Parent Ed Night Fall 2024 Recap

We had a great Parent Ed Session this past fall. The parents were given the assignment to read a Suzuki Association of the America's Magazine and bring in one quote or idea to share. Here is some of what we talked about.

“Appearing on a Japanese television talk show, in his eighties, Dr. Suzuki was asked why he thought too many people misunderstood the real point of his Talent Education movement. Without a moment's hesitation, he replied: “That is because we have not tried hard enough to get people to understand.” With so much work he felt he still had left to do, how Dr. Suzuki would have loved to live another 100 years. For sure, he would have spent every minute of his extra time trying his hardest to nurture and guide as many children as possible. If that is not an inspiration for educators, I do not know what is.”

As a teacher and parent I have been faced with the idea of the more I know, the more I realize I don't know. In an ever changing world, we will never have the answers for everything. However, what we CAN strive to do as parents, teachers and human beings is be open to doing the best we can do in the moment, be open to new ideas, to continue learning and to believe in ourselves and be caring in our efforts. Our work is never done. There will always be more to do, but we are enough in this moment. I think if we can be honest with our growth and what we are learning with our children, they will develop a growth mindset and be more willing to make mistakes and learn from them.

“If we have a family who is using the phone during the lessons, the student will probably think that what is happening in the lessons is not very important”

The use of electronics is a battle and each family will set their own boundaries as to what works best for them. When it comes to connection and our children needing a set amount of attention from us in the day, screens will always be something that can easily get in the way. It is my belief that screens and electronics stay out of the lesson and practice time (unless being used together to aid in practice) so that this time is sacred and is time where your child can collect your focus and attention.

So many things must come into play to be successful at playing the violin, from the physical mechanics of the instrument and its setup, to the basic needs that we as human beings require to practice and function.

Playing the violin is challenging because it requires so many elements to come into alignment. Yet, with determination, perseverance and the right environment, even small children can learn to play. This is because we can all learn and we are all more capable than we think we are. When we are faced with these high expectations in the music room, it makes other areas in our lives achievable even if it seems challenging.

Memorizing pieces - playing by heart - a staple of the Suzuki method

I think it is important to point out that it's not just the act of memorizing pieces. It's about internalizing them. This is done through daily listening, having the pieces modeled at group classes and working on them in small chunks and in different ways. This allows us to not just mindlessly memorize only to forget once it is learned, but to fully internalize and catalogue the piece in our mind because we continue to review and grow from that piece.

When we internalize music in this way and are able to play it by heart, these are pieces that will stay with us for life and this is truly magical.

Some more thoughts...

When progress is dwindling we must look at what we are making the priority. In many other musical pedagogy, technique is learned separate from repertoire. In the Suzuki method, we learn technique within the repertoire or by using past repertoire to work on what is challenging and new.

If a student is lacking motivation or stuck in a challenging technique, continuing to learn pieces can keep motivation and the discipline to keep playing and practicing alive. Alternatively, sticking in review and what we already know can be beneficial and confidence boosting depending on the child.

There are infinite ways to play a piece and there are infinite details and techniques to add to a piece depending on a student's level and interest. The fun in playing an instrument comes from little challenges and the feeling of moving forward through small steps everyday.

Thank you to all the incredible Suzuki Parents I get to work with each week at Amy's Violin School. I am grateful for you all and the opportunity you are giving your children and the effort you put in so that they are successful in their studies.