I am ready...
to teach Suzuki book 1.
It has been almost 25 years since I learned book one at the ripe age of five. Turns out, age five seems to be a bit on the older side to start violin lessons. Shinichi Suzuki, the founder of the Suzuki method really was a brilliant man. After teaching violin for a few years he concluded that ALL children posess the ability to play the violin, and play it well. In traditional study, children usually do not begin playing until they are eight or nine, because reading music is challenging and they typicaly cannot grasp it until they have learned to read words. If the child is exposed to learning the violin through the ear, they can begin playing much earlier and then later develop the skill of reading music. By this time they already have the musicality to play the instrument.
Suzuki began teaching this method to hundreds of children well before it got to America. It wasn't until much later that out of disbelief, a professor of music traveled to Japan to hear these children play. It brought him to tears when he heard a auditorium of children play the Bach Double Duet beautifully. Now there are over 20 different institutes across America offering the same courses that I took when I was young and the course I took this week to young children and hopeful teachers. My first Suzuki institute was in Logan, Utah over 20 years ago, and included all instruments. Today, the strings have formed their own institute with over 700 participants, just playing the violin.
Today was my last day of training. I am exhausted. We had class every day from 9-5pm. It did have a good variety of activities. My favorite, being the observations. I watched 15 different lessons and wrote at least 1-2 page paper on each including ideas and techniques I thought would be beneficial, and things I know I would do differently. The youngest student I watched, Hannah, was 2 1/2. She was so tiny and precious holding and playing her little violin. It was very exciting to watch the teachers interact with the kids, some with success, and others with some barriers. What I have learned is the parent involvement is one of the most critical pieces in the Suzuki method, without that, the child will have a very hard time progressing. It was obvious which kids had the the parent involvment and which ones didn't.
I am excited for Luke start lessons. It seems hard to believe that he could begin in as little as a year from now. He already has a love for music. He sings along to the hymns in church, and has a dance routine that he breaks out everytime he hears something with a beat. It is the constant need to run around, I am worried about. Hopefully with the Suzuki method, it will teach him how to hold still and bow, give him a regular structured activity with accountability, and win him a scholarship later down the road.
Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 11:24AM
Reader Comments (3)
so, when can we sign eve up, and where do we get a tiny little violin for her?
That was really quite cool to read the history of Suzuki and what brought it to America. Thanks for the history lesson, I enjoyed it. For all of Alysha's many many readers, I too can vouch for Suzuki and all it's wonderfulness. While I no longer play, I too picked up an instrument (mine was the flute, picked for its "many buttons" and in hindsight I wish I had picked something else) at the age of 5 & it was because of the Suzuki method that I quickly excelled. But like Lysh said, I also have to credit my mother's diligence in my younger years (we spit rice in the back yard together to perfect the mouth required to play the flute properly). Towards the later half of my playing my ability to learn by ear became my downfall. Once I heard it and because I was also a pretty good sight reader, I never ever had to practice. I just showed up the next week ready to play. And that was almost as long as Lysha's post.
It's hard to believe that the time has already arrived for you to leave again. I get so easily used to just having you & Lukey at the house. Luke running in and out only stopping to drink out of my glass (thanks for the cold Lukey) and Alysha and all her fabric on the kitchen table. I'll miss those bits of fabric that find their way across the house. I'll miss Lukey finding the right button that turns on the radio & watching him dance dance to the beat, or at least do the 'funky chicken' with his arms. I'll miss his dirty hand prints all over the newly washed windows. I'll miss his "wah" sound he makes when he wants to sit in the big chairs. I'll miss watching "The Comeback" with Lysh where there will be moments where we are both laughing so hard we are actually completely silent. I'll miss the veggie burgers getting stuck in the toaster, leaving the kitchen smelly. I'll miss the moments when I seem to be the only one who hears Lukey cry in his crib & go rescue him. I'll really miss those bear hugs he gives right before he's done and then he pushes you away. I'll miss him grabbing my hand as he takes big giant steps down the stairs. I'll miss his open mouth kisses (sometimes with tongue) right before he goes to bed. I'll miss Lysha reading him 'Jingle Bugs' to an actual melody and I'll miss watching Lukey dance to the final number. There's more I'll miss, like Luke's bath time or watching him chatter up a storm talking to his daddy on the phone. I'll even miss those snotty noses where it looks like a snail is slowly finding it's way out of his nose. (I probably won't miss the gagging noise it then makes me make). Funny how you were here such a short time but there's a whole bunch of things I'm going to miss. Funny how you haven't even left yet and I already miss you both. Funny how even when I'm sick you can both make me laugh. Funny how I should be working....
First, that was a great post by Tara, echoing the feelings of all of us at your departure, Alysha and Luke. I too will be missing you both, particularly Luke taking my finger and leading me somewhere (usually outside) for some kind of exploring. I hope things work out well back in Brooklyn and that you'll be back to stay soon.