TIPS FOR PARENTS

The Suzuki Method encourages, even requires, parents to take an “active” role during the lesson. Your child is not going to be able to recreate the lesson assignments at home without some support. Or at least not until later. Your child’s 30-45 minute lesson only represents a small fraction of their week. If we want to set the child up for success (which should be every teacher and parent’s goal), parents needs to leave the lesson with a clear vision of what that week’s practice sessions should look like so that precious practice time has direction and purpose.

Intentional, goal-oriented practice at home leads to true progress.

Progress is essential for your child’s motivation and self-confidence.

How Can Parents Set Their Children Up For Practicing Success?

1

Take notes during the lesson. Literally write down everything we do and the words used. I am often helping your child with posture, holding their own instrument and demonstrating. Taking notes is physically impossible while you are teaching the lesson. If you are not sure what you should be writing down, check out this excellent episode of the Teach Suzuki Podcast about this very subject.

2

Give your child the gift of your full attention during their lesson. Put your phone away unless taking a quick video or picture. Make a note of what they do well. Share these observations with your child after their lesson. They will notice your attention and interest.

3

Resist the temptation to help or correct your child during the lesson.

It makes sense that you would want to quickly remind your child of the things they have practiced, or say, “No, that’s third finger, we worked on that!” It’s perfectly natural to do. However, it is incredibly distracting and overwhelming for your child to receive direction from two sources. As Suzuki said, “One teacher in the lesson.”

If you have not been taking notes or paying focused attention to your child’s lesson in the past, don’t despair, it’s never too late to start! We can’t expect to be “perfect Suzuki parents” all the time. We can, however, make subtle course corrections every day so that we reach our destination.

How Can Parents Set Their Children Up At Home ?

1

Shoot one arrow at a time. After playing a piece try to focus on just one thing to improve.

Ask lots of questions to engage their thinking brain. It is much better for their retention when the child can come up with solutions himself. (Adult: How do you think you could make your tone even better? Child: Stay in the middle of the road… Adult: How do we do that? Child: Watch the bow.)

2

One of the best ways to keep your kids feeling confident about their playing (not to mention improving their playing) is to really focus on review. Make a review spinner: http://musicnotesandtips.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-spinners.html. Jokes. Reading jokes during practice brings smiling and laughter to practice sessions which I think is invaluable. Silly memes might be a good option for an older child.

3

The Decide Now app. Kids love it because it is them and not you deciding the next activity.

4

Switching places. Let your child be the teacher or parent. This works especially well if you don’t play their instrument. Children love to teach what they’re learning. It also gives you an opportunity to increase their awareness of what the instrument should sound like or how it should look.