The Home Teacher/ Parental Involvement
Parent Orientation
Parental involvement is critical to the success of the Suzuki method. Both parents are encouraged to participate.
However, only one parent takes responsibility for becoming the home teacher and attending each lesson. He or she is to listen carefully, understand the points of the lesson and the assignment, and then teach and supervise the daily home lesson.
Many Suzuki parents learn to play right along with their child. Only upon approval of the teacher can another caregiver take on this roll.
Once beginning students are enrolled in private lessons, their parents will have their parent orientations with me in place of children's lessons.
All incoming new parents take either 4 forty-five minute parent orientation sessions or 6 thirty minute parent orientation sessions prior to the first lesson of the child.
All transferred parents take 1 or 2 orientation sessions prior to the first lesson of the child.
Discussions of Suzuki philosophy, behavior at home lessons, and ideas for listening and practicing are all addressed in these classes. The home teacher will learn to play the Twinkle Variations and be responsible for beginning the listening program at home (if not already started). Many practical suggestions will be given to help the Suzuki method fit into family life with joy and success.
Once the home teachers are ready to go, the students will start their first Pre Twinkle lessons. Once the students mastered the basic skills of piano playing (body balance: rest position, ready position, Pre Twinkle A though Pre Twinkle D), they are ready to start the first song in Book 1, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Variations.