Teaching
"Rik listens. That's why I enjoy learning with him. When I describe what I want to do, he listens intently and sketches out a path that I can take to reach my goal ~ Hari
Over the years I've learned that good teaching comes not just from successfully getting across lesson content, but from focusing attention on students and their learning experience.
My own experience has taught me that everyone learns
at a different pace, that people absorb information in different ways, that motivation levels can fluctuate week to week, and that life in the real world of school, family,
friends and work often impinges on practice time. I've always found it helpful to put myself in the learner's shoes,
to remember back when I was learning a new set of chords or transcribing a solo. It can be challenging.
Patience and continual encouragement works wonders.
Brief Bio
I have a long history with the guitar, beginning with my own guitar lessons at age ten, and followed by many years of exploring,
learning and collaborating.
When I progressed to teaching guitar, my natural focus remained on a solid grounding of chords, light music theory, some scale work,
and general musicianship.
In addition to my passion in all things guitar, and gaining a degree in jazz performance, I’ve also rounded off my education in other areas of study as well, attaining a PhD along the way.
Part of what sets me apart in the world of music instruction is my formal education in the art of teaching itself - I have teacher training in language acquisition, and in university level social sciences.
I teach multiple styles, which gives me the freedom to focus on building lessons that cater specifically to an individual’s tastes.
For me the real satisfaction in teaching is not just in helping students achieve a level of accomplishment on the guitar. It is in seeing their
skill-set and self-confidence grow over time.