Golden Star Staff
Jackie Ohnander has been teaching and introducing people of all ages to music for 20 years, and finds her passion in helping her students learn and excel.
After 10 years of teaching music in Golden, and 20 years teaching all together, she says it is exciting to see some of her first music students in town now offering lessons and playing in different bands and ensembles.
“I love teaching. Every student has unique abilities, strengths, and struggles, and we all learn in such different ways,” she said. “Each weekly lesson is an opportunity to improve, inspire, and find what works for each individual. It’s so rewarding to guide somebody through a challenging time in their learning process and also to share in celebrating their successes and achievements.”
As a teacher, she considers herself successful when she has been patient, helpful, and inspiring. She plans engaging, fun, and appropriate classes for each student every day. Currently, she teaches piano, guitar, and ukulele to students aged 2.5 to adult. She also teaches a music for young children program, which is a fun group music foundation course that uses piano and keyboard as the main instrument.
“I definitely see myself more as a teacher than a business owner. I much prefer teaching to the administrative side of things, as that’s where my passion lies, but I feel like I am slowly improving with the necessary business stuff,” she said, adding that she is finding the right balance of teaching time, preparation time, and administration time. “By the time I’m 80, I’ll have the equation solved.”
At this time, Ohnander is fully booked with music lessons at her studio with returning students and classes, and will not be offering any new classes to the public this year. All of her classes and lessons are starting up next week, so she has been busy in her studio doing preparation work, lesson plans, organizing, and getting excited to see all of her students again.
Jackie Ohnander Music Studio is located at 201-912 11th Avenue S. in Golden. For more information, go to her Facebook page Jackie Ohnander Music Studio – Golden BC, call 250-439-7066, or e-mail ojacquelyn@hotmail.com. To learn more about her music for young children program, visit www.myc.com/members/johnander.
