Resume of the Practice Seminar
Hosted by the Lothian Suzuki Group and held in the Candlish Hall, St. George’s West Church, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, on Friday, 1 September 2006
I am grateful to you for coming along to this venture. The evening has been voted a great success by those I have spoken to. Parents reported on how good it was to feel supported by events of this kind, realising that problems experienced at home in the practice time were far from uncommon.
I was asked by Suzuki piano teacher Nicky Bradford, who runs the Deeside Suzuki Piano Festival, to organise something for all the parents with children attending this last July. With the September seminar in mind, I decided to initiate a preliminary discussion on practice and approached one of my parents who is also undergoing Suzuki piano teacher training. I asked her to come up with five topics that would help to address some of the chief practice issues. They were: -
- How to maintain an upbeat approach in home practice sessions.
- How to create a perfect practice environment.
- How to maintain practice during the holidays.
- At what point does the parent become less involved in practice with the older child?
- How to practise sight-reading.
We broke up into small discussion groups. Each group was led by a Suzuki teacher and someone else acted as a scribe. At the end I took in the notes and collated the findings. The following day these were presented as points on a flip-chart which have been replicated and are provided with these notes for reference.
The main problem involved in gathering information into something that appeared to be a comprehensive “how to do it” guide was not at all straightforward. Many points seemed to contradict one another! However, as one teacher pointed out, what might be appropriate at one stage might not be at another and so it is important to have a flexible toolkit upon which to draw for ever changing and developing situations.
On the evening of the Practice Seminar we took these discussions to a new level. With the addition of wine and cheese conversations flowed along. For the first half hour parents and teachers studied copies of the article “The Role of the Parent: Creating a Nurturing Learning Environment” based on a talk given by Dorothy Jones of Canada.
Several weeks before, when still on holiday, I began to make final preparations for the seminar. Over several years I had made a collection of articles on this very emotive subject. The one by Dorothy Jones struck me immediately. Here was a Suzuki piano teacher who had experienced all the difficulties that parents encounter.
She had first heard of the Suzuki method when her eldest daughter was only four years old. Together they enrolled as the first violin student and parent with a teacher who had read about Dr. Suzuki’s works but was willing to admit that he didn’t really understand it. So they agreed to experiment as no other teacher in the area was prepared to teach a four year old.
They received a good grounding in technique but little in the way of Suzuki parent education. “Nurtured by Love” – a must for parents of all Suzuki pupils – had been read, but without parental support it was difficult to take in at the time. Instead the whole process was dominated by a daily practice routine which became a chore. The daughter practised because her mother insisted and meanwhile a little sister looked on, noticing that playing the violin really wasn’t much fun at all.
Luckily they were able to find another teacher who had been involved with Dr. Suzuki’s teaching project at the Eastman School of Music, New York. Soon Dorothy Jones became involved in not only accompanying for violin classes but also a special parent programme. This was an environment that, instead of forcing, actually encouraged.
And so began her quest into the component parts of practice upon which real success hinged. Four main goals emerged: -
enjoyment of the process
listening
motivation
co-operation
After a short talk on “The Value of Parent Seminars” given by Mary McCarthy, which reminded us all that we are part of a wider and supportive Suzuki community – she is now Director of the Scottish and Irish Suzuki piano teacher training course – we broke up into groups, each with a leader and a scribe as at Deeside, to discuss selected paragraphs.
As it so happened, my choice of article turned out to be even more appropriate than I had at first realised. It was in fact the transcript of a talk given by Dorothy Jones in her role as Chairman of the Suzuki Association of the Americas at the International Suzuki Conference held here in Scotland at St. Andrews University in 1990. On this occasion not only did the university confer a doctorate on Shinichi Suzuki, but among those present were Mary McCarthy, and a little girl of six, in the audience with her mother, who having heard Suzuki violinists perform, wanted to learn the instrument. There were no Suzuki violin teachers in St. Andrews, so instead Isla began piano lessons with Anne Turner, co-founder of the British Suzuki Institute. The rest is history. Anne started a Scottish piano teacher training course which I joined along with a number of other Scottish teachers. Isla is now on the teacher training course in Edinburgh and was at the seminar with her mother Maggie. Also at the seminar was a parent who has recently moved to Edinburgh from Cambridge where her children had been learning piano with Stephen Power. It was he who had arranged the taping and transcripts of Dorothy Jones’ talk.
We came away from that evening fired up to tackle the new term and some exciting things are emerging from the seminar. One parent says she now feels quite content to sit and listen to her son play without feeling that she must necessarily “interfere”, instead they have a time of praise and evaluation at the end – the atmosphere being most definitely one of cooperation rather than competition. Numbers of parents agreed that the very act of sharing ideas during the evening was comforting.
My own quest into the subject of practice continues as situations never stand still. In our shared journey, assisting children in their development as musicians and more importantly as people, we must always remain open to new ideas and embrace new ways of doing things.
Notes taken from the Parent Seminar on Practice
Deeside Suzuki Piano Festival
July 2006
UPBEAT PRACTICE
Avoid the words “practice” and say “play” instead. Balance “work” and “play”.
Praise even small things
Eliminate the words “no” and “wrong”.
Finish practice on a high note
Short and frequent sessions are best
Variety for small children
Small sections
Games
Rewards and deals
Attitude of parent i.e. positive
Give child responsibility i.e. when, what to practice
Triangle agreement over practice.
Specific goals for practice
Mum/Dad “transform” into teacher
Clear expectations
Systematic but flexible approach
Review system.
PERFECT HOME PRACTICE
In lesson, note specifics. Teacher should recap.
Repertoire. Cards and Lucky Dips are useful
Parent lessons
Wait for right moment to practice
Time of day when child is not tired.
HOLIDAYS
Arrange social occasions.
Attend Musical Events / Workshops
Lessons over the holidays.
Mixed age range activities.
Be a pianist for younger groups.
Visit piano shops!
Take a keyboard or roll-up piano away with you
CD listening
PARENT INVOLVEMENT WITH OLDER CHILD
The older child may or may not want to take responsibility
Depends on relationship
Gradual weaning is best
Teacher and teenager need to communicate directly
Group interaction
SIGHTREADING
Different approaches: -
Follow score while listening/playing.
Set sight-reading material.
Beginner piano books are useful.
Easy pieces or self-teach and play in group.
Duets.
Notes and pitch
Rhythm – clap first
Notes and rhythm
Say note names.
Feedback from the Edinburgh seminar discussion groups with teacher input
Enjoyment of the Process (Part I)
(quotes in this report appearing in italics are from 'The Role of the Parent: creating a nurturing learning environment' by Dorothy Jones. The article was published in the Ability journal of the British Suzuki Institute in the summer of 1991.)
“It was easy to enjoy the process in the lesson because the parent was responsible then; all I had to do was sit back and take a few notes. But at home it wasn’t always easy”.
Parents can feel under pressure on taking on the role of home teacher. For some this works – the idea that they are stepping in for the real teacher at home as the teacher can’t be there themselves. For others the idea is frightening so beware of labels! Perhaps the concept of home helper, practice assistant or coach would ease things – don’t worry too much if you don’t have all the answers. Most teachers would be happy for a parent to phone them during the week to check something- that is if it can be explained by this means. Either that or leave a “thorny” area until the next lesson and await clarification. Parent and pupil should be encouraged to enter a journey of discovery together – the concept that “practice is a time of exploration”.
Entering into a practice agreement emerged several times. This is something that works best if instigated at the lesson itself. – a triangular agreement between pupil-parent-teacher; shake hands on it even! Or agree to wave a magic wand and turn the parent into the teacher.
Parents sometimes say that they find it hard to make meaningful notes and they would therefore need to ask the teacher to go over the point. I feel that it is really important that the teacher makes time at the end of each lesson to recap on the main teaching points. As children grow older the parent does become more of a scribe so that the lesson flow remains uninterrupted and the pupil is able to read and discuss the notes a home. This gives an element of responsibility. One teacher records the pupils’ lessons for them to listen back to at home, either on audio or video.
Signing a contract between parent and child was even suggested – why not if it works? Often children like to see something on paper. Rewards, stickers, points for cooperation (along with keeping the bedroom tidy for example!) have been found to work. It is a natural human reaction to want to strive towards something – a prize or reward of some kind. The greatest reward of all is in the mastery of practice, and therefore playing, but recognition in some other way highlights the achievement. Watching tick charts grow, carrying on a weekly tick chart set up in the lesson for younger children, all contribute to the growing sense of achievement: and threats are also part of this sometimes – being cruel to be kind. “No screen until practice” etc. or cooperation/teamwork charts may be required. Aim however to be positive and avoid the word “no” as much as possible.
So the other side of the coin is one of practice being made a special time, a time set aside to be together. The child could sometimes choose the time for themselves, but many parents prefer to stick to a routine. The word “practice” is also a label, for some it works perfectly, for others the word “play” has a more pleasing ring to it, and for teenagers “a time of exploration” can be more appropriate. Ultimately it will become one of enjoyment of the process (a goal in itself), a time of experimentation – seeing what works and what doesn’t – “what they have a bend for” – and less about attaining other goals. Use what works, discard what doesn’t.
Above all, even when things seem to get tough, remember how lucky both parents and children are to be part of this three-sided team. In the past, as a more mainstream piano teacher, I was often quite shocked when a pupil told me that Mum or Dad had said “Must you keep on playing that same tune all the time?!” They dropped the child off at the lesson, had little idea of what was involved in its content and indeed what goes into playing an instrument. Suzuki parents are in a unique position and they are able to gain a great insight into this, first-hand. And the fact that the child likes going to the lesson and leaves feeling inspired by it goes a long way towards helping things at home.
Enjoyment of the Process (Part II)
“So I began to try to look at our own situation; it’s very hard to step outside your own practising and look at what’s wrong with it…… the more I realised that my role was to be quiet during practice time, the more successful the practices became”.
It would seem that the best way to establish a meaningful practice routine is again by the teacher setting something very specific in lessons. This can be done in a number of ways according to the age, stage and natural inclination of the child.
Setting up tick charts and entering into agreements are starters. But parents and pupils need pointers – categorising of pieces is good here. As the list of things to practise grows the task can become quite overwhelming. There are ways round this. On the tick chart and/or in the parent notebook specify what needs practising everyday. Other pieces, or parts of pieces, can be done on other days. Special practice tricks can have an allotted area in each practice i.e. beginnings, middles or ends of tunes and technically demanding passages. Review pieces can be cycled round. Different Twinkles or Twinkle medleys can be played each day and lucky dips employed. Perhaps one day a week can be designated a “concert day”– practising to perform is also important.
As children work towards their book concert, maintenance of repertoire can seem awesome. I suggest to my parents that they make up menu cards, about four in all, for Book 1. On each card goes one Twinkle, a tune from near the beginning of the book, one from the middle and another from the end. Each day a different menu card is used. For Book II onwards a practice schedule can be based on the notion of learning pieces, performance pieces and review (or rusty!) pieces. Something like the following for example: -
start with a performance piece
do Twinkles/scales etc. (Twinkles can be played in different keys for variety)
work on one learning piece or shorter sections of several.
Do one or two review pieces
Sight-reading/rhythm work
Finish with a performance piece.
Parents of “tweenage” and teenage pupils in particular have reported back that this process makes practising simple and that they are able to get through a meaningful amount between lessons.
I also refer frequently to the “Three S’s of Practice” – Slowly, Separately and in Sections (or with Stops).
The technicalities of how as well as what to practise also rests with the teacher, the details need not concern us here as this varies according to the instrument. However it does all start at the lesson and with teacher clarification.
With this in place it should be easier for the parent to take on a more passive role in practice sessions.
Interference and confrontation came up as the big baddies. For the parent to be quiet in practice was seen to be valid but it was necessary also to point out helpful hints. This is where having a specific and understood schedule as guided by the teacher is important – one parent said that they insist on doing what the teacher wants them to do. However, positive parental involvement was also perceived as “going with the flow”, letting the child decide what to do next but always bearing in mind the things that have been set for practice.
No child enjoys being told how to correct things during a practice session. It is important, just as it is in the lesson with the teacher, to let them complete a piece without interruption and to ask to repeat it if necessary – maybe a bit at a time. Take stock, and be positive about the work done so far. Praise basic things like correct notes, or even, sitting still. Rather than saying what is wrong let them play the piece again and then suggest a correction. Perhaps the child could be asked what they think the teacher would have said; this lightens things up and gives the child some responsibility. Letting them take the lead became a key feature of this discussion, paving the way towards the child being able to break loose when they are older.
Mirroring bad behaviour was considered effective e.g. “That was absolutely awful (element of humour here!) – now I’ll play it badly then see if you can make it even worse than me!” Then “Let’s see who can play it best?”
Pointing out what is good about the playing was also important – however small! And the last word on this lies with a parent at the seminar: -
“We are the wallpaper- the facilitators. That’s where I’ve been getting it wrong – I try to be a teacher not a supporter.”
Listening
“I began to realise that perhaps the most important thing I could do to create that natural environment at home was to make sure these children heard beautiful music, and we become very knowledgeable about good violinists (or pianists), good orchestras, and of course, the Suzuki repertoire.”
Listening to the CD regularly is necessary for the Suzuki approach to work effectively and it puts the pupil on the fast track to success. It was also seen as important for parents to set specific times to do this, i.e. at breakfast or on car journeys.
For some parents however this was a chore and even stretched to a candid report of being “bored rigid with Suzuki music”. Pop music was more familiar and the notion of “voiceless” music therefore alien. Coming to something new and hard for an individual to relate to is an understandable fear. This was an honest comment and may well echo a similar reaction from other parents.
Presumably there was some attraction to starting Suzuki lessons in the first place so perhaps there are solutions too. Depending upon the child’s age of course, setting words to the music (several Suzuki teachers do this) could help - singing along to the CD maybe? It might be necessary to step out of the comfort zone a bit – how about additional listening to short pieces of classical music with a narrative or a piece of music with a storyline? Then there are familiar tunes from movies and TV themes and instrumental folk music. It need not be too dramatic. Alternatively, joining a children’s’ group where singing is a feature might prove more satisfactory. Just some ideas. However, once involved in a Suzuki education programme, and for it to work properly, it really is important that the child does not pick up any hint of a negative parental response to the CD.
Certainly listening to repertoire outside of Suzuki was thought to be important, broadening a child’s knowledge of listening to music on the radio for example. Classic FM has some very good programmes geared to children. And taking children to concerts and shows was also considered helpful – an “It’s all about music” approach, and not necessarily having to be “snobbish” about what they listen to.
Variety definitely emerged as a key matter. Listening to Suzuki CDs from higher books in the repertoire could be intermingled with their actual book CD so that when children hear the pieces played at concerts and workshops they can recognise them. As my pupils get onto Book II I encourage them to follow the notes and listen to the CD at the same time, a different kind of listening still.
There was also a need to learn a wider repertoire of music outside of the set Suzuki pieces.
Motivation
“It seemed that this motivation was infectious, it caught on with the families who were not able to attend, and so we began to promote these kinds of activities in our own city and people …… were invited to come and join us.”
Dorothy Jones describes the setting-up of “year-in” festivals when families would gather for a long weekend. Children played together in groups and there were lectures for parents. These festivals proved highly motivational.
Most people who have attended workshops, festivals and group lessons know just how motivational and inspirational these can be. Being with other children, involvement in social activities and parental interaction are generally very helpful indeed and in some cases have turned whole families around. Going to the International Suzuki Conference in Turin last Easter was a big motivator for some other teachers and pupils and group playing for violinists gave them much encouragement.
Parents can feel anxious about the expected level of group commitment, when the groups have to be fitted into a busy life. However group lessons are an important part of the Suzuki approach. Getting together and listening to one another is very helpful and peer understanding was seen to be stimulating. Some children can be shy but consistent exposure to a supportive environment helps this to eventually wear off.
Special events could be considered expensive for some people but generally workshops etc are reasonably priced for what is on offer. Certainly parents can link up and organise “get-togethers” themselves, meeting up outside of groups and lessons. In Glasgow distance was thought to be a difficulty and it would take time to build a community. E-mailing information would help to keep people together, to keep on top of what is going on and it would be down to individuals to initiate these things on a more localised basis.
Co-operation
“What I believe really in this triangle with the teacher, parent and child is one of co-operation rather than competition …. And so it (practice) was always a competition, when we could turn it around and decide very coolly together what it was we wanted to accomplish then it became a co-operative one.”
This one was regarded by some as being a bit cryptic. In essence it welds together all the other parts; enjoyment of the process, listening and motivation.
In some areas it was felt that as we spend the rest of life “in control mode” why be different with Suzuki? The answer surely lies with Suzuki’s own philosophy, an approach based on the belief in creating a natural and nurturing environment. Indeed Dorothy Jones’ view is that through the channel of agreement and therefore co-operation during practice times her children learned a great deal more than the Suzuki repertoire. They developed a sense of punctuality and commitment, regular study patterns, the importance of repetition and review and a calm and focussed mind.
I can only speak from personal experience. Having taught the same pupils over a long period of time I have watched them gradually change and develop. I can see teenagers and school leavers who have learned not only to treat each other with respect but also have gained a sense of confidence and self-respect. Together we have built on individual strengths, or to quote Dorothy Jones “what they have a bend for”, and by sharing this process we have all grown as musicians and human beings. I do believe that it is indeed all about being a constant observer of the learning process and an enjoyment of the natural way in which learning can take place.
My thanks go to all of you for your contribution to and participation in this worthwhile discussion.
Marie
