I was able to go back for a week of Suzuki Teacher Training this summer, after a two year drought. I can't begin to list all the things I learned - I am still attempting to type up the 26 pages full of written notes that I took, not too mention videos and photos that need to be reviewed. It was an exciting exchange of ideas with many other talented teachers who were also there to learn, and a study in mindfulness when observing our Teacher Trainer who was leading the class, Ronda Cole. As I was observing the lessons that she was teaching, I was reminded of the three parts of mindfulness: Awareness, Describing, Participating. I saw Ronda ask her students again and again, to notice (by asking them to listen and listen, and listen more deeply), to describe (to describe to her what was heard, felt, seen, and happened), and then to participate (playing with greater awareness, sometimes through singing along mentally, always through engaging the mind and imagination and making it work for them as they played). In spite of how vague these things may sound, the techniques that were taught were very specific and the mechanics were clear. But while our trainer Ronda could tell us teachers exactly what a technique involves mechanically in the body, she rarely used that sort of technical description in her lessons. As she said, "Our job is not to teach notes or fingers or anything else. Our job is about creating talented learners." And that is why she was constantly drawing attention to the learning process, which involves not only noticing the specific result (in tune 2nd finger) but what the brain did and what the body did to allow that result to happen.
Although I still feel like I need more time reviewing what I learned, I have been trying to keep the "talented learner" goal in mind during lessons this week, and have been happily surprised by how intent students become when asked to be mindful. Lessons are as fun ( for me anyway ) as ever, but I have a feeling that my students will appreciate me putting them in the driver's seat in terms of owning their own learning process.
So, with mindfulness and teaching students to be "talented learners" as perhaps the gems of the week, I would like to list below some of my favorite other phrases that I heard, for you and I to ponder both!
Never play slow and "boring'. The tempo goes slow so that your mind can go fast.
Play La Folia like you are petting my cat.... each note is a kitten that you are petting. (pretends to pet kittens)
Sometimes we practice so many times that we've got it and can play it on "automatic" But we have to keep our heart in it. Be open in your heart to be moved by others.
Don't let the robot take over.
Always keep in mind, what are the life lessons you want them to learn?
I promise I wouldn't ask you to do something that was really too hard. I only ask something that is just hard enough for you to be able to do.
Notice the level of excellence you rose to in m. 63. Do the same here.
Are you learning?
You're not comfortable at that spot. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to play comfortably there?
Use gravity... gravity never gets tired.
Bow arm weight : You never need to add more than you have.
Listen. Think. Listen. Think. Listen. Think.....
On studying with Carol Glynn: Everything was up for consideration and that in itself was a tremendously good lesson.
To "try" involves effort without result.
Let any thoughts like "Oh my god I'm not doing it right," splash on the floor, float away, roll off.
So, did we fix just this one thing, or did we fix 7 million other things in all your other pieces?
Posture is dynamic, not static.
When you are working on the bow hold, what are you saying to yourself? What is your internal language?
Don't wack my kittens!
Although I still feel like I need more time reviewing what I learned, I have been trying to keep the "talented learner" goal in mind during lessons this week, and have been happily surprised by how intent students become when asked to be mindful. Lessons are as fun ( for me anyway ) as ever, but I have a feeling that my students will appreciate me putting them in the driver's seat in terms of owning their own learning process.
So, with mindfulness and teaching students to be "talented learners" as perhaps the gems of the week, I would like to list below some of my favorite other phrases that I heard, for you and I to ponder both!
Never play slow and "boring'. The tempo goes slow so that your mind can go fast.
Play La Folia like you are petting my cat.... each note is a kitten that you are petting. (pretends to pet kittens)
Sometimes we practice so many times that we've got it and can play it on "automatic" But we have to keep our heart in it. Be open in your heart to be moved by others.
Don't let the robot take over.
Always keep in mind, what are the life lessons you want them to learn?
I promise I wouldn't ask you to do something that was really too hard. I only ask something that is just hard enough for you to be able to do.
Notice the level of excellence you rose to in m. 63. Do the same here.
Are you learning?
You're not comfortable at that spot. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to play comfortably there?
Use gravity... gravity never gets tired.
Bow arm weight : You never need to add more than you have.
Listen. Think. Listen. Think. Listen. Think.....
On studying with Carol Glynn: Everything was up for consideration and that in itself was a tremendously good lesson.
To "try" involves effort without result.
Let any thoughts like "Oh my god I'm not doing it right," splash on the floor, float away, roll off.
So, did we fix just this one thing, or did we fix 7 million other things in all your other pieces?
Posture is dynamic, not static.
When you are working on the bow hold, what are you saying to yourself? What is your internal language?
Don't wack my kittens!