Portland, Oregon is no different when it comes to loving music. Portland also does not have a shortage of kids who want to learn guitar. What Portland does have are unique guitar lessons that are exclusively taught at 10 local Portland schools. Children who learn and graduate through the Rock Dojo method graduate with skills […]
Category: Community
The Guitar Can Save the World: A New Type of Hero is Born
The guitar can save the world. I know this because the guitar saved me, and it can save you or members of your community too. A Kid Without a Guitar I grew up in Exeter, PA, a modest coal miner’s town nestled on the banks of the Susquehanna River. While the winters were frigid, springtime brought the […]
5 Awesome Values Kids Acquire Learning to Play Guitar
I’m on a mission to change the world. Group guitar lessons are the tool I use to change it. Let me explain: When I created the Rock Dojo a few years ago, I had two goals: First, I wanted to design a guitar program for kids that students would adore! No Yankee Doodle in this guitar […]
The Guitar Can Save the World! Here’s How.
“Music is the moonlight in the gloomy night of life.” ― Jean Paul Friedrich Richter It’s no secret the world is in some trouble. Climate change. Inequality. Mass shootings. The rise of neo-fascism and the threat of nuclear war. These days, the headlines read like a recipe for the apocalypse. As a result, people are […]
The Guitar is a Vehicle for Success
Learning to play the guitar is about much more than mastering a few chord grips, memorizing some music theory concepts, or playing popular songs. Rather, I believe the guitar is a vehicle which can teach anyone learning to play it the skills he/she need to be successful in music or in life. This belief […]
80/20 Guitar Part Two: Minimal Practice for Maximum Results
I. 80% of your practice time leads to 20% of your total progress on the guitar. & II. 20% of your practice time leads to 80% of your total progress on the guitar. Believe it or not, you can get more results playing the guitar with less effort in the practice room! I know […]
After-School Group Guitar Lessons at Irvington School
The Rock Dojo after-school group guitar lessons for kids return to Irvington School on October 5, 2017! About Irvington Elementary School Originally constructed in 1905, Irvington Elementary School was named after Captain William Irvington who owned a racetrack near Irvington Park in NE Portland, OR. Irvington School is famous for its vaunted murals by artist […]
Three Fantastic Reasons to Sign Up Your Child for Group Guitar Lessons!
Now that back-to-school is in full swing and students—and their parents—have adjusted to the hustle and bustle of everyday school life, it’s time to start scheduling after-school activities. With so many after-school activities to choose from, it’s no wonder parents feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices! That’s why I put together a list […]
After-School Group Guitar Lessons at ACCESS Academy
The Rock Dojo is now celebrating three-years of group guitar lessons at Rose City Parks for ACCESS Academy and Beverly Cleary students. About ACCESS Academy Located in NE Portland, ACCESS Academy is a school for gifted students testing in the 99th percentile on nationally normed tests in reading, math, or general intellect. The curriculum is […]
After-School Group Guitar Lessons at Beverly Cleary School
The Rock Dojo is now celebrating its third year of offering group guitar lessons at Beverly Cleary School! About Beverly Cleary School Located in the Hollywood District of Portland, OR, Beverly Cleary School bears its namesake after the famed American writer of children’s and young adult fiction. In 1950, Beverly Cleary published her first book. […]