Sawyer partners with hundreds of educators who are stars in their communities. From inspiring class content to engaging teaching styles, these educators are known for their enriching activities that empower both children and parents alike.

We got the opportunity to chat with Dan Griffith, the founder of Ramblin' Dan's Freewheelin' Band, a provider of playful, pressure-free interactive music classes to children all over New York City and the surrounding suburbs, to learn more about how he started his business and how Sawyer helps them grow.

Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! I’d love to hear a bit more about you and why you started your business.

15 years ago, I was a musician in NYC trying to get by. I stumbled across a job listing to teach early childhood music and the rest is history. Simply put, being an early childhood musician and educator is what I was meant to do. I’m literally in the “happiness business,” and I can’t imagine doing anything else.   

Can you describe an inspiring moment you’ve had as an educator?  

There is nothing more inspiring than watching a child discover how much they love something that was hard for them at first.  For many children, coming into a new space with lots of new people can be very scary or cause anxiety. To see a child who was once hesitant grow confidence and eventually dance, sing, and thrive in class is always inspiring.

What’s the most rewarding thing about teaching children?  

This is really a continuation of my last answer.

Happiness, feeling safe, and loving yourself are all habits. It’s our job as adults to help kids feel wanted, appreciated and safe as often as possible, because it will then become instilled in their “operating system,”  deep in their survival mechanisms and nervous system responses.   Wants that get solidified, their lives will be much easier no matter what hardships they face.

Therefore, providing one more place in child life where they can EXPECT to feel safe and good about themself every time they go there is my primary goal. Watching the incredible things they do once they feel that way…once they feel they can simply be themself and let loose… is infinitely rewarding.

On a side note, having a toddler ask you for a hug is pretty amazing too.

What’s one time a child surprised you and made your day? 

When I first started teaching, I was BLOWN AWAY by how musical kids are. I couldn’t believe how fast children learned to clap and drum on beat, or how many preverbal babies love to sing and ALWAYS sing in tune (they even harmonize). To be musical is to be human.

On a similar note, what’s the funniest thing a child has done in your class? 

It’s so contagious to hear a baby under 12 months old laugh out loud as if they were an adult in a baby’s body just chuckling over a hysterical joke. I love baby laughs!

Some kids do the most enthusiastic animal impressions that can really make me laugh, and it’s always funny when a kid insists mid-song on telling you something personal and random (or that they need to use the potty).

But as for a specific occasion, once I was singing a really long note in class, “AHHHHHHHH” and a toddler thought it was the perfect opportunity to see if they could fit a maraca in my mouth. (they succeeded, LOL).

Why is after school/extracurricular enrichment and camp so important for children?  

The main benefit of extracurriculars is to build confidence that you are capable of a lot of different things in various social settings. But the key to this is CONSISTENCY. Children need 8-12 weeks in a given activity (preferably more) so they can grow confident not only in their ability to learn new skills, but also in their ability to adjust to different social situations. Don’t focus on too many things at once. Instead, hone in on a few things at a time max, and give them the chance to feel like “I got this!!!.” 

Make sure you also practice those same extra curricular activities at home WHILE they are going to those classes. Remember, home is their ultimate comfort zone, so they may have more efficient practice there and then have better odds of feeling like a champ when they go to class with their friends. Also, some kids at first are so busy observing at class, they never get a chance to express themselves there, so they REALLY need the time at home with less pressure and stimulation to explore and process the things they observed at class. 

Whether your child is an introvert or extrovert, practicing at home without other kids around is HUGE for many different reasons.

How do you think children can discover their passions when they’re not in school or your programs?   

Discovering things is never a problem. Look for when their eyes light up. Simply take notice and strike while the iron is hot. Their passions will change every few months except for a few that will last a lifetime, but the experience of diving into something is so valuable. Remember focusing more time on less things will pay bigger dividends then spreading that effort over many things in that same time span.

What is your favorite Sawyer feature? 

It’s super easy for parents to register without me having to do admin on every sale. And it’s super easy for parents to discover great classes on the Marketplace.

What's one trick you learned from another educator that you still practice? 

I learned a ton about “right brain versus left brain” and also other parts of the brain and nervous system that get affected permanently by childhood experiences from a science based Buddhist podcast called Dharma Punx. It really expounds a lot on current trends in mental health and how much they are rooted in our childhood, and has educated me a lot not just on being a teacher but also being a father. I recommend it highly.

Have you discovered new customers on the Sawyer Marketplace? 

Yes, So many!

How do you balance your time between running your business (from an operational perspective) and teaching/connecting with parents and students? 

As the business has grown, I have been able to hire more help with admin/marketing and spend more time focusing on creative, hiring and training other bandleaders. But I still don’t really consider my life “in balance” yet, lol.  I’m getting there….

I currently teach 15 classes a week myself, plus some birthday parties, and even if I were to take a break teaching for a semester as I have once before to focus on operations, I will never stop teaching completely. It’s what I love the most, and it keeps me in touch with the needs of the company and where the curriculum and training materials can be better.

How has Sawyer helped your business? 

In so many ways. I have been with Sawyer more or less since it was founded, and have been so happy with it. It has made it so much easier to run registration for both public and private classes, keep track of numbers and reporting, have rosters ready for all my teachers, and communicate with families and get exposure to new clients. I recommend them to anyone I can.