Good thinking, Susan, Mooh and Genie. Absolutely, charge the going rate in your area. Here in Philadelphia, I charge $35 an hour and I am quite reasonable. Your value, as a teacher, is not based on how well you play, it's how well you teach and if your students enjoy their lessons. That's one area that is ignored by many teachers. Your students want to learn, of course, but, mostly, they want to enjoy the experience. In addition to the weekly lessons, I have a student sing about every six weeks, on a Sunday afternoon. I think it's important for new musicians to play with other musicians as a learning tool and as a way to just have fun with what they've learned. I started having the sings at my house but I dont have enough room for ten to twenty guitarists, mandolinists and banjo pluckers to play without a lot of bumping into one another. Now, the students with large homes take turns hosting the sings, which have gotten so damned popular that we're getting crowded again. We have come up with some really good ideas for the sing which I would tell you about but I have a typing limit and I have reached it. Laila tov (Good night)

Mike