A personalized curriculum for each student…
Everyone’s musical journey is their own. Some students want a disciplined approach, while others thrive on more spontaneity. One student might want a rock-solid foundation in music theory, while another might just want enough knowledge to play their favorite songs. All goals are equally valid.
The student is the captain of his or her own ship — I am the navigator who helps them plot a course and get to the destination they desire.
This philosophy helps me make sure I’m teaching students what they want to learn, what they are passionate about, and what they will enjoy most.
I love what I do…
Back when I began learning guitar, I found that many guitar instructors weren’t teaching by choice, but rather because it was a way to earn a few bucks until they “made it” as a recording artist. As a result, not all teachers had any teaching experience or enthusiasm.
Music and teaching are two of my passions, and getting to combine them is rewarding beyond words. There’s nothing I love more than seeing a student of mine do something they previously thought they were incapable of.
I’ve also found that bringing passion to any subject makes it much easier and fun to learn.
Focusing on results…
I’ve helped students enjoy music more, get over stage fright, learn to sing while playing, improve their songwriting, learn to improvise and solo, break through to the “next level” of playing, and even compose the perfect song to propose to their fiancée.
What results would you like to achieve? It’s time to dream big!
Teaching to different learning styles…
We all learn differently. Some learn best listening to a verbal explanation, others learn by visual demonstration, and still others may learn best by reading about a topic or by physically trying something out on their own.
How do you teach to all learning styles? Simple: Design a curriculum and materials that tackle each. Covering a topic in several brief, multiple learning formats helps solidify new concepts, so they “stick”.
Multimedia approach…
In scientific research and in my own experience, the more ways you can convey and connect with information, the easier it is to learn and apply that knowledge.
In addition to the audio-visual input inherent in music lessons, I include plenty of games, listening and songwriting exercises, articles, diagrams, videos, and tasks designed to get students to visualize and use the concepts we cover quickly and easily.
Dodging common pitfalls…
It may sound strange, but I’m a better teacher because I’m not “a natural”. The first time I tried to play the guitar I used a popsicle stick …and genuinely wondered why it didn’t sound amazing.
When I started learning guitar, I had all sorts of difficulties and limiting beliefs. I also made many mistakes along the way that slowed my progress and increased my frustration.
What’s the up side? I now have an excellent map of the hazards along the way, and can share these insights with my students so they never have to go through that anguish.
I can help you save hundreds hours by focusing on proper technique and learning exactly what you want to learn.