“Wait, you're still a student at UST but you already have many experiences in teaching?”

This may be the most asked question to me by my students' parents during our first sessions. Well, even I can't believe that I would be teaching music at this age!

I started in 2021, during the height of the pandemic, when I made the decision to set up a Facebook page dedicated to providing online music lessons. When vaccines were finally available in 2022, I was able to teach many students that some even asked if I could teach them at home. Parents would recommend me to their friends, and some even recommended me on their social medias which gave me the opportunity to help more students in introducing them to music.

I got hooked with the fulfillment that I get every time my student would play a song that they said they could never do. Seeing their expressions after surpassing their expectations were priceless! And it will always be an honor to be the teacher to change the stereotype that “all music teachers are strict” because before I even began teaching, I promised myself that I would be the teacher that students could easily approach and be comfortable with. Because learning music should be fun in the first place!

Last year (2023), I was able to invest on quality instruments and equipment so I could also cater students who wanted to learn music but were still deciding whether or not they would buy their own instrument. I had students that were turning 5 years old, and even had students that were based in Australia (she's a nurse), in America, and even licensed professionals here in the Philippines that find relaxation in playing music.

My experiences in teaching made me realize that music really has no age limit. It doesn't matter if you just want it as a new hobby, or a talent that you want to pursue again. What's important is the dedication that you put into and the confidence you put in yourself that you can achieve anything!

And don't worry, Teacher MJ is here to help you! <3