llady. And in theory I totally get it, because I'm kind of a socialist, too. The perfect world would be where everyone would just sit around a fire pit and share talents.

I tried so hard to explain to my son that just as he is happy sharing his music, others are happy listening, and they want to express their gratitude to him by giving him money. But I'm afraid I may have trained him too well in the "money is plebeian at best; evil at worst" camp. I really didn't mean to! So I spent the rest of the call trying to tell him that if I deserve x amount of money selling drugs to people he deserves at least a fraction of that touching people's souls.

It's hard to place a monetary value on some things. But Chicken Lady, don't underestimate your value in the market. You deserve it.

[Zoe Girl]

$35 sounds good, especially for a private lesson. I hire after school programs, they range from $10 per class per child up to $17 (for the cooking classes that bring all the materials and equipment with them). I have not had any private lesson teachers so far but I could make that available to families. I register, manage money, provide space, etc. and the instructor or tutor leads the class.

[Chicken lady]

Well, if you include the cost of all materials provided (they are) tutoring would be $37/hr class. I have to collect the money and turn the room rent and materials fee into school. They provide liability insurance, the facility (including janitorial services), materials and equipment, background check to reassure parents (required of all teachers), my professional e-mail for parent communications, and minimal advertising (batch e-mail about all tutoring opportunities 2-6 times a year)

[Chicken lady]

So, they decided not to go with private lessons, but I am ok with that, so I feel fine with my decision.

also, I finally got my contract for the regular school year,and I got a 2.5% raise! I wasn't expecting a raise at all this year because I got a really nice raise last year and they gave me more hours this year. So, this will really help with the addition!

[Zoe Girl]

That is great, the raise and hours. Sounds like a better deal than staying after for tutoring

[Float On]

Congrats on your raise.

[catherine]

also, I finally got my contract for the regular school year,and I got a 2.5% raise! I wasn't expecting a raise at all this year because I got a really nice raise last year and they gave me more hours this year.

They know a hard worker and valuable employee when they see one! Congrats!

[Teacher Terry]

Awesome!