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Cheryl’s been a great teacher! She’s passionate about teaching and very patient....step by step makes it easy!
My main objective in the first lesson or two is to listen...listen to what student (esp younger children) wishes to learn, what
they enjoy! They need to feel comfortable with me before feeling comfortable at a lesson! Learning an instrument should be an enjoyable adventure and I feel honored to be a part of that adventure.
(Aspen Music Festival)
$45/45 minutes + travel fee ($15-20)
depending on mileage/distance
I began teaching at age 16 in Monterey, Ca where I'm from at a small music store. My father is a retired school music teacher and pianist and I would listen to him teach from the
age of 6. I've also been teaching classroom music for 25 yrs in Chicago, grades prek to 6th, including special education.
General music includes, keyboard, music theory, and history.
All! I currently have one student with Parkinson's, another
with ADHD, Asperger's, another with Austism,one student who is extremely shy (but a brilliant student of piano and a composer!) so
all of us have unique characteristics in this life...there is no
'typical' person or student...we are all special.
A very special month occurred the Fall of 2016 when an
austistic boy started lessons with me (referral from another
piano teacher who found it too difficult to teach him). It was
difficult for him to communicate much less play a 5-note pattern on a piano or beat a drum in a rhythmic pattern.
Everything involves MAKING THE STUDENT FEEL RELAXED, CARED ABOUT, WANTING THEM TO SUCCEED, and PATIENT.
After the second week, we had music games we played and he started looking forward to coming again. By week 3, he memorized the notes of the right hand (melody) and learned a basic song. By week 4, he learned a C chord with left hand. He was exhilarated and didn't want to leave the lesson. This isn't just a lesson...it's an experience in FUN!
Make sure that you're hiring a teacher who both LOVES
what they're doing and has a PASSION for this line of 'work'.
If they're doing it just for money, forget them. Check their
background....call references. Sit-in on lessons.
1. Where did you study music? (degree?) If they really
have a degree, let them show you (I do)
2. Get a copy of their background check (I do) or do your
own before hiring them.
This is important in today's world.