Book Review: Nurtured by Love a New Approach to Education by Shinichi Suzuki

"Talent is not inherited or inborn but trained and educated.  Genius is an honorific name given to those who are brought up and trained to high ability."

Nurtured by Love is part biography and part education philosophy.  It tells of how Suzuki developed his education philosophy from his birth in Japan, growing up in his father's violin factory, teaching himself to play the violin at 17 years of age, studying the violin in Berlin for 8 years and being mentored by great men such as Einstein and finally returning to Japan to begin his own teaching career and stumbling upon his method of teaching little children to play the violin.  He believes all children are born with music ability just as they are born with the ability to learn their native language. Children should learn everything, including music, in the same way-naturally, step by step.

The goal of the Suzuki's Talent Education method is to prepare children to be noble men and women who have good and loving hearts.  He states, "A true artist is a person with beautiful and fine feelings, thoughts and actions." 

"Talent is no accident of birth.
In today's society a good many people seem to have the idea that if one is born without talent, there is nothing one can do about it, and they simply resign themselves to what they consider to be their fate.  Consequently they go through life without living it to the full or ever knowing life's true joy.  That is man's greatest tragedy."

Learning a musical instrument is hard work and requires discipline and time.  But everyone can learn and develop their musical potential.  Suzuki believed everyone learns at a different pace and one child might need to practice 5,000 times before he can play a certain piece.  The next child might need to practice 15,000 times before he can play the same piece.  But all children can learn and achieve.

One thing that is evident reading Nurtured by Love is that Suzuki had a great love for children and his love inspired children to grow and be the best they could be.  As parents and teachers, we can inspire our children to grow and reach their potential by believing in them, encouraging them and loving them.

Little Musicians Song: The Farmers' Fair

The Farmers' Fair is a singing and dancing song.  Invite everyone to choose a partner.  Stand facing each other, holding both hands.  During the verses swing arms back and forth to the beat of the song.  On the chorus, "Ru-di-ru-di..." dance and skip in a circle.  Children love dancing with a partner because it makes music a community project and children love being in community!

The Farmers' Fair 
German Folksong:  Bi de Buern, Lubeck

Verse 1:
We're invited, dear children, all to come to the fair.
There is dancing and singing, all your friends will be there.

Chorus:
Ru-di-ru-di ral-la-la,ral-la-la, ral-la-la,
Ru-di-ru-di ral-la-la, ral-la-la-la.

Verse 2:
Happy laughter and music and an oom-pah-pah band,
We are sending a message all over this land.

Chorus

Verse 3:
Oh the sun it is shining and the fair is such fun,
And we won't want to leave it 'til the day is all done.

Chorus

Triple Rhythm Patterns

Here is another set of patterns to do with your children.  Say the pattern one line at a time and have your child echo you.

Set 1
Du-da-di du,

Du-da-di du-da-di,
Du-di du-di.

Du  du.


Set 2
Du-ta-da-di du.

Du-ta-da-di di-ta-da-di.

Du-di-tadu-di.

Du-ta-da-ta-di-ta du.


Set 3
Du-da-di du  du-da-di du-da-di.

Du-da-di du-da-du du-da-di du.

Du-di du  -  di  du-da-du du.

Du-di du   du-da-di du.


Set 4
Du-da-di  du  du-ta-da-di  du.

Du-ta-da-  di  du-ta-da di  du-da-du  du.

Du  di-ta du  - di-ta du -di du.

Du-di  du - di  du-ta-da-ta-di-ta  du.

Why We Need Music Education

Sure.  I mean, we're always struggling to keep up with what kids are doing out in the real life.  You know, they-our kids are more savvy about music than ever before.  They all carry their own personal iPod, their own personal music collection.  But Russ is right, sort of the basics have not changed.  I want to respond to something that you asked earlier and also to the listener that called in about you know, why is this important and why do we teach this.  And Samuel Hope, who's the executive director of the National Association of Schools and Music, he says we have five ways to communicate and organize thought and knowledge.  The first one is letters and words, which is our language.  And the second is number and symbols, which is mathematics.  And-but the next three are still images, which is art in architecture and design, moving images which is dance and film, and abstract sound which is music.  And we tend to only place emphasis on the first two.  And if a child does not excel at the first two, then we spend more time teaching him that or her that rather than-at the expense of the other three.  And so there are other ways besides numbers, mathematics and language, to communicate and to organize sound, and music is one of those.  And if we have a child who doesn't communicate well with the first two, then he or she just doesn't do well in the education system as we have it set up today.  And, of course, we're going to have students at risk.  Imagine if you spend eight hours, as a seven year old, just studying words and numbers and you're bursting to express something and you can't do it.  I mean, this is just an accident waiting to happen.  And I don't - I mean, we don't - we can't just do a little music.  Let's outsource this and sing some songs after school.  That's not how you teach.  You don't teach algebra that way, you don't teach somebody to read that way, you don't teach science that way.  You cannot teach anything that way.  So it's very important that you have a structured, you know, step-by-step education so that students have access.  Understanding how to read music and to sing music and to play music is access.
-Dr. Hollinger, music education instructor SJSU

"Talent is not inherited or inborn,

but trained and educated.  Genius is an honorific name given to those who are brought up and trained to high ability." -Shinichi Suzuki from Nurtured by Love -A New Approach to Education

Drama Game for All Ages! Duck, Duck, Animal

This is a fun drama game for all ages!

It teaches improvisation, acting and bit of directing too!

Duck, Duck, Animal

This game is similar to the popular Duck, Duck Goose and begins the same way with the children sitting in a circle and one person who is "It".  This child walks around the circle and taps on each head saying "Duck, Duck...and then calls a different animal such as Elephant.  The chosen child pretends to be the third animal.  Then it is that child's turn to walk around and will say a different animal for the next child to act as.  This continues around the circle until everyone has had a turn to act and direct.

Duple Rhythm Patterns

These Rhythm patterns go well with the article Mr. Michael posted yesterday.  These are duple patterns and I will be posting triple patterns soon.  Practice these patterns by saying them one line at a time and having your child repeat after you.

This exercise helps children learn to listen, as well as learn patterns with different counts and rhythms.

Set 1
Du du. 
      
      
Du-de du-de.
          
      
Du du-de
    
          
Du-de du.

Set 2
Du-ta-de-ta du.

Du-ta-de-ta  du de.

Du du-ta-de-ta.

Du-ta-de du.

Set 3
Du du du-de du.

Du-de du-de du-de du.

Du du-de du du-de.

Du du-de du-de du.

Set 4
Du du du-ta-de-ta du.

Du du du-ta-de-ta du-de.

Du du-ta-de-ta du du-de.

Du-ta-de-ta du-ta-de-ta du-de du.

Re-Post of a good article about basic rhythm skills

Developing a “Good Sense of Rhythm”

By joy (admin) | Published: 14 September 2010

Developing a good sense of rhythm is one of the most challenging parts of being a piano teacher.  It’s not something that arrives overnight, and it’s something that must be maintained as the student advances to music with more advanced rhythms and time signatures.  It truly is something that must bedeveloped.

I’d like to suggest that there are three components to having and developing what we so loosely refer to as a “good sense of rhythm”:

1. A sense of beat. This means the ability to maintain a steady beat/pulse.  This is probably the most common and most basic problem that students encounter when it comes to rhythm issues in their piece.  The inability to maintain a steady beat/pulse is crucial for developing #’s 2 and 3 below.
2. A sense of rhythm (i.e., note values).  This involves being able to accurately identify and execute the various note values within a variety of tempi.  Beginner students may struggle with placing eighth notes within a quarter note beat, while more advanced students may struggle with syncopated rhythms or playing 2 against 3.  It is nearly impossible to develop a sense of rhythm without first developing a sense of beat (#1 above).
3. A sense of meter.  This may very well be the most elusive component of the three.  At the most basic level, issues with proper sense of meter will evidence themselves when, for example, a student fails to maintain 3/4 time by extending the third beat so that they are actually in 4/4 time (a common issue among beginners).  At more advanced levels, issues with proper sense of meter will evidence themselves when, for example, a student feels cut time (2/2) as common time (4/4), or feels 4/4 or 3/4 time as more like 1/4 (not uncommon in Bach’s contrapuntal pieces).  Losing sight of the meter is like failing to see (or feel) the big picture.

When student has a rhythmic issue in one of their pieces, it can be really beneficial to further identify which of the three components above may be lacking and causing the issue in this case.  An issue in understanding what a half note means is quite different from an issue with keeping a steady beat, for example!  The teacher would solve these issues quite differently.

On a bit of a tangent — all this talk about rhythm is one of the reasons why I’d love to be able to offer pre-piano / early childhood music group classes someday (once set up a studio in my own home rather than teaching on campus).  Offering these kinds of classes allows  the students a chance at musical development before they may be ready for private lessons with a teacher.  And these classes are a perfect opportunity to begin developing good senses of rhythm!  Developing a sense of beat (#1 above) can be done with activities involving tapping, clapping, or walking the beat while singing and moving.  Soon after, students can begin echoing and creating various rhythms within the steady tempo to begin absorbing how note values (#2 above) work.  And, of course, the teacher will present these rhythm activities within certain meters/time signatures (#3).  Although the students may not yet be at the point where they can understand what a time signature means, they can at least begin absorbing and feeling what these meters sound and feel like.  All these things are great foundations for taking lessons later on!

These kinds of activities are not only for early childhood, though.  They would also work well for monthly group lessons with students ages 5-7 (but probably not any older, depending on the activity) who are already taking private lessons.

There are many ways to develop a good sense of rhythm in students!  The most important thing?  Showing students that rhythm can be fun!  =)

From

http://colorinmypiano.com/2010/09/14/developing-a-good-sense-of-rhythm/

My Little Rooster and Go Round the Mountain- Two Fun Little Musicians Songs

Here are the words to two songs that the Little Musicians class has been singing.

Now you can sing them at home too!

These songs are easy to sing, teach body awareness and improvisation.

My Little Rooster

Now I love my little rooster and my rooster loves me,
I'm gonna cherish that rooster 'neath the green bay tree;
My little rooster goes cock-a-doodle-doo, doodle-doo, doodle-doo.

And I love my little hen and my little hen loves me,
I'm gonna cherish that hen 'neath the green bay tree,
My little hen goes "cluck, cluck,"
My little rooster goes "cock-a-doodle-doo, doodle-doo, doodle-doo."

And I love my little piggy and my piggy loves me, etc.
My little pig goes "oink, oink,"
My little hen goes "cluck, cluck,"
My little rooster goes "cock-a-doodle-doo, doodle-doo, doodle-doo."

And I love my little duck and my duckling loves me, etc.
My little duck goes "quack, quack," (add pig,  hen, rooster)

And I love my little dog, and my doggie loves me, etc.
My little dog goes "bow, wow," (add duck, pig, hen, rooster)



Go 'Round the Mountain

Go 'round the mountain;
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle-dum.
Go 'round the mountain;
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle-dum dum.

Show me your fingers;   (wiggle your fingers)
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle-dum.
Show me your fingers;
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle-dum dum.

Show me your elbow;   (tap your elbow)
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle-dum.
Show me your elbow;
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle-dum dum.

Show me your hips;    (swish your hips)
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle-dum.
Show me your hips;
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle-dum dum.

Show me your feet;    (tap your foot)
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle-dum.
Show me your feet;
To-di-diddle-dum, to-di-diddle,dum dum.

Ask your children to suggest other body parts.  Continue the activity by making up further verses.

Sing these songs with your children!  You will have fun together as well as practicing music.

Mystery Cards at NewSongs and at Home!

For the past few months, the teachers at NewSongs have been using a motivation game called Mystery Cards to motivate the students to do their best.  And it works!

At the start of the class the student picks a card but only the teacher can see what the card says.  The student doesn't know what is on the card and must work hard to not break any "rules".  At the end of the lesson the teacher and student look at the card and decide if the student followed the "rule" and therefore earned a ticket.  When the student earns 5 or more tickets he gets to "buy" a prize from the prize box. 

The Little Musicians mystery cards are as follows:

• I played all the games
• I used good piano posture for the entire lesson
• I listened well without doodling on the piano
• I didn't make any excuses
• I played my songs correctly
• I used a great hand position for the entire lesson
• I remembered to bring my notebook and my music
• I adjusted the bench before I played
• I had a positive attitude
• I danced and moved to the music

Mystery cards eliminate all nagging and negative remarks.  Instead of having to tell someone to stop doing something, I just say, "Oh, I hope that isn't your mystery card!"  and the child immediately stops breaking the "rule"!

Because of the success of the Mystery Cards in the Little Musician classes, I have begun to use Mystery Cards at home with my 5 and 3 year olds. 

It has been successful so far! 

I have them pick a mystery card in the morning at breakfast and we review what their card said at dinner time.  If they did what was on the card then they earn a sticker for their sticker chart.  When their chart is full they get to go for ice cream or hot chocolate with Daddy.

The "At Home" Mystery Cards are:

• I didn't cry today
• I put my shoes in the basket
• I put my dirty clothes in the basket
• I gave everyone hugs and kisses today
• I shared my toys and stuff with my sister
• I had a happy, positive attitude
• I read a book
• I picked up my toys without whining
• I made a picture
• I didn't hit or hurt my sister

The Mystery Cards are a great motivational tool!  You can be positive and still direct your children to behave the way you need them to!

Children Love Lullabies

Lullabies are beautiful songs that calm colicky babies and soothe screaming toddlers.

They are also enjoyed by the older child who needs reassurance that all is well with this crazy world.

As an adult, I continue to sing lullabies for my own enjoyment.

Lullabies are songs that are handed down from one generation to another.  They are full of history.  They connect us with musicians and poets of the past.

I have found this wonderful website that features all kinds of lullabies.  There are hundreds of lyrics for you to copy. If you don't remember the tune you can listen to the website's author, Amy Robbins-Williams, sing the lullaby.   http://www.lullaby-link.com/index.html

Learn a lullaby and pass on a wonderful gift to your children!

Great Resources for Piano Students and Teachers!

Do you need new and fun ideas to put the spark back in your practice sessions?

Check out http://www.susanparadis.com/ for fun games and flashcards that make learning music fun and easy.  Susan has a way with graphics and easy explanations that make her games enjoyable for children of all ages.

This is a game of hangman based on words that relate to the piano! http://www.ptg.org/hangman/hangman.php

Here is a game called Music Notation Concentration.  See how fast you match each button pair by remembering their locations.  http://www.ptg.org/justForFun-concentrationNotes.php

This is a similar game called Piano Parts Concentration.  http://www.ptg.org/justForFun-concentrationParts.php

Printable Piano Parts Word Search  http://www.ptg.org/fun/PianoWordSearch.pdf

Letter P Piano Alphabet Online Jigsaw Puzzle http://www.first-school.ws/puzzlesonline/alphabet/p_piano.htm  Perfect for little ones!

For more games and activites visit http://www.ptg.org/justForFun.php


Check back often as this list of great websites grows!