Elizabeth's Music Studio

Ainsley Wood, MYC Teacher, Student Piano Teacher

  • Teaching private piano lessons since 2023
  • Teaching MYC Sunrise since February 2024

Qualifications

  • Grade 8 Piano with RCM
  • Working towards Grade 8 Theory with RCM
  • Completed MYC Sunrise training in 2023

Goals 

  • To infuse enjoyment and love for music into each of my students
  • To give my students a solid base for their musical journey
  • To make my classes exciting and motivating for both students and parents
  • To bring a lively and bright atmosphere to every lesson

Mentorship

Elizabeth is mentoring Ainsley.

  • Ainsley has been shadowing Elizabeth's private and group lessons since 2023.
  • Elizabeth and Ainsley meet regularly to plan lessons, review student progress, and discuss teaching strategies.
  • Elizabeth will observe Ainsley teaching all her private and group lessons twice a year to provide guidance and feedback.

About Me

I am a second generation music teacher. My mother has been teaching since before I was born and started me on the piano when I was around 7 years old. Since then, I have studied piano, theory, and accompanying congregational singing. I love children and have a passion for teaching. Outside of the world of music I also work as a Personal Support Worker, and love to spend time at the Rock Climbing Gym and at my church. 


Schedule/Availability

  • Ainsley teaches on Tuesdays & Thursdays

Why Choose a Student Teacher?

For beginners, it is especially important to have an experienced teacher who will get them started on the right foundation. However, once students reach an intermediate level, as long as they have established good habits, often a junior teacher can do a great job helping them learn the music and progress through the intermediate stage.

It has been said that intermediate level students are the easiest to teach (because they have the basics down but their music is not too hard for the teacher to play); advanced students are the next easiest (they also have the basics down, but the teacher needs to have high level piano performance skills to teach them), and beginner students are the hardest to teach (because they require the most specialized knowledge from the teacher)! Therefore it makes sense for a beginning teacher to start by working with intermediate students.

I (Elizabeth) began teaching at a young age. At the time I did not have a lot of guidance; just a natural ability and love for teaching, and a role model in my own teachers. Looking back, I realize all the things I didn't know then and how I messed up some things with my students, and appreciate how my first students and their parents were so patient with me! I hope to provide the student teachers in my studio with a great introduction to teaching, so that they don't have to make as many mistakes with their first students as I did.

What are advantages for students of a student teacher?

  • More budget friendly!
  • Some children feel more comfortable and less intimidated by a young teacher.
  • Younger teachers often bring a new energy and excitement to teaching.
  • Student teachers who are still studying piano themselves are often able to relate to the learning process from both ends.