It’s that time of year: exams, research papers, projects, and quizzes abound.
How does one continue with practice in light of all that stuff?
Try combining your efforts!
Before I became a Suzuki teacher and studied Dr Suzuki’s philosophy in depth, I thought that Suzuki lessons were just for kids. After all, he did say, “Every child can learn.”
When I look more closely at his stories and experiences surrounding this concept, I see adults! The teacher becomes familiar with the child and the family and learns to sense when concepts are being understood and skills are accomplished.
Have you ever walked away from a practice session? Avoided practicing because you knew the response from your child would be negative? Have you ever sat in a lesson and thought, “Right. You really think we can do this?” Frustration can be expected when learning to play an instrument, but there are ways to avoid it or minimize its presence in lessons and practice sessions.
I am enjoying a week at the Chicago Suzuki Institute taking more piano teacher training. (My families know that I will have new things to show them next week!)
Suzuki Institutes are wonderful places. Where else can you share a week of lessons, group classes, parent lectures, and cafeteria food with like-minded Suzuki families?
Some are just beginning the journey while others are well on their way.
A practice partner shared a success with me the other day. His daughter had been working on some tough spelling words and was getting pretty frustrated. Knowing that practicing was next on the to-do list, he could see that her frustration would likely spill over. As they got started, the signs appeared. He asked her to put her instrument down and he gave her a big, long hug.
https://docs.google.com/a/denison.edu/forms/d/13f7NtJsowW4x42OJo_jd80QZTseJSpYS1aXDtYou8rU/viewform
Have you registered for summer lessons? It only takes a few minutes!
I enjoy teaching summer lessons for many reasons. First on my list is that parking in front of Burton Hall is SO easy after spring semester is over!!
I like to focus on one part of the whole lesson experience during the summer.
