Natalie A  

5

  5.0 (2)

Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Violin, Saxophone, Clarinet, Recorder, Keyboard, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Classical, Blues, Latin, Hip Hop, Spirituals, Marching Band

I never imagined God had plans for me to be a music teacher. I had taken piano lessons for about 15 years (later adding recorder, guitar, violin, clarinet, saxophone, and cello) and was working as a front desk receptionist in a music school when a teacher notified us of an unexpected long-term absence. My boss--who had known me for almost 20 years, and who taught me piano-- approached me and said she would like ME to teach the affected students. I had no experience but knew I was great with children and loved playing music. 5 years later, I was the most popular music teacher in the school--discovering a hidden gift of mine for teaching!

Because I accept children as young as 3, my methods vary quite drastically. I also work with children who have learning disabilities, so I like to cater my lessons to the needs of the student. We play a LOT of games and when I feel they are ready, they can progress to books. I use everything from Hal Leonard and Bastien to Alfred and Faber & Faber. Being a Special Education Aide, I understand that no book is a “one size fits all". To keep lessons engaging, I break them up into mini segments which are tailored to the student's needs and abilities. Some example segments include: ear training, theory, composition, rhythm practice, singing, coloring, genre discovery, etc.