I'm a martial arts instructor in one art, a student in another, and a high school teacher by profession. At the high school where I teach, students are expected to have their parents call-in and excuse their absences. I'm a stickler about this. I explain that if you have a job and can't show up, you sure as hell better call-in to your boss and make arrangements, or you are likely to be fired. The same goes for missed appointments with your doctor, lawyer, tax man, or whoever. If you can't make it, you better call-in, --in advance if possible. So, I follow the same policy with the guy I train under. If I can't make it, I make sure to call and leave a brief message. I consider it a matter of courtesy and respect. And, since his class is small, it's important to know if several people are not going to make it on a given night. So anyway, I've started requiring the same courtesy from my students. Students with good attendance and all absences called-in get a reduced rate. The rest go on "probation" and shape up or drop out! If teaching the martial arts is also about teaching responsibility and respect, I don't think it's a lot to ask. Now, I know that this might not be workable in a large commercial school. I teach in a small group, so I don't have to deal with a zillion messages. And, yes, I've lost a few students. But, basically, I don't want to waste my time with flaky students who repeatedly miss class and don't even have the courtesy to call me! How do the rest of you feel?