“The (Teaching Guitar Workshops) caused me to see guitar education in a whole different way. I now teach several high school guitar classes.”
Name: Stacey Rubach
School: Osbourn High School, Manassas, Virginia
Guitar Students: 82
Teaching Guitar Workshops: Where did you attend the Teaching Guitar Workshops?
Stacey Rubach: Level I & II Reston Virginia.
Teaching Guitar Workshops: Tell us a little about why you decided to teach guitar?
Stacey Rubach: I needed a three credit class to get recertification for my music teacher license renewal. Another music teacher told me about a three credit class being offered by GuitarEduNet. The workshop caused me to see guitar education in a whole different way. I now teach several high school guitar classes.
Teaching Guitar Workshops: Tell us what inspires you to teach guitar.
Stacey Rubach: I feel like I can help students learn so many things through the guitar: how to read music, read tablature, improvise and more; but more importantly, the students learn to count on each other like a family. I feel that my students have better character because they are guitar students.
Teaching Guitar Workshops: What is the most fun or rewarding element of teaching classroom guitar?
Stacey Rubach: Seeing the wide variety of talent is the best part. One student might be really great at reading standard notation, another at playing chords, while the next one might have a knack for improvising. My job is to allow them to showcase their talent while still pushing them to stretch themselves.
Teaching Guitar Workshops: What is the most challenging element of teaching classroom guitar?
Stacey Rubach: Some students catch on fairly quickly, and some struggle. Being able to tier teach can be challenging, but if you are well planned and pick music to meet the needs of the class, it can be done.
Teaching Guitar Workshops: Aside from guitars, what other products do use during your class?
Stacey Rubach: Amplifiers, bass guitars, banjos, mandolins, extra strings (we change them ourselves), picks, chords, tuners, cases, and more.
Teaching Guitar Workshops: Any other thoughts or insights about teaching guitar?
Stacey Rubach: Being a guitar teacher is a gift. I learn just as much as the students do…about the guitar and more importantly about myself. Many of the students call me Mama Rubach because I call them my Osbourn Family (that is the name of the high school where I teach). We truly are like a family, and you can feel it the minute you walk in the room. I do want the students to learn to be the best (and most well rounded) guitar players they can be, but more importantly, I want them to learn to be a better person through playing the guitar. Many of my students who have graduated stay in touch with me, and there is no better gift than knowing that you have helped influence a student’s life in a positive direction through music.