“To make a resolution and act accordingly is to live with hope. There may be difficulties and hardships, but not disappointment or despair if you follow the path steadily. Do not hurry. This is a fundamental rule. If you hurry and collapse or tumble down, nothing is achieved. Do not rest in your efforts; this is another fundamental rule. Without stopping, without haste, carefully taking a step at a time forward will surely get you there.” Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured By Love

In oder to further explore aspects of body-being I recently joined a Tai Chi class at our local martial arts school.

At my first class on Friday I began as complete beginner— and brought my friend, Jeremy, who was also a novice along for the ride. We both had some understanding of Daoist philosophy and Yoga, but not much.

We were greeted by our teacher Anthony who is an avid studier of Asian healing arts and practitioner of Aikido, Yang style Tai Ji Quan, and Qi Gong. His wry sense of humor and depth of knowledge colored his instruction, which was grounded foremost in graceful demonstrations of the form.

In an hour long session with a handful of other practitioners, Anthony guided us through four moves. Four!

Growing up in the Suzuki Method and relatively unfamiliar with activities involving choreographed body movement (I didn’t do cheerleading or dance growing up), I was content to polish these four basic moves for the entire hour. Jeremy, however, was anxious to learn more.

“I think we have these down. What is the next step?!” my friend asked.

Another classmate, one who had obviously been studying Tai Chi for many years, looked over at Jeremy. The wise student said with a smile, “Don’t worry, Jeremy, you are right on schedule.”

What a powerful statement!

Meaning of “Right on Schedule”

I sensed from the way the line was delivered, that our classmate’s comment had many meanings.

Jeremy, “right on schedule,” meant…

• he had learned exactly what he could on the first day (no more, no less)
• the way he was learning was “normal”
• there is a “schedule,” or implicit plan for how the learning process works
• everyone else on this path feels this way at this time
• the impatience Jeremy experienced was also normal and timed exactly right

This line is a beautiful response to impatience in the violin lesson; at once it affirms a student’s actions, reassures their feelings about their place in the process, and reminds them to trust in the process itself.

To be impatient is unnecessary, but to be impatient is also exactly what is normal at this place in the practice.

How better to respond to an anxious pre-twinkle parent or a restless fifth-grader, navigating the Seitz concertos but ready for Vivaldi, than, “Don’t worry– you’re right on schedule!”?

Pushy Parent/Student Syndrome Is Real

One of the genius aspects of the Suzuki approach — the common sequential repertoire — can mistakenly be interpreted as a linear developmental track. What the teacher sees as a nuanced, three dimensional process of evolution the novice parent and student will interpret as a straight line. Desiring only to work hard and do their best, parents and students will want to push each other (and you) through the pieces of repertoire as quickly as possible.

It is “right on schedule” for them to want to do this.

However in order to keep them from turning upside down (which is only natural for them to want to do), you must remind them the feelings they have are valid but superfluous to the real work that is happening. The “schedule” which you, the teacher, are intimately familiar with, guides the student to mastery at the right place and the right time.

Statement in Context

Take, for example, a parent and student duo in their very first lesson. Excited to begin their journey with the violin the parent and student might have visions of returning home to practice for the first week with a song already learned. In the first lesson, of course, you know a hugely successful lesson might only involve making a foot chart, playing a focus game, and learning how to bow. When the parent and student’s linear expectations don’t align with reality, they are bound to feel impatient. Their impatience on the first day is “right on schedule.” Not only is their making a foot chart, playing a focus game, and learning how to bow happening on exactly the right day at the right time, but their feeling it isn’t enough is also on the right day at the right time. That doesn’t mean they should push forward — you know that wouldn’t be in their best, “scheduled,” interest — it means they are right where they should be.

Another example is a young girl in middle school who has just grown into self-consciousness. Where the stage had previously been an innocent playground and effortless performance came easily, she now struggles to even step on stage. It is important for her to know that this feeling is “right on schedule.” Many students feel this way as they move through this time of development. She also must be informed that this is merely an aspect of her developing musicianship. One must learn how to move through self-consciousness on the stage and this is the time in the “schedule for her.”

These are just a few examples, but I hope from them you can see how far reaching the statement “right on schedule” is.

I now use the phrase often, and invite you to do the same.

Students and parents need to trust the schedule and me, the keeper of the schedule, in order to take daily steps toward mastery.