Book: They’re rarely too young… and never too old… “to twinkle”

Author: Kay Collier Slone; Shar Publication; 3rd edition (January 1, 1988)

[notes focus on general teaching aspects of the book, ignoring the excellent information on specifically teaching violin and/or string through the Suzuki method]

Chapter 1: A Teacher Looks at Talent Education

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The teacher who finds himself on the Pre-Twinkle path may have come here intentionally, with a strong background in Talent Education and Early Childhood Education – or at least a strong interest. Or, like many, he may have come here unexpectedly; thrown here by the demands of job or a change of location or vocation.

Each teacher brings who he or she is as human being, as a musician, as violinist to his work.

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The Philosophy of Talent Education: One Teacher’s View

The story of Shinichi Suzuki is well known, as are the basic precepts of Talent Education … begin early; create the best possible environment; involve the parent; develop the ear through listening; remember that every child can be educated, if he is in the right environment at an early enough age, and given small, success-oriented steps, in a carefully thought out, skill-to-skill progression.

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Evelyn Hermann, author of Shinichi Suzuki, The Man and His Philosophy, says: “So you want to be a Suzuki teacher. You think that because you love music and children, this would be a good thing for you. Well, I want to ask you, do you not just love children… do you also love their mothers and fathers and grandmothers and grandfathers and aunts and uncles and cousins and friends and dogs and cats and hamsters and boyfriends… do you care about everything that is concerned with the life of the child? Are you concerned about the relationship of the family … what is happening in every facet of the child’s life, and are you prepared to deal with it every time he walks into your studio … and beyond that?”

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We live in a highly competitive society. Those who have been involved in music education have experienced competition as a motivator… “there is a whole world out there to beat” is the accepted idea. A competition is coming up. Practice, and beat out everyone. next week is challenge time in the orchestra. Practice and get a better chair. State music contest is coming up. Practice and get a superior rating. Suzuki Talent Education is saying, in essence, “There is a whole world out there to cooperate with.” This is not to say that Talent Education is without competition… for certainly it is not.

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if we put children in an environment where music surrounds them, it becomes a part o their being … and not just for the learning of the materials, and the internalizing of the concept of tone, but for what happens to them inside through this music.

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… [educational research Dr. Benjamin] Bloom said…

1. Parents who greatly value and enjoy either music, sports, art or intellectual activity, and view it as a natural part of life, so that the child learns its “language” as easily as he learns to speak.
2. parents who believe in the work ethic
3. A first teacher who is warm and loving, who makes the lessons seem like games and lavishes rewards. For musicians, it was often a neighborhood teacher; for mathematicians, it was usually their own father. But the instruction must be given on a one-to-one basis, and the parent much takes great interest in it.
4. A second teacher who emphasizes skills and self-discipline. Again, instruction must be individualized.
5. A gradual change in the child and his family as they both realize the progress the child has been making. They now begin to focus their resources on the developing talent.
6. Access to what Bloom calls a “Master teacher” – one of the rare experts who know how to train top professionals and open the right doors for them. Some families traveled 2— to 3000 miles to find such a teacher or coach. No sacrifice in time, effort or money seems to great.

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“According to Bloom, the key factors in motivating children are: What does the home value? and how much encouragement does the child receive at an early age?”

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… with the philosophy of Talent Education. We want it to become so much a part of us that it is a part of our thinking, our being, so that even on the bad says something inside us says, “This child is a living soul – to be respected – to be loved.”

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Chapter Two: The Suzuki Triangle – Student, Parent, Teacher

A Look at the Pre-Schooler

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Dorothy Brigs makes three particular statements which are in strong agreement with Dr. Suzuki’s approach and his philosophy:

“The commonest cause of learning blocks, particularly in children from middle-class families, comes from undue pressure to achieve goals beyond their reach.

“Every time you undercut or belittle a child, or give him a task beyond him, you work against the second task of selfhood – the need for mastery and recognition.

“Shared activities must be planned with the child’s attention span and interest level in mind. Excursions that result in disciplinary tirades defeat their very purpose. You should never press a child beyond his limit of endurance, or your limit of patience. Make sure experiences opportunities for criticism and pressure, and they’ll come to be dreaded. Make them opportunities for warm and respectful closeness and they’ll come to be treasured. Nurturing love turns on mental growth. The climate’s the thing.”

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Some suggestions for providing this type of environment include:

1. Fit the environment to the needs (does your studio have some small-size chairs, and quiet toys that appeal to the children?)
2. Eliminate frustrations whenever possible (one thing at a time – small, success-oriented steps.)
3. Give time to move from one activity to another (give a child who is absorbed in place or another activity a warning that it’s “time to go” – respect his concentration and interest in a project.)
4. Establish boundaries, guidelines (let the child know how you expect things to work in your studio, lesson, and at class – what the physical, as well as musical and behavior, boundaries, are.)
5. Be consistent.
6. Have a routine (begin and end with the bow, etc)
7. Work together on home tasks (guide the parent in home practice, and in having shared responsibilities in other areas.)
8. Use positive suggestions rather than direct orders; be aware of your language and tone of voice.
9. Allow “no’s” to be practiced in nonsenses games, and when there is time to exercise silliness.
10. Forget toilet training in the most defiant period of the second year.
11. Actively listen to the child, accept his feelings, and provide outlets that are safe.

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The Older Beginner

The six to seven-year-old beginner will be very similar to the five-year-old. He will have better coordination and more finely developed motor skills. He will be reading words in school, and will be beginning to look at ideas and concepts as they are presented to him.

The eight to ten-year-old is well coordinated, has highly developed fine motor skills, good hand-eye coordination, is accustomed to dealing with learning situations, with words, ideas and concepts, and appreciated being approached in an adult manner, with respect for his burgeoning intellectual capabilities.

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Socially, the older beginner has an already established peer group which is influencing his ideas and values.

Involvement of the parent: … the eight to twelve year old beginner’s need for independence is as great as his need for supervision at lessons and practice.

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APPEALING TO THE INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITIES OF THE STUDENT: appealing to his growing intellectual capabilities. It is quite effective… to explain the why’s for each step, as they would be explained to a teacher trainee.

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There are those students who will play, despite us all! However, one of the strong points of Talent Education is that every child can succeed… if he is placed in the proper environment and given SMALL, SUCCESS-ORIENTED STEPS.

The teacher of the older beginner should relax, use the basic steps, emphasize mastery and listening… and he will bring confident, thoroughly prepared, students to the instrument.

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A Look at Parenting: For Teacher and Parent

In traditional teaching, or in the average school situation, the parent is a shadowy figure who does not really become involved in the actual teaching situation. In the Suzuki approach, the success of the approach depends upon the triangular relationship of parents, teacher, and student, rotted in a strong environment. Each arm of the triangle is of equal length, indicating equal importance.

It is my opinion that there is no love more strong, more fierce, than parental love. There may be anger toward a child, there may be disappointment or regret, but ultimately, a parent will forgive, and love, and protect. It is this love and concern which is a parent’s strength. It can also (but not necessarily) prove to be his downfall. Love, hope, expectation, pride, concern bring a parent to a level of involvement that is helpful to the child’s growth. These same traits can turn a concerned parent into a pushy, overbearing parent whose desires are in conflict with and detrimental to the child’s growth and happiness.
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The parent who enters the world of Pre-Twinkle will be, like his child, involved in a complex and on-going developmental process. The parent who has more than one child will be attempting to reconcile the tasks of several different stages simultaneously.

…Talent Education tends to draw involved, concerned, intelligent parents, from many different philosophies and backgrounds.

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How Does the Teacher Respond?

As the teacher observes the working relationships of the parent and child, he should not be hesitant about making suggestions, as they apply to the situations. Such suggestions should always be positive and include support for the good job the parent is doing reinforcement of the fact that he is, indeed, a good parent. The average parent has enough doubts and guilt, no matter how secure or experienced he is – he doesn’t need more!

One of the most helpful ways of assisting the parent is through continuing education efforts. A teacher can very successfully utilize a bulletin board and parents’ bookshelf, in even the smallest studio. New resource books are called to the parent’s attention … an especially fine article or passage from a given book can be left out for everyone to read.

Involving parents with each other is helpful, for they find great strength in realizing they have similar problems, as well as similar goals and ideas.

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Teachers should be encouraged to be considerate of the family’s time – and realize that for the involvement of one child in the Suzuki program, a family is already allowing time for transportation to and from lesson and group lessons and other functions (travel time alone can be a major consideration in large cities), the lesson time itself, plus daily practice and listening.

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…the parent can be of tremendous assistance. The teacher must simply take the time at the outset to assess her own strengths and weaknesses, and decide how she can most efficiently use her time, and in what areas parents can be most helpful. Once a teacher or program has established a delineation of parent-teacher responsibilities, lessons, and related activities can function must more smoothly and effectively.

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The Suzuki Parents World Wide listed these reasons that parents wish to be involved in Talent Education:

1. To be actively involved in the growth and education of our children.
2. To better understand and spread the vision of Dr. Suzuki as to how parents should live and parent.
3. To move beyond ourselves and the Suzuki movement per se to spread these concepts to others, for the betterment of humanity.
4. To assist the teachers in such a way as to free them to devote themselves more fully to teaching the children.
5. To assist in the location and relocation of families desiring involvement in a Suzuki community, in our increasingly mobile world.

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Chapter Three: The Beginning

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A number of programs and teachers pre-order materials for the beginning students, and have these “Parents Paks” for sale. In this way, they can be sure that all students have the necessary materials BEFORE they begin lessons.

Suggested items for the parent pak:

• Nurtured By Love: The Classic Approach to Talent Education by Shinichi Suzuki & Waltraud Suzuki 
• Suzuki Concept: An Introduction to a Successful Method for Early Music Education by Elizabeth Mills & S. Therese Murphy
• Vol. 1 Suzuki Violin School
• Vol. 1 recording
• Handouts as desired, e.g.:
  • Glossary of musical terms
  • Diagram of violin, identifying parts
  • Sheet of care of violin, instrument repair, and supply persons
  • Program policies, by-laws, handbook
  • Reprints of philosophical articles of choice
  • History of program, or teacher’s involvement with Suzuki

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Involvement of the Parent in the lesson

there is one cardinal rule that must be observed concerning the teaching. Dr. Suzuki says, “ONE TEACHER.” This means that at no time will the parent, either verbally or non-verbally, interfere with the lesson when the teacher is teaching – nor should anyone interfere with the instruction when the parent is teaching the student at home. The student can relate to only one person’s instructions, and should not be put in the position of having his concentration divided by verbal or non-verbal assits.

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Chapter Four: Where We’re Headed

As the teacher understands the development of skills patterns, he will see emerging the preparatory exercises which need to be introduced prior to each piece, and will learn to present these materials with imagination, creating individualized “etudes” and exercises as each child’s needs demand.

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it has often been stated that these beginning stages are THE most difficult. Once a child has been properly started, his habits well-developed, any competent teacher can take him further. If he has been started INCORRECTLY, or allowed to proceed too rapidly, it will be a difficult task for any teacher to change him.

This is not to say that every teacher who teaches the beginning stages must perform at the artist level, for there are many fine teachers in every field who are not concert performers. However, the teacher must be well-versed musically – and must bring a wealth of musical experience, as well as training, to his teaching, as a background for where he is leading the child.

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Chapter Five: Introduction of Major Concepts

Focusing – Centering – The Real Beginning

The first task for the student is to develop the ability to focus, in order to find a quietness within himself, and give himself and his will to the lesson situation. The lesson can only begin when the being is centered – when there is a quiet, concentrated mind – a sense of internal calmness. Children have a great ability to focus in this manner if they are assisted by a proper environment and willing adults.

All too often it is assumed that a pre-schooler’s lesson must be filled with movement and excitement, when, in reality, quite the opposite is true.

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Just as the Suzuki repertory builds in the skill-to-skill manner, the ability to master and refine each skill serving as the basis for the next step, so also do the beginning skills, starting with focusing and centering, build slowly and carefully. We are working toward a student who is comfortable physically and mentally with his instrument – a human being who is happy and at ease with himself.

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Alice Joy Lewis of Kansas reflected in a lecture on people in her life who have helped her achieve this state of mind.

1. People who LISTENED TO ME – who gave a total visual and aural commitment to me.
2. People who RESPONDED to what they heard from me. Such response is necessary for the affirmation of self which is required for the development of a calm center.
3. Those who appreciated where I WAS; NOT where I was not. Such affirmation and appreciation is a freeing experience.
4. those who challenged me – they believed that I could do something, and challenged me beyond where I was at the moment.

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A Few Words about Games and Exerceis and the Concept of Work

A first look at a Suzuki group lesson gives the novice the impression of young students involved in pleasurable activities and games. Many assume that such activities are for motivational purposes, and have little relation, if any, to playing the violin. It is imperative that every teacher realize the violinistic and musical purposes behind each game, explain the purpose thoroughly to the parent, and emphasize the importance of the correct execution of each game and exercise.

It is important that the concept of “work” be presented as a POSITIVE thing, and that the learning process not be simply sugar-coated. To the child, play IS his work- and the concept of work needs to be a familiar one to him from an early age.

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Chapter Seven: Listening

Dr. Suzuki says, “Your child will progress in direct relation to the amount of listening he does.”

To listen does not mean to hear the record once or twice or even five times a day. If one heard only a few words or sentences spoken each day, it would take a very long time for language skills to develop. Listening to the Mother Tongue begins at birth, because the child is in a spoken environment.

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There are several types of listening to be experienced, all vital to the learning process:

1. Environmental Listening is begun at the earliest possible age. However, it is NEVER too late to establish this environment. It does not require the student’s direct attention. This type of listening conditions the ear to good, wisely selected music, and shows the child that music is an enjoyable, natural part of life, appreciated by everyone around him. Environmental listening should certainly go beyond the Suzuki materials, and include find recordings of many instruments and pieces, and should include orchestral works and chamber music, as well.
2. Active Listening involves the participation of the listener. In the Pre-Twinkle stage, the student would be clapping or moving with the music. …the parent might point out musical symbols and notation as the student listens.
3. Daily, Three-Phase Listening should be repetitive – the more concentrated, the better. A good way of listening is to tape from the record in the following manner:
   • Current Listening: The piece that is PRESENTLY BEING STUDIED is recorded 20 – 50 times consecutively.
   • Review Listening: the pieces which are being polished should be taped 10-20 times consecutively.
   • Preview Listening: The piece which will be studied next should be taped 20-50 times.

Teacher and parent should remember that the students will not tire of the repetition. On the contrary, the pre-schooler thrives on repetition, and will always choose the familiar or well-worn story or record. The older child is also willing to listen repetitively, if he is also allowed to hear other types of music, as he chooses.

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Does this listening stifle the creativity and individuality of the young student? It appears quite the contrary. It is this author’s belief that one must experience the best performances of the great music through hearing definitive performances before one can presume to interpret for oneself. Listening is the best possible school for musical sensitivity.

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Chapter Ten: Some Points for Teachers

Presentation of Material

1. have a plan, outline, goal firmly in mind – but be flexible, according to the feeling of the class, the direction and pace of the lesson.
2. Think on your feet, using the environment and events to help get across teaching points. out of such quick, spontaneous teaching, some of the best teaching ideas have been born.
3. Keep respect for the child uppermost in your mind. Remember, he is a small, but complete and special human being, trying to operate in a world that is built for much larger people.
4. Remember that SPEED IS NOT IMPORTANT – MASTERY OF EACH STEP IS. KNOWLEDGE IS NOT ABILITY. There is no answer to the question “how long?” It is different for each child.
5. Each teacher must discover the delicate balance between boredom and pressure to hard.
6. Dr Suzuki says that there is no bad students – only bad teachers and parents. If they fail, it is because we did not teach the steps correctly. The teacher must know one thousand ways to present each step.
7. Move into the teaching situation with a calm centredness, an internal quiet – and try to create this centeredness for the student and the parent before the lesson begins.
8. Present the materials quickly and precisely, speaking with authority, and with warmth and enthusiasm.
9. Present all material in small steps that can be successfully executed.
10. Be sure that you have explained fully and plainly to parents the reason for each step – the goal toward which you are working. They need this information!
11. NEVER embarrass a child.
12. Keep long term goals in your own mind… what skills each child should have developed by the end of the TWinkle Variations; by the end of Book 1.

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The Disruptive Child

Gentle, empathetic, yet positive firmness describes the Suzuki approach to disciple. The innovativeness must never be equated with permissiveness, for this is a highly disciplined approach to life and learning.

The pacing of the lesson – the alternating of sitting and standing activities, the accurate and sensitive assessment of the student’s attention span – will usually result in a happy, productive class or private lesson.

WHAT DO TO WHEN THE INEVITABLE CRISES ARISE:

1. Deliberately performing incorrectly/limpness/silliness. Recommended response: A firm “no”, equally firm look, and, if necessary, gently but firmly halting the behavior physically (a finger stopping the bow on the string, taking a “sword” out of a hand and placing it safely on the floor, etc).
2. Sit down strike. Recommended response: Briefly encourage a child to join, use a playful assist, and if resistance is still met, allow the child to sit quietly with the parent. Continue to approach him periodically, at each checkpoint of new activity. This is one of the most important reasons for the use of the circular arrangement for the group. A child who temporarily needs rest or reassurance does not have to travel far to get it, and neither he nor the parent need feel embarrassed by leaving or returning to the lesson. Remember, we are involved in the age or separateness – when the child is beginning to attempt to establish his autonomy. Sometimes his need to say “not” is greater than his desire to join in, so always give him brief chances to let his desire to join come to the fore – even after he has said “no” several times.
3. Crying. Recommended response: Check out – with empathy and sincere concern – what is troubling the child, for it can involve some kind of genuine pain, discomfort, frustration or anger. Generally, the crying child is either physically or mentally uncomfortable. Perhaps he is asked to be doing more than he is capable of mastering, or he is feeling pressure to anger from the parent, rather than support. In her book Your Child’s Self-Esteem, Dorothy Corkhill Brigs says, “The commonest cause of learning blocks, particularly in children from middle class families, comes from undue pressure to achieve goals beyond their reach.” Professor Toshio Yamashita, an expert in infant psychology at the Tokyo Kasei University, who lists the following six points as causes of anger in young children:
   • Poor physical conditions, caused by illness
   • Exceptional excitement after an unpleasant experience or a frightening incident
   • Physical misery, caused by hunger or fatigue
   • Lack of enough exercise, so that the child is charged with unreleased energy
   • Temper tantrums to satisfy some specific desire
   • The example of irritable parents
4. Whining, talking back, rudeness of any sort. Recommended response: These kinds of behavior should not be tolerated in any teaching situation. Firmly, but quickly, state, “In this studio, we do not whine (talk back etc). When first meeting the parents, the teacher should explain to them that one of the major tasks of the pre-twinkle stage is socialization – and that involves learning about boundaries and expectations.
5. Refusal to cooperate, defiance, resistance. Recommended response: if observation, orientation, and slow, careful skill-building have been the basis for the teaching, such behavior should be minimal. However, even the most cooperative child has obstinate days. If a child decides to sit down when the lesson would call for standing, it could be a clue that the teacher has misjudged his endurance, and it would be advisable to try switching to a sitting activity.
6. The personality conflict with child or parent (pg 153). in any relationship, there is the possibility of personalities that clash, or irritate each other. There may be no particular problem in a parent, teacher, child relationship – but the chemistry that makes for a special relationship may seem to be missing. Some unpleasant event may color a relationship. How can this be handled in the teaching environment? We have been told to be sincere and truthful in our positive attitude and support – as no one is more straightforward to honest than a child.

Parents will look to the child’s teacher for advice in many areas – from purchasing the first violin, to recommendations for nursery school and kindergarten, extracurricular activities, dors etc. Teachers must not attempt arm-chair practice of counseling, or become experts in areas outside their field of expertise. However, it is the wise teacher who considers himself a resource person for his students, and keeps himself informed of available community services, educational and musical opportunities, and any facilities or people who might be of help to their students’ families.