Revisiting Unit 1

Course Description


The Revisiting Unit 1 course is designed for teachers who have registered a minimum of Unit 1 and have at least one year of Suzuki teaching experience. It aims to strengthen and update one’s teaching by approaching the repertoire and its concepts from a fresh
perspective. Discussions cover the foundation of Book 1, including application of the Suzuki philosophy, teaching points, layering of skills, addressing challenges of the beginning student, and more. Format of the course includes lecture, small group discussion, student observation, possible role-playing, and playing demonstration of the teaching points and concepts. Participants will receive an online questionnaire from the SAA, to be completed prior to the start of the course.

Entrance Requirements
Suzuki teachers who have completed/registered ECC! and Unit 1 (or 1A and 1B) and have taught at least one year are eligible to take the course in their instrument area.

Guidelines for offering Revisiting Unit One:


Setting up the Course

  • 15 hours of class time; 3 hours of observations
  • Maximum of 15 participants; suggested minimum of 3 participants
  • No auditors
  • Format: Courses must be a minimum of three days with no more than 6 hours per day, and may be offered at institutes, workshops, home studios, or other venues. Institutes may offer the course over 3-5 days within, before, or after the main institute events. Workshops and/or home studio courses may offer the course on consecutive days or spread out over a longer period of time.
  • Responses from the SAA pre-course questionnaire will assist the Trainer in planning the course. The Trainer is encouraged to contact participants in advance with any additional information or expectations.
  • Teacher Workshop Participants may not take Revisiting Unit One at the same time as another Unit course.
  • Revisiting format may only be offered for Unit One.
  • Teacher Trainers are expected to accumulate experience teaching Book 1 units prior to teaching this more concentrated course.

Registration

The current SAA registration fee is required for each participant to register the course. 100% attendance is necessary for such registration.

Course Content includes, but is not limited to, the following

  • Teaching points of the repertoire based on each instrument’s syllabus
  • Topics selected from individual instrument’s syllabus
  • Pre-Twinkle lessons
  • Group lessons
  • Suzuki Philosophy/ECC! concepts
  • Parent Education: orienting the parent of the Book One student from the beginning of the student’s study
  • Concept of focused or one-point teaching segment
  • Instrument-specific topics

Structuring of Observations (3 hours required)

  • Discussion of the observations should be integrated into the 15 class hours.
  • Observations may be “live” and/or recorded lessons, reflecting a range within the book (e.g. Pre-Twinkle, mid-Book One, late Book One)
  • For variety, one of the following might be considered:
    • Book 1 group class
    • Book 1 performance recording (solo and/or group)
  • Suggestions for concepts to be demonstrated in observations include readiness for moving on to next piece, how a piece is learned, successful communication with a parent, effective and efficient home practice, working with students with learning
  • differences, following up from the previous lesson, lesson of a non-Suzuki transfer student