Kyle W
Instruments: Piano, Violin
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Musical Theater, Spirituals, Swing
Kyle W
Instruments: Piano, Violin
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Musical Theater, Spirituals, Swing
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 5-80
My passion for music teaching goes back to my own experiences of starting piano lessons as a 10 year old. I was always interested in music as a child and was given the opportunity to take piano lessons from an extraordinary piano teacher. My method of piano instruction is modeled after what I was taught and also what I learned through my higher education experiences. I majored in music education at Bethel College, with piano as my principal instrument. I am in my 5th year of teaching music in the public school system, working with kindergarten through 5th graders. I am very passionate about giving children the opportunity to enjoy music. Music can be a lifelong passion, even something that gets someone through the toughest parts of life.
My teaching experience started with helping my friends in high school learn piano in the high school piano class. I already had experience and was assigned the role of tutoring my friends. After starting college, I took on a couple of private lessons with beginning students. I graduated from college and started teaching general music at the elementary school level. During my teaching, I’ve gained skills of working with children of all ages. I really enjoy working with younger students that are beginning their interest in music. I have had a few private piano students recently, but busy school schedules put those students on hold. I also play the violin and have had experience teaching beginning strings to elementary students.
For beginning students, I typically start with the Piano Adventures series. I learned from those books and they provide a well-rounded foundation of technique, lesson material, and performance material. That series also begins teaching basic music theory from the start. Piano Adventures is also great for visual learners- with pictures and diagrams to help understand the concepts in the lessons. My goal is to start students with strong technique and a practice plan. Students need taught how to practice, which is something that some teachers miss. My violin teaching starts with learning the correct posture and bow hold. I model for the students with my own violin and bow. I pull from multiple resources for violin teaching, because sometimes one method doesn’t work for everyone. I gauge the needs of the student as the lessons progress.
I enjoy seeing the light in a student’s eyes when a concept has ‘clicked’ for them. Each student will progress at their own pace and will set goals with me that are realistic for them. On top of the lesson material, music learning games and choosing a song of the student’s choice is fun to incorporate in the lessons. If the student is bored, then I will find a solution. I encourage a parent/guardian to be involved in helping students build a practice pattern. My philosophy is that students need to practice every day, even if it’s only 5-10 minutes they have time for. Practicing a little bit each day is more effective than cramming practice into the day before the lesson. I want to be a team, making sure students and guardians feel comfortable communicating their needs as the lessons take off!
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