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Can I do Suzuki at home?


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I am planning to do suzuki piano with my DC at home. I'm not a qualified piano teacher (yet), let alone a suzuki qualified one. However I do have the advantage of having watched my DC be taught the suzuki method by their violin teacher.

 

 

I have and am planning to use this book - http://www.amazon.com/Studying-Suzuki-Piano-Handbook-Reference/dp/0874875862/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327349153&sr=8-1

It is fantastic. It gives great, in-depth, information about everything from the background, philosophy through to actual lesson plans and examples, with teaching points for each of the suzuki book volumes.

 

This book + the suzuki music book (with CD - a MUST) is what I'm using. :)

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I am planning to do suzuki piano with my DC at home. I'm not a qualified piano teacher (yet), let alone a suzuki qualified one. However I do have the advantage of having watched my DC be taught the suzuki method by their violin teacher.

 

 

I have and am planning to use this book - http://www.amazon.com/Studying-Suzuki-Piano-Handbook-Reference/dp/0874875862/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327349153&sr=8-1

It is fantastic. It gives great, in-depth, information about everything from the background, philosophy through to actual lesson plans and examples, with teaching points for each of the suzuki book volumes.

 

This book + the suzuki music book (with CD - a MUST) is what I'm using. :)

 

Thank you!

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I am planning to do suzuki piano with my DC at home. I'm not a qualified piano teacher (yet), let alone a suzuki qualified one. However I do have the advantage of having watched my DC be taught the suzuki method by their violin teacher.

 

 

I have and am planning to use this book - http://www.amazon.com/Studying-Suzuki-Piano-Handbook-Reference/dp/0874875862/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327349153&sr=8-1

It is fantastic. It gives great, in-depth, information about everything from the background, philosophy through to actual lesson plans and examples, with teaching points for each of the suzuki book volumes.

 

This book + the suzuki music book (with CD - a MUST) is what I'm using. :)

 

:iagree: I am trying my best to do it myself. I have been a piano teacher for about 10 years, but this is the first time I am using Suzuki. I agree completely with the philosophy, but I am finding that i have to be very careful to stay in the "Suzuki mindset", because it's so easy for me to slip back into old habits. The key for me seems to be remembering to give lots of praise for ds efforts and to be content to TAKE IT SLOW! Those two things are not things that come naturally to me- especially taking it slow :)

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:iagree: I am trying my best to do it myself. I have been a piano teacher for about 10 years, but this is the first time I am using Suzuki. I agree completely with the philosophy, but I am finding that i have to be very careful to stay in the "Suzuki mindset", because it's so easy for me to slip back into old habits. The key for me seems to be remembering to give lots of praise for ds efforts and to be content to TAKE IT SLOW! Those two things are not things that come naturally to me- especially taking it slow :)

 

What's a reasonable pace through book 1 ?

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Yes and no. Yes, you can do Suzuki-type lessons at home, as you can do any other program. But more than any other method, Suzuki depends heavily on the parent and teacher being separate people with separate roles, and I've found it far too easy to fall into the trap of trying to make every practice session a lesson, and teaching my child, very directly and deliberately, instead of learning with her and supporting her as a parent should in the daily practice sessions, and letting the practice serve it's benefit. Normally, having the lessons distributed by a week helps to insure this. It was hard for traditional piano, but doubly so for Suzuki recorder.

 

This might be easier for a non-music teacher parent to handle, but it's something to keep in mind-particularly when reading Suzuki's materials.

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What's a reasonable pace through book 1 ?

 

Well, my DD has been learning violin for 2 years now, she started at 4.5 and is now 6.5 - about to begin her 3rd year in feb. She's on the last song in book 1. Book 1 especially you want to take your time with, really cement the foundations. It also (with violin anyway) has some big leaps in skill. It hasn't felt like we've been stuck here either, in fact she's been making great progress IMO - and at least on-par with the other students.

 

ETA - now that she's had 2 years of violin I'm beginning Piano officially with her this year.

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Well, my DD has been learning violin for 2 years now, she started at 4.5 and is now 6.5 - about to begin her 3rd year in feb. She's on the last song in book 1. Book 1 especially you want to take your time with, really cement the foundations. It also (with violin anyway) has some big leaps in skill. It hasn't felt like we've been stuck here either, in fact she's been making great progress IMO - and at least on-par with the other students.

 

ETA - now that she's had 2 years of violin I'm beginning Piano officially with her this year.

 

Perfect, thanks!

 

Ok, another question. With Suzuki, you teach then the do Rey mi...ect as they play the notes, right?

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Yes and no. Yes, you can do Suzuki-type lessons at home, as you can do any other program. But more than any other method, Suzuki depends heavily on the parent and teacher being separate people with separate roles, and I've found it far too easy to fall into the trap of trying to make every practice session a lesson, and teaching my child, very directly and deliberately, instead of learning with her and supporting her as a parent should in the daily practice sessions, and letting the practice serve it's benefit. Normally, having the lessons distributed by a week helps to insure this. It was hard for traditional piano, but doubly so for Suzuki recorder.

 

This might be easier for a non-music teacher parent to handle, but it's something to keep in mind-particularly when reading Suzuki's materials.

 

I totally agree. It's hard to separate the roles of teacher and parent. I am still grappling with this issue myself and find it very hard not to slip into teacher mode while ds is practicing. I find that as the encouraging parent, I can't be as involved as I am when I am teaching. In other words when he is practicing, I have to step back and just offer praise "great job, bud! Way to go!" but when I am teaching I can be free to offer suggestions and intro new things as well.

 

I think it's really key to allow the student time to live with the new material and let it "soak in" without interference. Maybe I'm not making sense... I am typing this in bursts. Haha.

 

Re a reasonable pace through book one- I think it will take us a couple years at least to get through book 1.

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