This is a question we ask during Suzuki teacher training as we develop new Suzuki teachers. What are the characteristics of the person we know influenced our important decisions or who shaped our career paths? We often see that the most influential person in our life is the one who was a caring individual who gave us confidence to go beyond our own fears or hesitations. An influential teacher is often the one who gave us encouragement, compassion and a sympathetic ear. These are the desirable characteristics we use to describe the Suzuki teacher. We aspire to provide pedagogic skills, but also to understand that we are all people first: teacher, parent and child. These three make up the learning triangle. As people we want to be compassionate, sensitive to others, and encourage one another.

While learning at the Suzuki School of Newton, we are building these skills and characteristics step by step. Parenting is a challenge. We have multiple demands on our time and energy, so sometimes we emphasize our desire to get results and forget that the process might be more important. Did we remember to hug our child today and praise him for trying, even if he failed a math test, did not learn the new piece or lost a game? Our world is full of value judgments and results are usually measured in successes. We can measure empathy, kindness and encouragement, too! While practicing, we often take the successful repetition for granted, and only speak out when we hear a missed note. Let's change that around. Try noticing every positive thing your child does while he is practicing. Most children know when they have missed a note, played out of tune, etc. so they do not need to have that pointed out. But maybe they did not notice how well focused they were, how they kept their feet in the correct position, or sat up straight for the entire piece. Did they notice any of these while they were playing? Noticing the positive will help them feel they are accomplishing something. Children will practice more when they see progress and hearing positive feedback is valuable encouragement. Did you thank your child for being so willing to practice on a given day?

We believe that Suzuki learning is placing an importance on human character development. Learning "please" and "thank you" comes most easily to the child who has heard her parents use these words regularly. As parents we want to be the important and positive influential person in our children's lives. With attention to the process, the Suzuki journey will be more successful in the long run. Dr. Suzuki said, "Children learn to smile from their parents." Have you had a chance to smile today?