Nancy L. Schoen is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she received her Bachelor of Music in Education with a piano major and voice minor. Nancy has taught piano for several years. Since 1986 she has maintained a private music studio where she currently teaches nearly 30 students. She is a member of Music Teachers National Association, Nebraska Music Teachers Association, and Lincoln Music Teachers Association (LMTA). LMTA has a program called Music Outreach which makes it possible for students to take private lessons who would otherwise be unable to afford to do so.
Nancy told us about the LMTA's Music Outreach program which helps make it possible for any student to take lessons and none of the students know who is getting their lessons paid through the grant funds from the Music Outreach program. She has students of all ages. She shared with us her experience of teaching piano during the pandemic and using zoom, because many of the students did not want to come in person. It also gave her an opportunity to see where there student had their piano located. Was it located close to the TV, that dad listened too, or was the dog always in the way when the child practiced, etc. She said she wondered why she was so exhausted after each lesson on zoom, she discovered that your brain was working harder to concentrate and it made you become exhausted. Once she figured out how to work it and do zoom easily, it became an easy task to each the children. Today, if a child can't come to the studio because he isn't feeling well, or for another reason, they can go to zoom and continue the lesson. She is grateful now for zoom and how it can work for a student if he/she can't make it to the studio and not miss a lesson.
She is planning to write a book about her adventures in teaching these students. Nancy shared with us some of the interesting stories about here pupils and the answers they gave her when she asked a certain question. Just think about Art Linkletter's Kids saying some of the funniest things. She also shared with us about her encounters with the local police around Wahoo. It seemed that every time Nancy drove the family call, she also got caught by the local officers for some violation. Today she shares her live with her husband, a retired State Trooper -- no arrest yet. Thanks for sharing with us Nancy.