Managing Multiple Teaching Locations

Introduction

Many successful music teachers work across multiple venues: a home studio, one or two schools, a music academy, and perhaps some lessons at students' homes. While this variety can be professionally rewarding and financially beneficial, it also introduces significant logistical challenges.

This guide shares practical strategies for managing a multi-location teaching practice without losing your sanity—or your students.

The Multi-Location Reality

If you teach across venues, you're likely juggling:

• Different timetables and term dates
• Various booking systems and requirements
• Travel time between locations
• Equipment and resources at each site
• Multiple invoicing arrangements
• Different student and parent communication channels

Without proper systems, this complexity quickly becomes overwhelming.

Strategy 1: Build in Realistic Travel Buffers

The biggest scheduling mistake peripatetic teachers make? Underestimating travel time.

Calculating Travel Buffers

For each regular journey, consider:

• Base travel time (on a good day)
• Traffic variability (add 20-30% for peak times)
• Parking and walking time at each end
• Setup time at the new location
• Mental transition time (yes, this counts!)

• Drive time: 15 minutes
• Parking: 5 minutes
• Traffic buffer: 5 minutes
• Setup at studio: 5 minutes
• Minimum buffer needed: 30 minutes

Don't schedule back-to-back lessons across locations without these buffers built in.

Using Software Buffers

Good scheduling software lets you set automatic travel buffers between locations. In LessonLoop, you can configure:

• Minimum gap between lessons at different locations
• Location-specific setup/pack-down time
• Travel time warnings when scheduling

Strategy 2: Location-Specific Days

Where possible, cluster lessons at each location:

Monday: Home studio all day Tuesday: School A (morning), School B (afternoon) Wednesday: Home studio Thursday: Private students' homes (one area of town) Friday: Music academy

• Daily travel time and cost
• Mental switching between environments
• Risk of forgotten equipment
• Environmental impact

Not always possible with school timetables, but worth pursuing where you have flexibility.

Strategy 3: Equipment and Resource Management

The Essentials Kit

Create a "teaching kit" that travels with you everywhere:

• Portable metronome/tuner
• Pencils (always more than you think)
• Manuscript paper
• Essential reference books
• Tablet/laptop for resources
• Basic first aid items
• Phone charger
• Business cards

Keep this kit in your car or bag, ready to go.

Location-Specific Resources

For regular venues, consider keeping duplicate resources on-site:

• Spare method books
• Theory workbooks
• Sheet music library (copies)
• Stickers and rewards for young students

The cost of duplicates is worthwhile versus constantly ferrying materials.

Digital Resources

Increasingly, tablets and apps replace physical resources:

• Sheet music apps (ForScore, MobileSheets)
• Theory apps and websites
• Metronome and tuner apps
• Recording apps for student playback
• Practice tracking apps

One device can replace a bag full of books.

Strategy 4: Differentiated Pricing

Your rates should reflect the true cost of each teaching location:

Home Studio (Baseline) - Lowest overhead - No travel time - Your base rate

Schools/Institutions - Often fixed rates set by the school - May include holiday pay - Consider administrative burden

Students' Homes - Add £5-15 for travel time/costs - Consider fuel, parking, wear on vehicle - Account for inefficiency of one lesson per trip

Music Academies - May charge commission on your rate - Weigh against admin they handle - Consider room hire arrangements

Be transparent with families about location-based pricing—most understand that travel costs money and time.

Strategy 5: Unified Scheduling System

Trying to manage separate calendars for each location is a recipe for double-bookings and confusion. You need one central system that:

• Shows all locations in a single view
• Colour-codes by venue
• Automatically checks travel buffers
• Syncs with your personal calendar
• Allows parents to see their child's lessons

Many teachers use Google Calendar for this, but purpose-built software like LessonLoop handles multi-location scheduling with built-in conflict detection.

Strategy 6: Consistent Communication

Parents shouldn't need to know or care about your other locations. Present a unified professional image:

• One phone number (consider a business mobile)
• One email address for teaching matters
• One invoicing system
• One parent portal

Avoid: "Sorry, I left that in my car at the other school" Instead: "I'll send that over this evening"

Strategy 7: Managing Different Term Dates

• State vs. independent schools
• Different local authorities
• Academy trusts setting own dates

Creating Your Own Calendar

Develop a master calendar that shows:

• All school term dates overlaid
• Your committed teaching days at each venue
• Bank holidays and your holiday dates
• Exam periods and recital dates
• Invoice dates for each venue

Communicating Clearly

Produce a clear document for each venue showing:

• Dates you will teach there
• Any closures or adjustments
• Make-up lesson policies

Update this termly and share proactively.

Strategy 8: Location-Specific Policies

Some policies may need to vary by location:

Cancellation Policies - Schools often have own policies - Private lessons: your terms apply - Make-up lessons: may be location-dependent

Payment Arrangements - Schools: may pay you directly - Academies: may handle billing for you - Private: you invoice directly

Equipment Expectations - Some schools provide instruments - Private students need their own - Academy may have equipment for use

Document these clearly for your own reference and for families where relevant.

Strategy 9: Protecting Your Wellbeing

Multi-location teaching is physically and mentally demanding. Protect yourself:

Physical Health - Ergonomic car setup (lumbar support, etc.) - Good bag/case with wheels if carrying equipment - Comfortable, professional shoes - Stay hydrated and don't skip meals

Mental Health - Accept you can't be everywhere at once - Build in genuine breaks (not just travel time) - Have buffer days with lighter schedules - Take your holidays—you need them

Professional Boundaries - Don't apologise for not being available 24/7 - One venue's emergency isn't always yours - You're entitled to a sustainable working life

Conclusion

Teaching across multiple locations can offer variety, security, and professional growth—but only with proper systems in place. Invest time upfront in establishing clear processes for scheduling, communication, and resources, and you'll reap the benefits for years to come.

The most successful peripatetic teachers aren't necessarily the busiest—they're the best organised.

*LessonLoop supports multi-location teaching with colour-coded calendars, automatic travel buffers, and unified invoicing across all your venues. Manage your entire teaching practice from one dashboard.*