When my baby was eight months old, we joined a Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) class. Soon thereafter, she started astounding everyone she met with her advanced verbal skills, patience, impulse control, singing, ability to count to 10 in multiple languages, and extensive vocabulary. In addition, my parenting improved from skills I learned in class. As a professional musician and Suzuki violin teacher, I had wanted to share my love of music and enjoy bonding time with my daughter. I soon realized that this was so much more than just a music class!
Seeing the incredible musical, academic, social, and character development this class has brought my family--but knowing how hard it was for my friends to make it to class an hour away--I knew I had to bring Suzuki Early Childhood Education to the Clear Lake area as soon as possible. I took my SECE training in 2017 and began Hope Violin Studio’s Mommy and Me Music Class in January 2018.
“No! Mine!”
At her first music class, a two-year-old child fell to pieces during the first activity. She was thrilled when the ball was rolled to her, but then she found out that she was expected to roll it back away. “No! Mine!” The tears and wailing began, and her parents took her out to the hallway to help her calm down. They were never able to come back in. At her second class, there were tears over sharing the plush dog that we passed around the circle while we sang “Bow Wow Wow,” but she was able to stay in the room for most of the class. By her third class, she was far too interested in seeing what was going to happen next in the class to throw any fits! I wrote in her journal: “She is developing the inner calm that allows her to pass the ball along to other children, knowing that she’ll get another turn later or next week!” Now, just a few months after beginning the class, she has learned to share beautifully, and even looks for opportunities to share class materials with other students who haven’t had a turn yet.
The genius of observation
My mentor, Danette Schuh, tells the story of a child in class who never left his mother’s lap, week after week, for over two years!
“We were unconcerned. Every refusal to play got our same response, ‘It’s OK, next time,’ said with a smile. One day, when the child decided he was ready, he happily came up to the teacher, played all the instruments, sang all the songs, and participated in every way in the class from that day forward. The patience and perseverance of both the teachers and the parent really paid off in the long run, and the eventual success of the child was even greater because he was ready and willing to participate. Suzuki’s idea of learning from observation is genius. It’s an extremely low-stress way to learn. The idea that you can learn from the experiences of others with the comfort of not being in the ‘hot seat’ is so beneficial, both to the student and the parent. When a child is reluctant, hesitant or resistant, he or she can still learn, safely cuddled in Mommy’s arms, just by watching the others in the circle have a turn playing an instrument, keeping the beat, or singing a solo.”
What is Suzuki Early Childhood Education?
Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) is designed to help parents and children grow, bond, and learn together. It is a child-centered music and movement curriculum that gives parents the unique opportunity to interact with their baby or toddler, encouraging and observing each step the child makes as they grow in their abilities. Suzuki philosophy is based on the principles that every child can learn, ability develops early, and environment nurtures growth. Every child has unlimited learning potential from birth, and the first few years are critical to a child’s development. The SECE classroom provides a low-stress, no-pressure environment in order to foster every student’s growth as each child learns at his or her own pace. Children learn from one another in the class, which includes a mix of ages from birth through the child’s fourth birthday. The children are fascinated to see the next steps of mastery demonstrated by children at the next stage of development, while they learn empathy and valuable social skills from interacting with the younger ones. We celebrate each successful step, fostering confidence and leading to more success. In a child’s development and learning, parental involvement is critical. The relationship you build with your child in the class creates a strong foundation for the years to come. Throughout the process, encouragement is essential. The SECE classroom environment is positive, encouraging each student to develop at his or her own pace and to celebrate every step along the way.
While the Suzuki Method is a well-known philosophy of education for instrumental study (violin, piano, and cello are just a few of the instruments covered by the Suzuki Method), the Suzuki Early Childhood Education curriculum is newer to the scene. The only SECE class in the Clear Lake area is Hope Violin Studio’s Mommy and Me Music Class, with classes held on Wednesday mornings.
“Character first, ability second”
The vital role that SECE class plays in developing the character and confidence of their children is not lost on the parents and caretakers who attend the class with their little ones. Heather Jordan, a mom from the Clear Lake area, says, “Baby class has been one of the sweetest parts of the journey for me and my babies. My babies love attending the class and getting to play the instruments and learn the rhymes. But more than that I have loved watching my babies grow in confidence as well as patience. Every week, they look forward to baby class, where they get to play instruments, sing rhymes, and be with other kiddos in a safe learning environment.”
Adding the Intergenerational Layer
Most SECE classes are stand-alone classes, with just babies and their caretakers participating. Hope Violin Studio’s Mommy and Me class is held at Heartis Clear Lake, a local assisted living facility. As the babies learn to be comfortable with the older generation and form relationships with the residents they see each week, I see them develop a new layer of empathy and understanding.
“Intergenerational events are very important for both children and adults, because it helps the children see and get used to senior citizens. It’s healthy on both ends, because it brings back good memories and joy to the seniors,” says Becky Hudson, life enrichment coordinator at Heartis Clear Lake.
Every week, the residents of the facility make sure to thank me after class. “It brings back so many memories!” they say. One woman flashes her brilliant smile and blows me a kiss whenever she sees me in the hallway. Another beams when one of the toddlers dances with her during our scarf dance.
As it turns out, the benefits of the class don’t just last for the class hour. Hudson says, “After the baby music class, I see an increase in the quality of the rest of the residents’ day. The rest of the day, they’re happy. They talk about it. A lot of our residents have memory issues, and they’re able to absorb what they just experienced.” This short-term memory retention is a victory for these residents, who in some cases have trouble remembering how to navigate the facility or whether they've had lunch that day or not. “They remember it, and they talk about it. Some of the residents even know that Wednesday is the day that the babies come, so it’s definitely helping with their memory,” says Hudson.
Families in the Clear Lake area who want to experience a Suzuki Early Childhood Education class for themselves can attend a free trial class with Hope Violin Studio. Classes are held on Wednesdays at 10am. To learn more, visit Hope Violin Studio's Mommy and Me Music Class.
