Bumblebee's Piano
Lessons

Our top priority is to create a supportive learning environment. I take a gentle approach that is attentive to student needs, we are flexible when they are having a tough day or week or season, and I meet them where they are at, supporting them as they need whenever we can connect. We don't do shaming, but treat each other with respect and care; I am there to come alongside the student and support, be honest about the process and challenges, and problem solve everything together. We lean into the student's personality, communicate in ways they are comfortable, pause our work to hear a story from their week, laugh together at the piano, cheer them through the tougher concepts and skills, and celebrate every time they try.

 

The goal of the lesson content is to provide both a solid knowledge base and skill set that enable students to explore music independently with ease for their own enjoyment, well past their lessons, and to make that process as rewarding as possible. This includes lots of exploration of music, paced according to each individual student's needs, and includes specialized focus and supplementary music the student selects wherever possible. 

 

Lessons generally include five components: songs from their lesson book

(1-3, depending on the student's level), technique, theory, supplementary pieces (including ear training) once the student is in Level 1, and learning games (because these do wonders for our brains).

 

I offer lessons for beginner through intermediate levels and select one of

the series listed below that best matches a student's interests and goals;

these help us explore music and build the skills that enable students to

play what they love: 

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• Bastien Piano Basics

• Alfred Basic Piano

• Faber Piano Adventures

• Royal Conservatory of Music

• Alfred's Adult Piano Courses

• Faber Adult Piano Adventures (All-in-One, Popular, & Christmas)

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Supplementary music tracks to broaden this musical exploration and

provide students with as much intrinsic enjoyment of their piano practice

as possible, include: 

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• Classical/Royal Conservatory

• Contemporary Worship

• Humns

• Jazz

• Movies/Showtunes

• Popular

• & Student Choice

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If a student opts to choose their own supplementary pieces, they are

welcome to choose from my own music library, which includes access

to the Musescore collection, or they can source their own music that

we can incorporate into lessons. 

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We take creative approaches to learning because every brain and body is a little different; how I explain concepts, demonstrate technique, support the student in the lesson and their practice will shift as we find what works best for each individual. So, we usually do theory together so we can collaborate and I can find alternate ways to explain the concepts, rather than students having to figure it out on their own. We work through skills together until the student is as comfortable as possible before they need to practice on their own, break down new songs and tackle the most 'interesting' bits so they can't trip up the student and cause frustration later. I also provide video tutorials as needed and we always experiment with practice methods to find what supports the student best. Each student receives tailored practice notes so they have ways to practice that will support their learning - and parents know what their children need this way too! 

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We celebrate progress and make piano practice rewarding, recognising hard work with practice prizes for good practice habits, using games to tap into our brain's learning superpowers, giving lots of praise and encouragement in lessons, and a few bonus surprises throughout the year. We support parents too - you don't have to know piano or music theory to support your child in invaluable ways. We provide a growing resource library for parents, plus video tutorials on what a practice at their level should look like, and I'm always available for questions.