Developing the Whole Child.html

Developing the Whole Child Through the Study of an Instrument

by Jeanne Ludke

Let me tell you what I mean when I say the Suzuki Method is about developing the whole child. I look at the concept of developing the whole child through the Suzuki experience as follows: The Suzuki instrument is the vehicle by which we train the child in numerous life skills that the child will use in most of the learning activities in which he will be involved throughout his life. Thus, the study become a way to develop the whole child.

The Ability to Listen The first ability that children develop through their Suzuki study is the ability to listen. When a child has been immersed in listening to the point that he can pick out new pieces from the tape as well as imitate the playing of the performer, he has acquired advanced listening ability. This kind of advanced listening ability opens up expanded opportunities for gathering information and knowledge. children who listen attentively do well in school. In addition, if children stay with the study of an instrument long enough to develop a habit of focused listening, that is, concentrated listening to oneself while playing, they will have developed listening ability that extends to all areas of their lives. In the long run a person’s ability to have successful personal and professional relationships depends heavily on the ability to listen.

The Ability to Observe and Imitate Second important ability that children develop to a very high level from their Suzuki study is the ability to observe and imitate. Suzuki students learn to play their instruments very naturally, through observing and imitating their parents and teacher. They learn to play music through the natural process of listening to tapes. Because we teach a Suzuki child through his senses of hearing, seeing and toughing, we can start him at a very early age. Dr. Suzuki was just obeying the laws of human nature when he suggested that children learn music the same way they learn their native language. Daniel Kohut, professor of music at the University of Illinois,Urbana-Champaign, has done considerable research on the process of learning through observation and imitation. He says, “Imitation involves trying to reproduce the mental images stored in our brain through live performance. In order to imitate, we need a performance model. Can you imagine trying to learn to ride a bicycle if you have never seen anyone else do it? In time you would no doubt figure it out, but why do it the hard way? The same applies even more to complex skill such as learning to play a violin. Nature provided us with eyes and ears, which posses incredible potential. We should use them fully for learning, as nature intended.”¹

The Ability to Memorize A third very important ability for children to develop in the process of learning a musical instrument by the Suzuki Method is the ability to memorize.
Suzuki students first acquire the ability to memorize music through their ears. It is only later after they learn to read music that they memorize by means of their eyes. My own observation of students of the past 25 years indicates that the ability to memorize patterns in sound carriers over to memorizing patterns on the printed page. I find many Suzuki students with very quick visual memory as well as quick aural memory. As a musician who learned the natural way through the ear myself, I find that the ability to visually remember things I have seen is most rewarding and helpful in all areas of my life. Some people call this a photographic memory. So whether it is easy recall of test information, phone numbers you have misplaced, or other data, good visual memory is a helpful ability to have.

The Ability to Concentrate A fourth ability that is worth its weight in gold to students and parents is the ability to concentrate and focus. Every person who has progressed well in school has had some degree of concentration. We cannot excel at anything without some of this ability. Concentration determines how long we stay at a task. Concentration determines the quality of the work we do while we are at a task and determines in large part how quickly we grasp ideas and how well we retain them.

The Ability to Perform The fifth ability that students develop from their Suzuki experience is the ability to perform. Being able to perform means feeling confident enough to share what you know or can do with a group or a single person on or off stage. When children have learned how to perform on a musical instrument, they develop considerable poise and ability to control their emotions while on the stage. This ability to present oneself to an audience whether it is one person or several is very valuable. The student who plays on a soccer team or competes in tennis matches is also performing. The student who is asked a question in class and must respond is, in a sense performing. When we go to events where there are new people, we must step up and share who we are and what we think. This is not unlike a performance. Having actual musical performing experience makes all kinds of everyday occurrences more natural for a child. Children get over being self-conscious, shy, uneasy with new people and situations when they perform and build self-confidence. Performing builds courage, confidence, and self-control.

The Ability to be Disciplined The six ability that students can develop from the Suzuki Method is the ability to be disciplined. Because nothing help us to develop the ability to do something on a regular basis , like doing something on a regular basis. Suzuki says, “Creating desire in the child is the parent’s duty. ”² I think that discipline in a task or activity is an outgrowth of several steps that starts with a parent who creates the desire to want to learn and participate in that activity. I think discipline as a chain of events that progress as follows in any skill training:

Parents create a desire to learn, and the child will want to practice and learn.

When the child want to practice, there will be more practice; thus he develops the habit of practicing

When habits are developed that lead to repeated actions, skill is developed.

When skill is developed, the activity becomes easy and effortless.

When the activity becomes effortless, the child will enjoy the activity and feel pleasure in doing it.

When the child begins to value the activity to do the activity, he will consciously or unconsciously assume some responsibility and feel a certain obligation about the activity

When a child can acknowledge that he feels responsibility and obligation and those words are connected to actions in a given activity, we say he is becoming disciplined in that activity. Most people are not disciplined in a total sense; rather we learn to be disciplined in one activity after the other starting with those thinks we enjoy most. Parents hold the key to a child’s discipline. Discipline is a key ingredient of any successful endeavor, and the study of an instrument can serve as a vehicle through which a child can learn the ability to be disciplined.

The Ability to Persevere The seventh ability that children can develop from Suzuki study is the ability to persevere. Children naturally like to succeed and conquer difficult situations. Children also like to please the parent and teacher. The combination of these two important and significant facts offer a real opportunity within a Suzuki experience for a parent to help a child learn how to preserve. If we can help them through the discouraging and frustrating times with good humor and affection, we can help them develop their ability to not give up, but forge ahead and try again. What great ability to have as you go through life! Suzuki says, “Teaching intonation and technique will never be more than a method. We do not have to become professional musicians. It is enough to grow up playing the violin. Because as a person works at playing the violin well he develops the ability (talent) to overcome any difficult problems by working, then he accomplishes the ability to overcome even the hardest problems (in life) easily.”³

The Ability of the Heart There is one last area of ability development that Suzuki writes a lot about. It is the development of the abilities of the heart. These talents or abilities are much less concrete, much more ambiguous and probably sometimes less understood, but I find them no less a valuable reason for studying the Suzuki Method. Let’s examine these abilities of the heart Suzuki talks about and see what he means exactly.
Suzuki says that “Music (instruction) exists for the purpose of growing an admirable heart.” He says “a child raised on Bach from a young age will develop the noble soul, powerful personality and the religious sensitivity of Bach. The force that make a child want to live and survive (the life force as Suzuki calls it) will absorb the traits of Bach’s music to a high degree.”⁴
Help your child raise his playing ability to a high level and in the process you will see him develop all kinds of other important abilities also.

References

“Musical Performance,” Daniel Kohut, Stripes Publishing Co.,10-12 Chester St., Champaign, Illinois 61820, p.6

“Shinichi Suzuki Daily Calendar,” by Jacquelyn Z. Corina

“Ability Development From Age Zero,” Shinichi Suzuki, Ability Development Associates, Inc., Athens, Ohio, p. 67

“Ability Development From Age Zero,”, p. 40