Posted by Rick Denney on June 19, 2002 at 15:52:06:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Teaching woes posted by Carroll on June 19, 2002 at 15:23:04:
You probably ought to have identified your "pricing" scheme before making your recommendation because your recommendation is wholly based on the fact that you are not paid in money. If the currency used to buy your services is a certain level of commitment, then you are correct. But that is not the currency used by 99% of teachers. A private teacher is hired to do a job, and should do it to the best of their ability as long as the remuneration is as agreed.
They are not hired to be babysitters or child psychologists, though they can assume as much of those roles as they are comfortable with (and as much as they feel qualified to do, which might be less than they think). Of course, they are not obligated to perform a service if they don't want to for whatever reason, unless they signed a contract or have an employer. But having the right to fire the student and choosing to exercise it are two different things.
If my teacher made such a request of me, he'd have to fire me, though I would not have gone to him in the first place. It is a commitment I could not make. But I'll go when I can, and lack of progress is my fault, not his. Sometimes, I'm sure I'll go just because I need the pep talk. And I don't think he minds getting paid.
Rick "who prefers to pay up front for the services he receives" Denney