Why is parent participation required at ASSI?
One of Dr. Suzuki’s famous quotes is “Man is the Son of his Environment”. It was this belief, that the environment shapes the individual, which led him to develop the method that we now know as the Suzuki method. He believed that talent was something that was learned, developed and nurtured, not something that was purely genetic; and that an environment that supported and nurtured this development was crucial to its development.
The individual learning experience of each student is created in the Suzuki triangle of student, parent and teacher. The parent and teacher create the learning environment in the private lesson and the parent takes that home to create the personal learning environment in the home. In this environment the talent of the student is developed and nurtured.
One of the unique aspects of Suzuki music education is the social interaction within the learning community. ASSI provides a special learning community created in the social triangle of students, parents and teachers. We believe that this larger supportive environment is a crucial part of the developing and nurturing of student talent.
Parents are valued as a key element in the creation of this special environment. ASSI does not provide supervision since parents are expected to be part of the Institute environment.
In order to provide consistency in the environment and continuity between lessons and home practice it is best to have the same parent attend weekly lessons and practice with the student at home. Special events such as the Alberta Summer Suzuki Institute provide opportunities for the other parent, or even an interested grandparent, aunt or uncle to become the Suzuki parent for the week and enjoy participating in creating our special ASSI learning community.
If you are unable to attend all of the days of ASSI 2024 with your child, please speak to your private teacher to see if there is another family in your teacher’s studio you may share parenting with. For example: you may take your child and their child on Monday and Tuesday, and the other family will take your child on Thursday and Friday. If you let ASSI 2024 know of this arrangement by email at albertasuzukiinstitute@gmail.com we will do our best to make it possible in the students’ daily schedules.