Whether you teach music, tutor for exams, or run a small class, the teaching is the easy part. The business friction shows up around enrollment, payment, missed lessons, and, increasingly, where and how student photos and videos get shared.
A few clear documents keep those things simple.
An Enrollment & Lesson Agreement
This sets the schedule, rate, payment terms, and lesson length, plus what happens with make-ups and missed lessons. For anyone teaching minors, it also names the parent or guardian as the responsible party.
A Cancellation & Make-Up Policy
Missed lessons are the number-one source of tension for tutors and instructors. A written policy, how much notice is required, how many make-ups are offered, and what's simply forfeited, settles it before it becomes a monthly negotiation.
A Media & Photo Release
If you post recital clips, class photos, or student progress on social, you want permission first, especially for minors. A media release documents who consented to what, so a proud share never becomes a complaint.
Payment & Package Terms
Monthly tuition, prepaid packages, expiration, and late fees, agreed up front, keep your income predictable and your conversations about teaching, not invoices.
The Simplest Way to Get Covered
Instead of writing these from scratch, most tutors and instructors start with the Lesson Pro Kit, an attorney-drafted set covering enrollment, cancellation and make-up policies, media releases, and payment terms, in plain English you can fill in today.
This is general information, not legal advice, and reading it doesn't create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by state and situation, so have a local attorney review your documents before relying on them.