As a music teacher, I could go on and on about the significance learning an instrument has in a child’s development. It’s what I’m most passionate about! One of the things that appeals to me so much about Suzuki teaching is the belief that learning an instrument is a vehicle for character development.
“Teaching music is not my main purpose, I want to make good citizens– noble human beings.” (Dr. Suzuki)
The point of teaching an instrument in Suzuki teaching isn’t to produce a studio full of virtuosos or prodigies, although I do consider it my job to hold students to the highest standards possible. Violin lessons teach, among many other things
- Discipline
- Confidence
- Resilience
- Focus
The task of committing to an instrument, and working toward it everyday, teaches us we can do hard things. Of course music is an art, and provides an opportunity to express oneself, bring people together, and create joy. But learning an instrument, especially violin, requires us to grapple with the nitty gritty parts of understanding music and executing technique. I believe this synthesis of nurturing hard and soft skills is what makes Suzuki teaching so impactful and ultimately leads to “noble human beings.”
That said, there’s no way around the fact that learning an instrument, any instrument, requires consistent and daily practice. I do my best every week to meet students where they are in their lesson, and work to set clear goals for their week of practice, but the real work happens at home.
That’s why summer is the perfect time to start a new instrument!
Without going to school everyday, there’s more time in the day to practice and explore the instrument. Depending on the age of the student, I recommend somewhere between 15-30 minutes of time spent practicing everyday for brand new beginners.
However, consistency is more important than the quantity of time spent with the violin. Especially for young beginners, establishing a practice routine is what leads to long-term success and regular practice habits. Summer schedules give time to find and experiment with different ways of incorporating practice habits in daily routines. During the school year, I like to suggest students practice around something they already have in their schedule.
Some examples: practicing after breakfast in the morning while waiting to go to school, practicing after an afternoon snack or before dinner, listening to the reference recording while you brush your teeth, practice handshaking the Twinkle rhythms after soccer practice, etc (not all practice goals have to happen consecutively! It’s a great idea to break things up in small sections, especially if your child gets overwhelmed easily. A lot of what I ask students to practice in the early lessons can be done away from the violin, so we can be creative with incorporating these things throughout the day!) Not every suggestion works every time for every student, but with the flexibility of summer, we can work together to find a positive and effective way to incorporate a daily practice routine.
That brings me to another point- all students learn differently and are motivated by different things. A lot of my job is trial and error learning about what works for each student and each family, and coming up with possible solutions. I have some students who would do anything to earn another sticker on their practice chart, while some are not as moved by sticker charts. Some are independent learners, some need lots of guidance. Some do better than others with setting long-term goals, some need more frequent validation. Learning and motivation styles are also subject to change as students grow and move through different phases of life. When I get a new student, I have to take time to get to know them, their family, learn what their day-to-day currently looks like, figure out how I can help them integrate a consistent practice routine, and constantly re-evaluate to determine what is and isn’t working.
On the student’s end, they are getting to know me, and trying to understand what they can expect from their weekly lessons. Some students need more time than others to feel comfortable opening up to a new teacher. Additionally, it’s not uncommon to feel like the progress they’re making is slow, because there is so much positioning and technique to get just right before even making a sound on the violin. Repetition is a cornerstone of Suzuki learning, but repetition takes time! In the words of Suzuki himself, “Knowledge is not skill. Knowledge plus ten thousand times is skill.”
In the early lessons, we often encounter some trial and error, and lots of repetition, all in the name of finding ways to incorporate consistent practice routines and set students up for long-term success. Learning an instrument is a process in more ways than one, but central to any process is time. The school year is often a time of structure, but establishing a new violin routine, on top of becoming accustomed to a new school routine, can be tricky! The time and flexibility summer offers makes this time of year perfect for starting Suzuki lessons. It’s why I strive to have such flexible scheduling options to accommodate summer plans.
(If you still need convincing, I’m offering private lessons to new students at a 25% discount for all summer lessons! Register here!)
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