Philosophies of the Suzuki Method
The Suzuki Method of learning was developed by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki. This unique approach to learning promotes the education of very young children in the art of music. When beginning the violin as a Suzuki student, it is essential for both the parent and child to understand the philosophies of the method. The three main tenets of the Suzuki Method are described below. They will give you a true sense of why this method is uniquely set apart from any other. For more details, you can read “Nurtured by Love” and “Ability and Development from Age Zero”, which were both written by Dr. Suzuki himself.
Parental Involvement
As a parent of a Suzuki Method student, you play a vital role as an instructor. Parents work with the children the majority of the time while the instructor only sees them once a week! It is important that you help your child remember and practice what is covered in each lesson while continuing to review previously introduced concepts.
Importance of Practice
Suzuki believed that ‘Talent is not inborn, it has to be created.’ Through practicing and more importantly, practicing the right things, superior ability can be produced in anyone. It is therefore essential to incorporate one’s violin practice into the daily routine. It should be likened to your child brushing their teeth in the morning or completing their homework.
Importance of Listening
In his book, “Nurtured by Love”, Suzuki discusses how children are truly amazing in their abilities to adapt to their environments with incredible speed and sensitivity. He observed how infants go through the complex process of acquiring language through listening to the people around them. He discovered that the same process exists in learning music. Parents and students must view the act of listening to the recordings of the books, along with classical music, to be as essential as practicing.