| Description |
Shinichi Suzuki is known throughout the world for his method of teaching music to small children. The philosophy of Suzuki centers around the idea of communal learning. A child's learning experience is shared by adults who can mentor them in an environment conducive to learning. According to Suzuki, learning is becoming part of a culture through immersion, participation, imitation, and practice. Although the base of Suzuki's method is music, many parallels exist between the ideas of Suzuki and the structure of the public school system. The author asserts that the two worlds can be merged and method to create one. The philosophy of Suzuki can be used as a model around which to build a curriculum and set up the environment of an elementary school classroom. After reading and studying the philosophy of Suzuki, the author has determined seven overlapping premises upon which is beliefs are founded. The author believes that these seven points are particularly critical to the analysis of educational practices in the context of Suzuki's ideas. The seven premises include: 1. The way a child learns is patterned after the way a child learns to speak his or her mother tongue. 2. Any child can learn; the earlier the training the better. 3. Ability is not inborn; everything a child learns is due to his environment. 4. Parental involvement is of utmost importance in training the ability of a child. 5. The character of a child must be trained as well as the talent of the individual. 6. Practice and repetition in small steps allows memory to become enhanced. 7. Positive reinforcement and and an enjoyable learning atmosphere allow children to learn effectively and enthusiastically. This paper offers an in-depth analysis of Suzuki's philosophy of learning, followed by projection of how Suzuki's ideas connect to educational practices in an elementary school classroom. Drawing on these seven premises of Suzuki's philosophy, the author presents an image of a Suzuki-based classroom. |
