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 […]
The Power of Suzuki Early Childhood Education
I have heard about the magic of Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) classes for years, but I really saw it when I started attending SECE with my two year old. Before we started, I read that SECE would help my son with patience, vocabulary, and rhythm, and it has. But more importantly, it has given […]
How to Listen to Classical Music with Your Kids..
I listen to a lot of classical music with my two kids, and not because of the Mozart Effect. I have no expectations that my children’s IQ will shoot up by listening to classical music. Mostly, I listen to classical music because I love it. Like parents everywhere, I share my passions with my kids. […]
Leveling Up: Adding Layers of Ability
I took a few creative writing classes in college just for fun. When we would read each other’s assignments, I noticed that there was a huge range in the quality of writing. There were the creative writing majors (whose writing was gripping, raw, and artistic) and the non-majors who were trying it out (me.) The […]
Suzuki Parent Payday: M’s Weekly Lesson Debrief
One of my most difficult jobs is that of Suzuki parent. This may surprise someone of you, but this job is doesn’t have great pay. I spend hours and hours practicing with my kids and taking them to lesson and group class and concerts. And do I get a cent? No, I do not. In […]
The Diagnosis Free Suzuki Studio
One of the essential tenets of Suzuki Philosophy is that “every child can.” That phrase is one of my teaching mantras. I constantly think about it. Every child can. Every. Child. Can. Every child can learn to play the violin. It’s my job to figure out how to make that happen. I am so glad […]
The Suzuki Student’s Journey: M’s Weekly Lesson Debrief
I’m very lucky in my son’s violin teacher. She is so kind and patient, not only with M, but with me too. While M is learning the important lessons of appropriate lesson behavior, self-confidence, and persistence, I’m learning some pretty important lessons too.
2019-2020 Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club…
I can’t believe we’re starting a new school year, summer went by way too quickly! We took a couple months off the blog, and while that was nice, I’m anxious to be writing, learning, and sharing ideas and strategies for Suzuki teaching and parenting with my readers again. I’m especially excited to announce the 2019-2020 […]
Character Development and the Suzuki Method…
(An edited version of this article appeared in the Plucky Violin Teacher email community in June.) In much of Dr. Suzuki’s writings he talked about the importance of developing the character of the child as well as the musicianship. It’s an abstract concept that is sometimes difficult to translate into our day-to-day interactions with our […]
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 […]