​Eleanor Tagart

Reading and Research

Read as much as you can about the Suzuki method, ask questions, talk to people.  Be prepared for a completely different approach from anything you have encountered in traditional teaching.

 

Observations and initial contact

Every family must undertake a period of regular observation, this is usually for a term, sometimes for longer depending on the child.

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Listening and creating a positive home environment

Buy the book one CD and develop a habit of listening to it daily, at least once and ideally more than once.  Iti takes about a thousand listenings to master book one.

 

Setting aside time with your child

Before lessons begin, start to develop the habit of practising, set aside twenty minutes a day where you are one on one with your child, do a puzzle, play a game, do some music theory or just sit in the garden together and talk. We can develop the habit of setting aside time without the actual instrument, and when lessons begin this turns into music time, but you already know you have the time to commit to practising before you start.

 

Parent education

Parents have to learn to play book one!  Especially if you've played piano before: come along to some lessons so we can talk about technique as applied to children (it will be very different from anything you've encountered in the past!) and address any individual questions which arise.

 

Equipment and resources

• You need

• a piano (a good acoustic upright, which can be tuned and is at concert pitch, electronic instruemnts are not acceptable)

• an adjustable piano stool

• a foot stool

• a player for the CD/music tracks

• Suzuki book one book and CD, or downloaded/streamed music​

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Child lessons

Finally, after observation, group classes, parent lessons, reading, listening, your child is rearing to go and we start lessons with two twenty minute sessions per week, this later evolves into one forty five minute lesson when the child is approaching the end of book one.

 

 

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