I have been working with Pascal for just over a year and I cannot speak highly enough of Pascal as…read morea guitar instructor. He is not only an exceptionally skilled musician but also an excellent teacher who has transformed my playing in just a short matter of time. Pascal can easily and clearly explain material and concepts, often approaching things from multiple angles to ensure complete understanding. Whether we're working on lead guitar techniques, rhythm guitar fundamentals, or diving into music theory, he maintains a strong balance that keeps lessons engaging and comprehensive. His teaching style is also approachable and professional, which has helped create an environment where I feel comfortable asking questions and pushing myself to improve (something I was nervous about, having never played guitar previously). Although I was at first hesitant about the commitment of in-person lessons, I have also really grown to appreciate the fact that lessons are in-person. Pascal has an eye for detail and a very well-trained ear, which allows him to provide real-time adjustments on everything from basic technique to nuanced elements like the way in which the pick is being held, thumb position, hand placement, and arm angles, etc. I believe these types of corrections that would be difficult to identify on my own (again, having no prior experience), and would likely not come through in most online/recorded lessons. These small refinements have made a large difference in my playing ability, to the point where even minor adjustments (like a slight adjustment to wrist angle) allow me to play a chord or a progression that I was struggling to play on my own during practice. As others have commented, I would also recommend double lessons, which I find to give me a great amount of items to work on before my next lesson. On a personal note, I genuinely look forward to my lessons with Pascal. Pascal's enthusiasm and encouragement have motivated me to practice consistently and focus on development in ways I do not believe I would have if I were learning independently. I also do not feel pressured if I have a busy week and have not been able to dedicate as much time to the material (although that rarely happens, as I enjoy the material so much). My wife has even commented on how much progress I've made in such a short time (she likes listening to me now). As someone who firmly believes you get what you pay for, I can say without hesitation that Pascal is worth every penny. If you're looking for a guitar instructor who will genuinely invest in your growth as a musician, Pascal is an excellent choice.

If you want to be able to pick up a guitar and confidently turn the music in your head into…read morereality, Pascal will get you there. He has the experience, skill, and patience to tailor each of his lessons to provide meaningful and rewarding progress towards your musical goals and, in my case, beyond what I thought I was capable of. I started playing guitar as an adult, and had little idea of what I wanted to get out of the hobby. After years of sporadically learning pieces of songs from online lessons, I came around to the conclusion that I enjoyed guitar enough to take it more seriously. Initially, structured online lessons yield great results, but I quickly started hitting skill plateaus that forced me to move in a different direction to feel like I was making progress. After diversions into music theory, gear acquisition, and some in-person instruction, my interest in guitar was stronger than ever, but I just wasn't getting that much better at playing the thing. Then I found Pascal's website and thought he sounded like someone I should reach out to. The first lesson I had with Pascal completely changed my view of what I could get out of guitar in such a positive way. Biased by my previous experiences learning other instruments, I went in thinking that learning could either be structured and chore-like, or relaxed and fun, but unproductive. I was wrong. Pascal immediately put me on a track that was both structured and personal, and made me enjoy playing so much more. I wish I had hours every day to devote to practicing, but I struggle to find even minutes most days. Even with that constraint, the progress was immediately tangible. One of Pascal's greatest strengths is explaining why he's teaching something and laying out realistic expectations for progression. I became much more aware of the small increments of progress I was making and my basic skills improved dramatically. As lessons progressed, the connections between the lessons became more and more clear. The fretboard transitioned from being intimidating to comfortable, and the fear of getting "lost" started going away. At no point did I have to sit down and memorize anything to get to that place; it happened naturally with the lessons. I waited to write a review for a couple years because I wanted my recommendation to be credible for someone like me: a person whose interest in playing guitar has exceeded their skill and is looking for a teacher to bridge that gap. If that sounds like you, I wholeheartedly recommend reaching out to Pascal!

Ev Stern runs a wonderful Jazz workshop for aspiring Jazz musicians. The workshops run in 8 week…read morecycles most of the year. I just signed up for the summer workshop and attended the first meeting. Ev does a good job of directing folks on what to play, how to play it and getting them to grow musically. There were lots of horns the day I went: tenor saxes, trombone and trumpet. A couple of piano and guitar players, bass players and some wonderful singers and percussionists. We played some blues and some jazz standards and it all came out sounding better than you would expect for a bunch of folks who hadn't played together. I would highly recommend this workshop to anyone interested in Jazz and performing live music. The studio location is easy to find and well situated in a residential neighborhood with plenty of parking.

Our daughter has been at St. Brendan for 4 years now and we enrolled our son last fall for full-day…read morepreschool. We've had an amazing experience and love the teachers, staff and community. I am incredibly grateful for the positive experience we've had with all of our kids' teachers. The school does an excellent job of integrating strong academic standards with faith based values, and I love that my kids have gained a religious foundation by attending Mass and praying regularly. The school hosts a variety of events throughout the year that bring families together and strengthen the community. From trunk-or-treat to the annual Craft Fair, to the Bite of St. Brendan and the family dance, there is always something that encourages connection and involvement. All the activities and events create lasting memories for the students and truly reflect the welcoming spirit of the school. I strongly recommend St. Brendan to any family looking for an environment where their child can thrive academically, spiritually, and socially.

We love everything about St. Brendan. We are very impressed with the teachers, especially because…read moreeven though they are young, their dedication and the individual support they give our kids is amazing. They know everything about our children and are always looking for ways to help them learn and grow. The community is truly wonderful!

We love Creative Coding. Our son attended Summer Coding Camps for 4 years. These classes gave him…read morethe confidence, perspective, and skills to be comfortable with computer technology and the magic of creating his own content and applications. Now he does his own video editing, creates custom designed athletic shoes, and various social media applications. He still codes. Creative Coding provides a fun, safe, and inspiring environment for kids to learn. Far from being another boring technical class, this program encourages kids to be creative, innovative, and work together to create what inspires them. They don't even notice that they are working in a structured environment, based on the best science, using industry standard software logic and programming principles. Our experience is that kids really love Creative Coding programs, they learn tons of valuable skills and have fun doing it, and leave with confidence in their ability to take on new and challenging projects, work well with others, and adapt to changing conditions while they work. The staff have always been inspiring, supportive, adaptable enough to work with different learning styles, and technically competent. The CEO, Eric, sets the tone for a fun and challenging environment. He seems like a big kid (though a talented adult) who can't wait to see his students faces light up as they learn and succeed. He is a dedicated family man of the highest character, with a wise business mind and a passion for doing what is right; helping kids and families learn and grow in a positive environment. I'd recommend Creative Coding to any family looking for not only computer training, but even just a positive place to spend down time; a great alternative to other after school care or summer/weekend camps.

We love Creative Coding 4 Kids. My daughters go to Bryant and Eckstein. Neither one would say they…read moreenjoy math. Science is interesting to them, but not at the top of their list. They loved Creative Coding 4 Kids. I've watched as different instructors at CC4K engage and interact with the girls, learn their interests, and adapt the lessons and materials to their needs. My daughter is now enrolled in the after school program. Creative Coding for kids understands the need for individual attention in the education environment. Too many activities are diluted by high student to instructor ratios. Learning to code, especially for student who are just starting to build an interest in STEM subjects, requires individual attention. Creative Coding 4 Kids has a successful model worth supporting.

We initially hired Julie to help us navigate classroom observations and better understand our…read moreoptions for our son's educational placement. What started as guidance through one step of the process quickly evolved into a true strategic partnership throughout our IEP journey. Julie has an exceptional ability to break down complex information, identify issues that most parents would never recognize, and help families understand not only what is happening, but why it matters. She is incredibly knowledgeable about special education, yet she never overwhelms you with legal terminology. Instead, she takes the time to educate, explain, and empower parents to make informed decisions. One of the things we appreciated most was her flexibility. Whether we simply had a question, needed someone to review documents, wanted help preparing for meetings, or needed her sitting beside us at the IEP table, Julie met us exactly where we needed support. She never pushed unnecessary services or created conflict for the sake of conflict. Her focus was always on collaboration, documentation, and ensuring our son's educational needs remained at the center of every conversation. By the time we reached our IEP meetings, Julie had become much more than an advocate. She was a trusted advisor who helped us organize months of documentation, think strategically, ask better questions, and advocate confidently for our son. Her calm, thoughtful approach helped us navigate what could have been an incredibly overwhelming process. If you are looking for someone who will educate you, support you, communicate directly with your child's school when needed, or stand beside you during meetings, I cannot recommend Julie highly enough. Every family deserves someone with her knowledge, professionalism, and genuine commitment to helping children receive the support they need.

Working with Julie was an incredible experience. She brought kowledge of the special education…read moresystem and laws to the table and took the time to truly understand our family's needs and concerns. Julie knew exactly when to lean on the school's insights and when to step in and firmly advocate for our daughter's needs. Her respect for the collaborative process kept the partnership with the school strong while ensuring our child's needs remained the top priority. We are so grateful for her dedication.

I just stumbled onto the previous review and feel compelled to share my experience and opinion…read more Like the previous parent, we too were desperate to find help for our child so we took the leap of faith and signed up for the costly program. After a few short weeks we saw amazing results. Due to the distance between my home and facility I decided to wait it out in the lobby. These people are not ripping families off!!! It takes a village to treat not tutor children who can not read to in fact READ! They have a village of trained professionals involved. There is an educator who works one on one with your child, a person who is constantly watching over your child's progress, a person who has to manage the very complicated schedule, and someone to manage over it all. Nothing is perfect and sometimes things fall through the crack, that is the real world. Not that I am dismissing any frustration to the parent in the prior review. To a parent considering Lindamood Bell, no matter what you decide to do, remember you are going to have to pay someone to train your child to read so ask yourself why are kids learning to read in as little as 10 weeks while at Lindamood Bell? I love how the staff celebrate and reward all the children in the program on both small and large milestones. It is a happy place to be and I am forever grateful for the staff at Lindamood Bell.

I went in to get my child evaluated and she did need the help according to their reports. The only…read moredownside is the tuition is extremely high. $20k for 10 weeks. If you read the Glassdoor reviews, the clinicians barely make any money here. With the amount of tuition paid, they should be making more. I'm not sure if this is a scam artist place, but 20k is very high for 10 weeks of service. After we did the 10 weeks, they were supposed to provide a summer reading list for my daughter, but the director never sent anything and I followed up and I didn't hear back. Once she realized I wasn't planning to send my kid during the summer, she didn't really care. So I'm wondering if it's just a money making place to try and rip off the people in Bellevue because they know it's a rich area. I'm still making payments. I was desperate to get help for my daughter who was struggling. Sad they are taking advantage of kids who are struggling to make money.

WIS has been a wonderful experience for my younger daughter these past couple years. She has…read moreattended from 2.5 to 4.5 years old, and in that timeframe, she has learned so much in both Mandarin and English. Within a couple weeks of starting at the school, she was already singing Mandarin songs when she had not been speaking any Mandarin at home. Compared to other preschools I have experienced, what I have heard from other parents at different schools, WIS provides a lot more for your money. I have been very grateful that they provide lunch for the children, along with snacks. All I need to bring for her is a cup and water bottle and they provide the rest. There has been complaints about all the rules, but I didn't mind since they were easy for me to follow - and the routine did not take long to get used to. I also appreciated that having the indoor shoes allowed the floors to be much cleaner. The tuition chart can be confusing at first, but no other school allows you to pay a prorated tuition when you go on vacation (even with the additional fee for schedule changes, we have saved a lot of money this way), nor do other schools let you customize their school schedules to this level. This I have appreciated immensely, as my work schedule may change from month to month. WIS does have a good amount of academics: Chinese writing worksheets, math worksheets. This has been great for my daughter since she loves doing them. But this may not be for everyone. They do also have plenty of toys, a clean classroom, and outdoor playground so they have plenty of opportunities to play. My daughter loves her teachers, and they are very caring and attentive to her. They have even customized her learning based on her level. She has enjoyed the additional classes that are offered for an additional fee (music, Tumblebus, art). We have certainly had a great two years at this school!

My daughter absolutely loves going to WIS! Her teachers and fun and caring. We'd strongly recommend…read moreit to parents who are interested in getting their kids an engaging bilingual early education.

I just completed the fall class at the Alliance (French 201) and am happy with the experience. I…read morehad also taken the French for Travelers course there. Before starting at the Alliance, I had some previous private French lessons with a tutor. If you have had any background in French and don't want to start at square one, you can take a placement test. Fill out the form online and then you will be called by the Alliance director who will have you come in for an assessment. The assessment (about 30-45 minutes) is a made up of a multiple choice test and a couple of short essays. Based on your results she will place you in the appropriate class. If when you start the class you find that you are not comfortable at that level, you can always change classes (which is what I did). The teachers at the Alliance are mostly native French speakers, some are native English speakers who spent a lot of time in France and are completely fluent. The two teachers I have had so far were great - very patient! My only gripe is that you can't really choose your teachers i.e. depending on who is teaching that particular course during any particular semester, you may end up with a teacher from Quebec or another Francophone region outside of France and therefore you are learning French with their accents, which are different from the accent of the Motherland and often the difference is huge. I like that the classes are not big (up to 10 or 12?). The classes are not high-pressure and it is ok if you miss a class here and there. These are adult classes in the evening after all. Almost all of the students have full time jobs. The atmosphere is pretty relaxed. The curriculum includes a mix of grammar, vocabulary, comprehension and culture. It's not like your dry high school French textbooks. Once you reach the 200+ level, the entire course is taught in French, with complicated grammar rules explained in English if required. It's a great way to immerse yourself in the language, if only for a few hours a week. The Alliance is located at the Good Shepherd Center (built in 1906) in Wallingford, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The classrooms are nothing fancy but it is cosy in an old-school kind of way. I plan to continue with the next level course at the Alliance. There is ample free parking outside the school. There is a library where you can borrow French books, DVDs, CDs.

I have visited in person the local Alliance Francaise in Seattle several times over the years. The…read morestaff is pleasant enough, especially the French director. I did find that the courses would be too easy for me. There seemed to be several volunteers possibilities as well. * * * * * Does anyone in school learn --not even actually speak--a foreign language any more? There are insanely ugly languages--Cantonese with its braying, cacophony, American English with its outlandish diphthongs and tendency to be grunted or shouted (compare Jamie Foxx to Ralph Fiennes), Spanish. And then there is French (Parisian, Swiss, or Belgian, but not Quebecois). ...Certainly not on a par with the Alliance Francaise in Boston or San Francisco (or New York, which I have not visited but assume is the largest in the U.S.), the Alliance Francaise de Seattle is a cozy outpost located in Wallingford. It offers classes in conversational French at various levels as well as a program of social/cultural activities for mostly beginning learners. Particularly good for those who want to brush up on the French they took in high school or college, as well as for those planning a trip to a Francophone country. A small staff headed by the directrice Misa Bourdonneau is gracious and welcoming ensures that the classes are small and personalized. Whatever the global reach of the U,S. is in the decades to come (as well as the concomitant dominance of the English language), the French language will always maintain its peerless reputation as the the language of culture in the traditional sense of the word (America obviously dominates pop or mass culture). It is important to live in a multi-lateral world, politically speaking, and to have a counterweight, culturally, to the United States. **** Why study French? Once you fall in love with this language, it lasts a lifetime. It is spoken by an estimated 200 million people around the world and one of the six official languages of the U.N. and one of the two working languages of the Security Council ('English being the other). Guyana (once French Guyana) in South America is actually part of the European Union, with representation in the French National Assembly (it is actually a part of France in the same way that Hawaii or Puerto Rico are part of the U.S.). Language and culture are inseparable, and I am tempted to believe that if Americans had less distrust for nuance, less certainty that we are "sui generis" as a nation, we would have less of a "bull in a china shop" approach to world affairs. It should come as no surprise that the French over a century have been attempting to restore Angor Wat and other ancient Buddhist temples in Cambodia to their original splendor. Compare to the early days of the U.S. invasion of Iraq when the soldiers ostensibly guarding the National Archaeological Museum in Baghdad did NOTHING to prevent the shocking looting and pillaging taking place right under their very eyes. The respect the French have for their language is in sharp contrast to the general sloppiness with which Americans employ their own (how many Americans could profess a love of the English language?). **** Maybe if the U.S. (George W. Bush) had listened to France, which, with Germany, refused--on principled grounds--to "go along" with the invasion of Iraq, we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today. Former prime minister Dominque de Villepin's speech to the United Nations Assembly before the U.S. invaded Iraq was extraordinarily eloquent ("Yes, I come from an OLD Europe, one that has known great suffering...We believe war is an admission of defeat and ought to be used as the last resort" brought tears to my eyes. (This was also the occasion, as I recall, of Colin Powell's infamous "Saddam has uranium enrichment..."). http://www.ina.fr/archivespourtous/index.php?vue=notice&from=fulltext&full=Dominique+de+Villepin+&num_notice=2&total_notices=158 On the other hand, many, if not most Americans truly believe that freedom actually began in the year 1776. However, the American Revolution was followed by another equally important revolution 13 years later. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/opinion/28furstenberg.html?em&ex=1193716800&en=6fe9bb653edfa0b5&ei=5087%0A French chateaus (Chenonceau, Chambord, et. al.), museums, cuisine, art, and cathedrals are also magnificent repositories of its rich history and culture. And yes, many French have a rather distorted, knee-jerk anti-Americanism combined with a doltish love of the worst aspects of American culture (hip-hop, Sylvester Stallone, etc.). Republican Party strategists interpreted the victory of Nicholas Sarkozy over Segolene Royal, the socialist candidate, to the presidency of France as a blueprint for them to win in 2008. Sarkozy was the successor of a very unpopular president (Chirac) from his own party, in the way that GWB has become an albatross for the Republicans.