Transferring to a new Suzuki teacher is not an uncommon occurrence, and it can be a very good thing. There are many reasons why you might be changing teachers. Your teacher retired, you’ve moved to a new area, or it is time for a new perspective. No matter your reason, changing teachers is surprisingly difficult. […]
Technique
Five Violin Teaching Tips, Tricks, and Resources I’m Loving This Week — August 25, 2017
Hello friends! Long time no see! I’ve been taking it easy this summer, recovering from some major teacher burnout. (More on this later, I promise.) I’m so excited to be back on the blog lately, and after two Suzuki institutes this summer (ISSI and ASI), I am feeling more and more dedicated to my work […]
Book Club: Teaching with an Open Heart Review
Teaching with An Open Heart: A Guide to Developing Conscious Musicianship for Suzuki Parents, Teachers, and Students… This book does not disappoint! I loved Teaching from the Balance Point, and Teaching with an Open Heart was the perfect follow-up. In the beginning of the book, Mr. Kreitman outlines reasons that parents give for wanting their […]
Why I Totally Changed Suzuki Parent Education in My Studio…
And How Automation Keeps Me Sane… In recent years, I have begun to realize how much power I have to create the culture and community in my Suzuki violin studio. Any “issues” or “frustrations” I have had with parents or students, if I look hard enough, I can trace back to my own actions. And, […]
What Is My Role During My Child’s Suzuki Violin Lessons?
The following is an excerpt from the ebook I am writing, The Suzuki Parent’s Starter Guide and it’s a helpful reminder for Suzuki Parents in every stage. In traditional music lessons, the parent often drops the child off for the lesson and picks them up when it is over. In Suzuki violin lessons, the parent attends the […]
2017 Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club Schedule
I can’t believe it is already 2017! I really enjoyed the books we read in 2016, and can’t wait to continue to improve myself and my teaching by reading more great books. It was incredibly difficult to narrow down the selection to just one per month, so if you have other suggestions please include them in […]
5 Violin Teaching Tips, Tricks, and Resources I’m Loving This Week July 28, 2016
Violin Vibrato Tips… This week’s round-up of violin teaching tips, tricks, and resources features five helpful youtube videos about vibrato. 1. Vengerov: Bach (Sonata No.1) — How To Achieve A Good Vibrato This video is a gem, here is Maxim Vengerov explaining how to coordinate vibrato with the bow. Besides he’s a delight, you gotta love […]
Ten Pinterest Pages For Violin Teachers…
Ten Pinterest Pages Suzuki Violin Teachers Should Follow… Are you on Pinterest? Me too! I used to spend an inordinate amount of time looking at recipes, decorating ideas, DIY projects, and more on Pinterest. It was taking up way too much of my time so I decided to quit for a while. It wasn’t until I […]
“Teaching From The Balance Point” Book Review
The Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club May 2016… For some reason, I thought I had already read Teaching from the Balance Point by Edward Kreitman. It was one of the books I had inherited from my Mom’s stash of Suzuki paraphernalia, and it has been on my shelf for probably six years. Soon after beginning […]
Are You Worried About Your Suzuki Violin Student’s “Bad Habits?”
How to Get Your Suzuki Violin Students to Accept Criticism… A few times a week I receive emails from Suzuki parents around the world responding to my question, “What is your biggest practicing struggle with your Suzuki violin students right now?” What do you think their answer is? Almost without exception, the responses are either, “How […]