Decline a Lesson Request or Let It Expire
How to decline a lesson request politely, what Cancelled and Expired mean, and why a request closes after 3 days without an answer.
You cannot take every student. When a lesson request does not fit, decline it. It takes two taps, and LessonPro sends the parent a polite SMS for you. If you do nothing, the request closes on its own after 3 days, and the parent is told you did not reply.
Decline with a reason
In the LessonPro app:
- Open the request from Requests.
- Tap Decline.
- Pick a reason if you want one: My timetable is full, I do not teach this level, Too far from me or Not available at those times. Or type your own, up to 120 characters.
- Tap Decline.
The parent gets an SMS like this: "Hi Kwame, sorry: Ama Mensah cannot take your Mathematics lesson right now." Your reason follows, if you gave one, then a link to find other tutors.
The reason is optional. Keep it kind and short. It goes to the parent word for word.
On the website, sign in, find the request in the Lesson requests card, add a Reason (optional, goes in the SMS) and tap Decline politely.
Declined, Cancelled, Expired
Old requests move to Earlier in your Requests, with a label:
- Declined: you said no. The parent got your SMS.
- Cancelled: you accepted, then cancelled the lesson, or cancelled before answering. The parent got an SMS saying so.
- Expired: nobody answered for 3 days. We closed it and texted the parent: "Ama Mensah did not reply to your Mathematics lesson request in 3 days, so we closed it." The text also points them to other tutors.
You cannot reopen a declined, cancelled or expired request. If you still want the student, contact the parent directly and ask them to send a new request.
Why replying fast matters
A parent who sends a request is ready to book. While the request waits, they wait. Each request shows the hours left before it closes, so you always know.
- A quick yes gets the lesson booked while the parent is still keen.
- A quick no lets them ask another tutor today, not in 3 days.
- Silence ends with an SMS telling the parent you did not reply. That is not the impression you want a parent to keep.
Turn on notifications so a new request reaches you the moment it arrives. Turn on notifications.
Full for the term? Switch off Taking new students instead of letting requests expire. Parents then cannot send new ones. Pause new students.
To say yes instead: accept a lesson request.