“I’ve always loved working with kids,” she says. “Teaching and music were the things I kept returning to. I see myself as a dynamic, nurturing resource for aspiring musicians at any stage.”
After teaching a general music class for young children, Amy started to look for ways to work with preschool-aged students again. She recognized that teaching piano to younger children would expand her studio’s business.
“There seems to be an increasing demand for programming for younger children.”
The only problem was, Amy couldn’t find an entirely suitable way to teach those lessons.
“There have always been inquiries about lessons for the younger ages,” she says. “I didn’t feel like I had a good consistent program to offer. So often we would have to ask families to wait until the student was a little older or at least more able to manage a traditional lesson.”
Then she stumbled onto WunderKeys.
“The appeal of WunderKeys was both the fun and soundness of the program for its target ages.”
Amy explains that, as a teacher, her responsibility is to fully engage her students so that they become sound, well-rounded musicians. She thought that WunderKeys appeared to fit this objective perfectly, so she gave it a shot.
“The structure of the program is such that it’s easy to dip your toe in at first,” she says. “I tried to approach WunderKeys the same way my eager little students do: with enthusiasm, curiosity, and openness to fun and new ideas!”
She immediately connected with the program.
“WunderKeys seemed to be the best mix of engaging, story-based learning with characters that students love and relate to, and appropriate pedagogical sequencing of concepts.”
Amy goes on to say that students “don’t sit still and play the piano for thirty minutes. They’re on and off the bench, singing, drawing, and playing, but with a familiar routine.”
“The response from WunderKeys families has been hugely positive.”
Amy found the ease of marketing WunderKeys to families extremely appealing.
“I used the suggested marking plan and materials, visited childcare centers, met with directors, and left personalized packages of materials to display for families. Then I crossed my fingers.”
She didn’t have to wait long.
“The first calls followed soon after and haven’t stopped since.”
Her new students really took to the program. One of the best things, Amy says, is the energy and enthusiasm that they bring to lessons.
“They march in with big smiles on their faces, so proud to be coming to their very own lesson . . . I hear from many families that WunderKeys students will ask every day: ‘Is it time for music lessons today?’”
And that love for WunderKeys stays with the students.
“Heartbreakingly, I keep hearing from parents of WunderKeys graduates that have moved on to regular lessons that they miss the Wunderbies! The characters become [their] friends along the way, and it reminds me that sometimes Pinky or Thumbelina need to come out and visit every once in a while.”
Amy has also found parents’ responses to WunderKeys really heartwarming.
“They are thrilled to see how happy and engaged their children are.”
When asked what she would say to other piano teachers who were considering using WunderKeys, Amy focuses on the opportunity to offer young students a great musical start.
“WunderKeys creates exceptional music students,” she says. “I love that it offers them skills and new ideas . . . in a way that encourages their fun and a natural sense of curiosity in the world.”
What’s more, many younger siblings of students have started taking WunderKeys lessons as well.
“They are often the most excited to have lessons of their very own.”
“WunderKeys has allowed us to say ‘yes’ to a lot more students.”
Amy is extremely thankful to the WunderKeys program, which allowed her to grow her studio by accepting younger students: the preschool age group that she previously had to turn away.
Today, Amy’s studio has taught a staggering number of WunderKeys lessons – over five hundred since they started offering the program in late 2015. And Amy has no plans to slow down.
