This is one of my favorite books about teaching and parenting, so I was excited to revisit it last month. As both a psychotherapist and experienced Suzuki teacher, Edmund Sprunger is uniquely prepared to address the obstacles Suzuki parents face when practicing with their child. Helping Parents Practice is laid out in such a way […]
4 TIPS FOR TEACHING NOTE READING
Because I like to research things obsessively before I begin (like reading 10+ parenting books while pregnant), I’ve been researching how to teach my daughter to read. Reading about the steps of learning to read has inevitably lead me to ponder on the similarities between teaching reading (totally new to me) and note reading (which […]
What Your Suzuki Violin Students Need to Be Successful…
Does it seem like the other teachers get all the good students? Is your studio filled with poor practicers, wishy-washy whiners, no shows, and parents who forget to pay? When I was a new teacher, I envied the more established teachers that I knew. It seemed like, somehow, they got all of the awesome students. […]
One Point Lessons…
I have heard from so many amazing teacher trainers about the importance of a one point lesson. I have nodded, and enthusiastically written “Only one thing in the lesson!” in my notes. Then, I go home, look at my students, and think, “How? Let’s do a five point lesson instead.” When you have spent years […]
To Learn With Love: Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club Reflection
I spent my few quiet moments in February curled up with my baby reading To Learn with Love: A Companion for Suzuki Parents by William and Constance Starr. Here are a few moments from the book that stood out to me, as a Suzuki teacher and parent, and why. “ALL CHILDREN MATURE AT DIFFERENT RATES,” […]
Suzuki Practicing and Example…
Parental involvement is a vital part of the Suzuki method and philosophy, and the major reason why it works. Without the help of devoted parents, our children would not be able to progress and thrive as young musicians. Suzuki parents are doing the tough work of getting their children to lessons and group lessons, practicing […]
Mistakes: A Tool for Growth…
Chances are, if you’ve done much reading on teaching and skill development you’ve heard of myelin. Myelin, a mix of proteins and phospholipids, wraps around nerve fibers. Skill is built by myelin wrapping around neural pathways, like pavement being laid on a road, making it more durable and easier to travel. Every repetition lays another […]
How to Rescue a Quickly-Deteriorating Practice Session with Your Suzuki Student
Practicing with my son has taken a turn for the worse of late. There’s been more frustration and sharp words from me. There’s been more stalling and whining from him. Tough times. I’ve let my general level of stress and my unrealistic expectations change the way I interact with my kids. And I want to […]
Pre-Twinkle Group Class Essentials…
After moving recently, I have had the pleasure of starting a studio from scratch for the third (and hopefully last) time. In the past, I have always had mostly transfer students. But this time, 90% of my students are brand new to the violin. It has been so much fun to set up all these […]
Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club Review: How Children Succeed
I really enjoyed reading How Children Succeed by Paul Tough. I had my highlighter and marked up the whole book. There were so many interesting ideas and I was struck by the connections I found to the Suzuki philosophy and writings of Dr. Suzuki. “What matters most in a child’s development, they say, is not […]