As a child, I loved Mr. Rogers and my childhood violin teacher for the same two reasons. 1) They were consistently kind. 2) They treated me with respect. As a child, I was constantly annoyed with adults who seemed to treat me with less respect and attention than they would other adults. To my childhood […]
Inspiration and Motivation
Self-Confidence and the Suzuki Method…
I’ve spent the last month really focusing on self-confidence. I’ve been reflecting and journaling about self-confidence daily. As I did this deep dive into the concept of self-confidence, I realized that developing self-confidence is a big part of why my children are in Suzuki lessons. I also saw how a lack of self-confidence can make […]
The Ideal Suzuki Student
In a recent discussion with a group of Suzuki teachers, the question was posed, “What is a Suzuki student like?” The crowd had lots of answers, a list of qualities and attributes, that describe “Suzuki students.” Things like: Is a good listener Is a confident performer Practices with their parent Attends lessons regularly Listens to […]
Why I’m Grateful I’m a Suzuki Teacher
Because there are so many different music education philosophies and methods out there, and in honor of the holiday I wanted to feature a very special blog post series this week. Here in the United States we are celebrating Thanksgiving, so I asked my friends and colleagues to share their reasons why they are grateful […]
Five Podcasts Suzuki Violin Teachers Should Listen To…
Do you listen to podcasts? I am obsessed with them, I’m a little bit of podcast junkie. I love to listen to them in the car while I’m driving, or when I am doing the dishes or other household chores. It makes me feel extra productive to be learning new things even when I’m doing […]
5 Things I’m Loving This Week April 22, 2016
Five Helpful Resources for Suzuki Violin Teachers… 1. Coloring is all the rage these days, ride the trend by offering sharing this resource of 62 Music Themed Coloring Pages with your students. 2. There are some really great practice charts on this site, including a super cute pdf explaining the form of twinkle using a […]
5 Things I’m Loving This Week–April 1, 2016
Violin teaching tips, tricks, and resources… Happy Friday! So… good news and bad news. Bad news first: I cut off the top of my left thumb chopping bell peppers last weekend. Good news: I am so excited today because my sister is in town…..Okay okay, April fool’s. I didn’t cut off the top of my […]
Your Essential Question: Do Your Music Teaching Methods Match Your Most Important Values?
Teaching violin lessons can be grueling. It’s easy to get into a rut. Say the exact same things over and over. Teach the same songs over and over. Many of us work long hours away from our families. We spend the after school hours with our students and not our children. Most of us don’t […]
Four Resolutions for Music Teachers
This Year Could Be Your Best Year Ever… January is my very favorite time of year. A fresh start. A new beginning. The possibilities are endless! I am trying to keep my goals simple for this year. This year is going to be the year of “health.” Pregnancy was hard on me this last time, and I am […]
Why You Shouldn’t Quit Teaching Violin to Get a “Real Job”
You May Just Save the World. One of the things that I love about the Suzuki Method and Philosophy is the culture of love, acceptance, and beauty. By sharing our love of music, we are in essence sharing our love of the world. In this time of turmoil, hatred, and violence, nothing can be more […]