My daughter has started violin lessons following the Suzuki Method.
After one week of classes… after every practice session… she decided she’s ready to give up.
As a parent, this is incredibly frustrating: of course I want my child to develop grit!
The Suzuki method was developed by Shin’ichi Suzuki in the 1940s and later, and documented in his book, Nurtured by Love.
The Suzuki Method focuses on baby steps, frequent positive feedback, and fun.
It’s all very Zen: the book doesn’t instruct the reader (which is required reading for parents), but instead sheds light on instructional and growth concepts through stories of the author’s life and experiences.
(And for these reasons I was very willing to read the book!)
The instruction methods include clapped rhythms with funny rhymes, songs to sing while practicing, memorization, and large amounts of repetition.
As Suzuki himself stated in the book, “Japanese children can all speak Japanese.”
For Suzuki, this insight was a revelation!
This insight is that anyone can succeed when his surroundings make this behavior seem natural.
Language repetition is normal and how you learn to speak before you read, read before you write.
Speaking a language isn’t a talent. It’s a neurological set of brain connections that you’ve made and strengthened over time.
Some people might start with a stronger neurological net than others, allowing them to progress faster or to have “perfect pitch” or an “ear for languages”…
According to Suzuki, this is due to repeated exposure to external stimulants (music and singing in proper pitch) and repeated behaviors to strengthen those connections (practice).
The Suzuki method follows this idea, saying that musical talent isn’t limited to people with innate gifts.
Instead, that talent is built up over time, and if we have poor repetition of what the Do-Re-Me-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do should sound like, we have to rewire our brain with so much repetition to override that previous inaccurate training.
(Kinda like Malcom Gladwell’s 10,000 Hour Rule)
First in these violin classes, the student learns to hold the bow and a fake “box violin” before handling a real violin. My daughter has to practice holding the bow properly, holding the box violin properly, standing properly.
Later, when there is a real violin in use, the music itself is learned before learning to read music. And the notes on a sheet of music are just that — a musician’s notes to help remember, not something to rely upon.
The approach is not too different from the 1980s movie, The Karate Kid, which I really want to watch with my kids (but I’m afraid the 5 year old is going to kick everything for a month).
You’re not really painting a fence; you’re repeating the motions that you’ll need later.
You’re not really singing a song about a rocketship landing on your nose; you’re practicing your bow positions and grip as the bow’s weight shifts around.
As a parent, it’s difficult to watch your child struggle. But it’s worse to watch them throw in the towel.
See, these classes (and the concepts in Nurtured by Love, and of Zen in general) are not only about learning how to play music.
The method’s outcomes also demonstrate to students that they can accomplish great things when they put in time and effort. The method teaches students focus and dedication.
One step at a time, with a singular focus on that step.
On our end, we have to remind ourselves to make this fun (which often mean short and frequent practice times), keep up the encouragement, and maintain a positive attitude about their current state of progress.
There’s that grit that I’m after. It’ll come, if I don’t chase it away.
