In honor of International Women’s Day, we are celebrating stand-out female teachers within the TakeLessons community. We are thrilled to introduce you to Kathy, Mikayla, and Rosita, three unique female teachers who are using their skills and passions to impact student lives. Learn how three strong women used their creativity and entrepreneurial drive to build a business. It’s a side hustle with limitless potential.
Meet Music Teacher Kathy Z.
Kathy Z. teaches voice, guitar, and piano lessons in her New York studio, and has been an active member of the TakeLessons community for over 10 years. She holds a Master of Music degree in voice from Cleveland Institute of Music, as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Nebraska.
Q: What is your teaching mantra?
A: We all NEED to MAKE music.
Q: Best memories with music students?
A: I’m proud to say my students have won auditions, played in bands, and gone on to study at performing arts high schools and college music conservatories. I’m also proud of students who have taken lessons in order to sing lullabies to their newborn, sing a song in proposing marriage to their significant other, and hone their karaoke skills in order to represent well at a social outing at their job. Music is life, man.
Q: When you’re not teaching, how do you spend your time?
A: I straddle the line between classical musician and folk/pop musician in that I have a band for which I am the songwriter, vocalist and guitarist. I also am employed as a church musician and use that to keep my classical chops honed. Other than making or listening to music, you can often find me exploring NYC or philosophizing with friends.
Q: Why is TakeLessons a unique opportunity for female teachers?
A: TakeLessons has been hugely helpful in enabling me to be a freelance musician. It’s incredibly important to be able to arrange my own schedule, and to be able to teach according to my own high standards. TakeLessons enables resourceful people to be self-employed, and they’ve kept me well-supplied with students over the years.
I think women have always had an important role to play as teachers. Perhaps it’s an extension of motherhood, having that nurturing quality that’s so necessary in order to reach students. But I think often women possess the special qualities of having patience, being encouraging, and being successful communicators. I also think it’s important for aspiring women musicians to see women musicians practice their craft, to sing and play.
“TakeLessons has been hugely helpful in enabling me to be a freelance musician. It’s incredibly important to be able to arrange my own schedule, and to be able to teach according to my own high standards.” – Kathy Z.
If you’re interested in music lessons in New York, learn more about Kathy Z.
Meet French Teacher Mikayla S.
Mikayla S. teaches French lessons online to learners of all ages. And she doesn’t just teach French, she currently lives in France and shares the cultural immersion experience with her students. Mikayla earned a Master of Teaching French as a Foreign Language degree from Université de Lyon, with an emphasis in online education.
Q: What is your teaching mantra?
A: Make it fun! If you’re not having fun, you’re not going to learn.
Q: Best memories with language students?
A: I have quite a few moments with students that I’ll never forget. Since I live in France, I don’t always have the opportunity to meet my students. However, I’ve been able to meet 6 or 7 of them on their trips to France. It’s always exciting to go out to dinner and have them order for us and watch them use what we’ve learned in class. One student even stayed with me for 2 weeks while she went to a language school here in Lyon! I love the connections I’m able to have with my students.
“I’ve been able to meet 6 or 7 [students] on their trips to France. It’s always exciting to go out to dinner and have them order for us and watch them use what we’ve learned in class.” – Mikayla S.
Q: When you’re not teaching, how do you spend your time?
A: I’m actually also a singer and dancer, and so I spend a lot of time doing concerts and taking classes. I do mostly musical theater and I do tap and Irish dancing as well!
Q: Why is TakeLessons a unique opportunity for female teachers?
A: I think it’s a great tool for building a business, especially for women. Before I started with TakeLessons I had no idea what I was going to do, I was straight out of college. TakeLessons paved the way for me to have a business where I don’t have to worry about having a job I hate with hours I hate. I get to choose my hours, my subjects, my curriculum, my pricing. I get to decide everything about my business and I’ve loved every minute of working with TakeLessons. Without it, who knows where I’d be!
If you’re interested in French lessons online, learn more about Mikayla S.
Meet Language & Singing Teacher Rosita R.
Rosita R. teaches a fusion of foreign language and singing, both online and in-person at her Los Angeles studio, and has been an active member of the TakeLessons community for seven years. She holds a Master of Education degree from CalState Northridge, and also studied vocal performance and Japanese in Los Angeles. This unique education experience prepared her to teach others how to speak and sing in different languages.
Q: What is your teaching mantra?
For singing, the mantra is: “If you can Speak you can Sing!” People think that you have to have talent in order to sing, but actually, singing has the same mechanism as speaking. You are just adding colorations to the voice. Singing, like any other skill, is something you are learning how to control and how to use your voice properly.
Q: Best memories with music students?
In 2016, a person from Avex (an Asian talent agency) reached out to me to see if I could help a singer with singing in English. So, I met with her and little did I know, I am face to face with one of my favorite artists. (Under NDA, I can’t say the name.) If you are an Anime nerd like me, she was our childhood. As we were going with our lesson, we talked about how regardless of age, if someone wants to improve on something in their life, whether it is a skill or a situation, starting anything new is scary and challenging. But when you see yourself improve, that feeling of accomplishment is worth it!
Q: When you’re not teaching, how do you spend your time?
I am both a nerd and a geek and I’m proud of it! I love Anime! Watching new Anime is definitely one of my biggest pastimes. Also, I can justify it for work since I work a lot in the Anime world with voice actors and singers. I love building gunpla. The wing series is still my favorite. And I love looking at Sailor Moon Memorabilia.
“Teaching on an online platform allows you to meet so many people from different cultures, backgrounds, and societies. I learn so much from them as well.” – Rosita R.
Q: Why is TakeLessons a unique opportunity for female teachers?
Thanks to TakeLessons I am able to provide for my mom and myself. Using the online platform has allowed me to take care of my mom, especially now that her illness is getting worse. I have the freedom of taking care and taking charge of the responsibilities that need to be done. Also, teaching on an online platform allows you to meet so many people from different cultures, backgrounds, and societies. I learn so much from them as well.
There is no doubt that this is not only a unique opportunity for female teachers, but an experience that must be had if you want to own a business. This company honestly has helped me to create my own teaching / coaching business.
If you’re interested in bilingual singing lessons, learn more about Rosita R.
Thank you to stand-out female teachers Kathy, Mikayla, and Rosita for sharing your stories with us, and for sharing your skills with our community of lifelong learners!
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Michelle Guerin