Your Teacher Melissa
Deep Knowledge From Short Classes
Melissa Smith Baker, MA is a teacher par excellence. She has devoted decades to teaching people of all ages how to easily learn foreign languages, make music, budget their time and money, and build lasting relationships.
Melissa has lived and studied music and languages in France and Spain, and has infused her enthusiasm and the depth of those experiences into her French, Spanish, and piano classes. Hundreds of students have enjoyed her fun approach, and thousands more have benefitted from her three relationship skills books listed on her website lovingforkeeps.com. Others have seen their bank balances increase by adopting her approach to budgeting, and their productivity increase by organizing their time effectively through her executive function brain skills classes.
Melissa loves learning and sharing the fruits of her educational discoveries with her students. She is currently at work learning to speak Italian so she can add it to her already extensive repertoire. Stay tuned, because as Melissa’s approach to living attests, “La vita è bella!”
Call or text Melissa at 707-228-0287
I have taken many wonderful classes from Melissa — piano, French, all of her brain skills, both of her mindfulness classes, and since May I’ve been studying Spanish with her. She’s the real deal.
LT, Counselor, Rohnert Park, CA
Short Classes Fit the Times
Melissa had been teaching one- to three-hour in-person classes for decades, but when the pandemic hit she was forced to move to an online format. Then Zoom fatigue set in and she realized they had to be shorter, but still substantive. In the process, she discovered that her students learned and retained more in a concentrated, shorter amount of time. And it makes sense: 35-minute classes are in sync with how the human brain learns — in little chunks with periods of rest for integration. People also can easily make the time to fit them into their busy schedules.
Each 35-minute class meets once, live via Zoom.
Inspire Your Team!
Melissa’s executive function skills and mindfulness classes automatically sell themselves to companies. And so do languages, budgeting, music and relationship classes since happier, more engaged people are the best employees in the world.
Brain Skills Classes at Work and at Home
Your executive function skills reside in the prefrontal lobes of your brain. When your brain skills are weak in any of these important areas, it makes it harder to get anything done. Strengthening your brain skills in even one of these areas will relieve stress and give you more control in all aspects of your life. It’s actually that simple – all you need are some basic tools and strategies. Click here to find out about all 11 of the brain skills and choose the class that’s right for you.
These classes are incredible! Very clear teaching. Lots of useful tools. Melissa is incredibly knowledgeable. Could not recommend highly enough!
KZ, Employment Counselor, Human Resources, Santa Rosa, CA
Myth-busting Relationship Classes
Relationship myths are fictional stories that humans have integrated into their thinking about committed relationships. Busting these myths paves the way for creating thriving and deeply fulfilling long-term relationships. These relationship education classes are for everyone, regardless of relationship status. Click here to choose among nine exciting relationship classes.
Refreshingly different and solid. Excellent content. Non-threatening. Your concepts work.
JT & SS, Teacher and Consultant, Sebastopol, CA
Language Classes: Spanish, French, Piano & Music Theory
You can start speaking a new language or playing the piano right away when you understand how all the pieces fit together. If you learn the structure of a language, you’ll never forget how to put the puzzle together to form sentences. Click here to expand the way you communicate.
NOTE: Ongoing language and piano classes begin the first Monday of each month, live via Zoom.
A few Spanish lessons with you made everything clear for me. I had been so confused before. You know how to break down everything complicated into bite-size chunks.
MKB, Web Developer, Portland, OR
Melissa’s Miscellany
During her years of teaching, Melissa has been asked to create special classes. Here are five favorites that don’t fall into specific categories, including how to make a game out of budgeting, how to thrive while working at home and remotely, and how to go about parenting, building community, and being mindful. Click here to learn more.
I never could budget my money until I started playing your budget game. My husband and I love it. It’s so simple and takes no time at all. Thanks for making something so hard to do so easy and fun.
SK, Artist, San Francisco
Private Coaching/Classes
Take any class at a time that’s convenient — for you, your company, or your friends and family. The cost for 1:1 classes is $60 for 35 minutes, each additional student $30.
What Melissa’s Students Say
Thank you, Melissa, for a great class. It is exactly what I need….tomorrow I will go and buy the thirty folders. And I assure you I will be calling for help if I get stuck. My plan is to have it ready and running by next Sunday. You have given me a great gift and I am so very grateful. Learning new strategies to make life more meaningful made for a remarkable day!!
Maria Stark
Retired TeacherSanta Rosa, CA
My boyfriend and I have bought a planner and it has been working great for us! I have taken your method and adapted it for us with my planner and it works great. The best thing is that we are planning our weeks every Sunday and our days every evening.. it’s good stuff! Thanks, Melissa.
M. B.
Event PlannerForestville, CA
I´m 66 years old and I would have known about these executive function skills earlier, I could have realized my dream of becoming a doctor. Now I´m teaching my granddaughters so that they can reach their potential. They can do anything but not without these skills.
C. L.
Yoga TeacherMountain View, CA
Melissa, I loved your class yesterday. Thank you for an eye opening experience. This morning I set goals and did not get distracted. So far, an improvement of my usual behavior. I will read all the printed notes you have given me and continue to apply these new skills. I’m so glad I took the class. It was great! I’m also practicing creating a home for every thing in my house. Things look better. I’m trying to make way for action.
Jan Zeitlin
Yoga Teacher, Flamenco Dancer, and Textile ArtistMelissa, thank you for a very interesting workshop! The first third really pushed my buttons, whew, but by the end, I was seeing the light. I was feeling bewildered at first, but by the end I was feeling a bit of confidence and baby-stepping into success! I wrote a four page list today of things that have to get done. I crossed many of them off and got that dopamine hit, lol. I am going to do my best to incorporate what I learned as best I can.
Ellen Blakeley
Designer/ArtistThank you so much. You are a fantastic teacher! Just so you know the class is more than useful. It truly has transformed how I feel about tackling certain aspects about myself/ life and how I do things and/ or function that I thought would be somewhat impossible to change. I already feel less stressed out. I really I enjoyed our time to together. I feel illuminated. I would love to take more classes from you. I’m thrilled in spite of my unemployment to have time to work on these personal projects. Your class was particularly useful for me. And, I am quite confident that it will serve me during my unemployment phase or as my friend says, “my reinvention sabbatical.
D. Johnson
ManagerHealdsburg, CA