I’m finishing up my second week of teacher training at the Ithaca Suzuki Institute. Christie Felsing assigned us the task of drafting a five minute, imagined conversation with a potential new family. We were to enough information about ourselves, our studio, and the Suzuki Method to encourage enrollment without overwhelming the parent. This is the conversation I submitted.
In this scenario I’m imagining I have a medium sized private studio which I grew myself. A few close colleagues in the area who are also Suzuki teachers and I founded a Suzuki school which rents studio space in a local community center. The school just turned three years old and offers violin instruction from the age of three through high school.
I received this email via the contact form on my website.
Hello Ms. Drake,
A student in my daughter’s pre-school class did a show and tell presentation on their violin. Inspired by the performance, my daughter and I are both interested in signing her up for lessons.
When and where do you teach? How much do you charge?
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Sincerely,
Amy
And I responded with…
Hi Amy,
I’m so happy you and your daughter are interested in starting violin lessons!
I teach using the philosophy and principles of the Suzuki Method as applied to violin instruction. The method is built on a foundation of daily parent involvement, weekly lessons and group classes, and a commitment to fostering a rich musical environment at home.
I take new students at the beginning of each fall and spring, and ask those interested to observe four classes and meet with me in person for a tour of the school to make sure our school is the right fit for your family.
If you would like to take next steps please send three times you are available to have a five minute introductory conversation. We can briefly discuss your musical background, the tenants of the method, and the specifics of our program.
Best,
Kathryn
Amy and I scheduled a phone call for later in the week. The phone conversation proceeded this way…
Kathryn: Hi Amy, this is Kathryn Drake. How are you doing?
Amy: Well, thank you!
K: Great! I’m so glad to be able to talk to you on phone and not just by email. How did you find out about our program?
A: As I mentioned, a student in my daughter’s class performed on violin at their show and tell. I’d never seen a person play a musical instrument that young. Her mom said she was taking Suzuki lessons, so I searched for Suzuki teachers in our city and your website was listed. I know very little about the method, though…
K: I see. Well let’s start with a quick description of our approach. The Suzuki Method was developed by Shinichi Suzuki, a Japanese educator, violinist and humanitarian, following World War II. He observed that nearly all Japanese children learn to speak nuanced dialects of Japanese effortlessly at a very early age, and applied aspects of language learning to learning a musical instrument. We emphasize starting on the instrument as early as three years old, setting up an environment at home that is positive and full of music, allowing the parent to be the home teacher, learning by ear before reading, and constantly reviewing what was previously learned in order to keep growing. Suzuki believed, as I do, that every child can learn to play the violin beautifully if they have the right environment. And beyond just playing the instrument, he believed that allowing students to come in contact with beauty, artistry, daily deep work, and an inclusive environment would cultivate their inherent nobility.
A: Wow, interesting. So do I need to know how to play violin to make it work?
K: No, not at all. In fact, many of the parents in our studio didn’t play an instrument growing up. The first month of lessons is dedicated to parent education where I would provide you and the other beginning parents with all the information you need to start lessons. During parent ed you would learn about the instrument and how to practice in the lesson with me and by observing other lessons and group classes. Can I ask what your family’s background with music is?
A: Well I played clarinet in fifth grade and then quit, haha. My partner is a total athlete–so has experience with practice and discipline but doesn’t know anything about music. We took Josephine to a baby class with some folk song singing, but that is really it. Did your family all play violin?
K: My mother and I began lessons together when I was four, but she and the rest of my family didn’t have any prior experience with stringed instruments. I am so grateful for the time, energy and attention she poured into my experience with the violin. The method is organized around what many teachers call the Suzuki Triangle. The idea is that the parent, teacher, and student each make up a point of an equilateral triangle. Each of the points is equally important, and the legs between each point is equally important. The relationship between teacher and student is equally as important as the relationship between parent and student– as well as parent to teacher. This is quite different than most traditional methods, and probably what you experienced in your clarinet lessons. We depend on parent participation, and the teacher is no more important than parent or student.
A: Okay. So how often would we have lessons, and how long would they last?
K: If you enroll in our school, you will begin to implement four components of the method into your daily life. The first is private lessons with me once a week for 30 minutes. The second is group instruction for the whole class of beginners, which happens on Saturdays at 9am. Third is daily home practice. Ideally by the end of your first year you would up to practicing 20-30 minutes daily WITH your daughter. And finally, you would work to craft a rich musical experience for your daughter in all of the time outside of the lesson. Just as Josephine is constantly surrounded by English as she learns the language, you want to constantly surround her with violin recordings, take her to live concerts, and be careful to use positive language around practice and lessons. It sounds like a lot of work, and honestly it is, but I can imagine few better ways to spend quality time every single day with your daughter. Unlike school and many other “extra-curricular” activities, you will actually be present as she delights in discoveries, hones astounding skills, and finds her creative voice on the instrument.
A: This sounds like a great opportunity! I need to discuss the potential changes to our life with my partner, but what would the next steps be?
K: Great. We’ll need to schedule a tour of the school so I can meet you and Josephine in person. I will also send you my teaching schedule so you can pick out four lessons to observe. Once we’ve met and you’ve completed the observations I’ll add you to the waitlist for the fall. Depending on availability we will send you an invitation to join us!
A: Sounds good.
K: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat. I’ll send you this information via email. Do you have any other questions?
A: Not right now, but I’ll let you know if I do.
K: Okay, take care!
A: Have a good afternoon!
Of course, I never expect to read a script word for word like this on the phone. However working through the exercise required necessary brainstorming on what a parent would want to know and the ways I know how to answer those questions. It clarified my process for guiding new families to enrollment, and gave me the freedom to tweak and revise what I would say for flow and conciseness.
I encourage you to devote time to this exercise, especially since conversations like these will be the first impression incoming families have of your studio!
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