The School for Strings’ Teacher Training Program offers Suzuki-based pedagogy Seminars in violin, cello and piano. Seminars are organized as two-year courses. First year Seminars meet for two hours a week for an in-depth discussion of the Suzuki philosophy and approach and conduct an intensive investigation of the performance and teaching points of the Suzuki materials in books I through III. In addition to weekly discussions, Seminar members spend a minimum of two hours per week observing lessons and classes in the School.
In the second year, Violin and Cello Seminars cover materials in books IV through VIII and Piano Seminar in books IV through VII. Additionally, Seminar members become faculty in The School for Strings’ Start-Up Program where they give lessons and rotate leading group-playing classes. This teaching is closely supervised and evaluated by the instructor of the Seminar.
In both years, and at the discretion of the Teacher Trainer, papers and reports are assigned. Written assignments may include summary of Suzuki philosophy, explanation of the Suzuki approach and analysis of the teaching points in the Suzuki materials. Reports may also be assigned on publications by pedagogues and performers other than Shinichi Suzuki to supplement and broaden the scope of the course.
The School for Strings’ Teacher Training Program has been approved by the Suzuki Association of the Americas as a Long-Term Teacher Training Program. Students who successfully complete the two-year course are registered with the Association as teachers who have fulfilled the Association’s training requirements. The School for Strings itself issues each graduate a Letter of Recommendation.
First year Seminars are offered as a graduate-level elective course at The Juilliard School.
For more information about the Teacher Training Program, contact us at sfs_info@schoolforstrings.org
