Raise Your Ability. . .

. . . with a piece you can play.  This is a famous Dr. Suzuki quote.  It refers to the cornerstone emphasis on review in the Suzuki Method.

News flash! It works.

Kids who review their past repertoire everyday play really, really well.

Period.

Two-thirds of the child's daily practice should be on pieces that he can already play.  This affords him the ability to add dynamics, correct tempo, increased accuracy, sophisticated phrasing . . . etc. etc.

Kids who review are comfortable at the piano.

I'm increasingly convinced of the value of review in other areas of life as well--for instance, math and language.  When we rush ahead in math we may get to the next level faster and impress the fellow PTA members with how advanced our kid is, but if she doesn't really get it, sooner or later she will crash.  Ditto for the foreign language.  This explains how I could take three years of high school and one year of college French and yet arrive at the Paris Cafe unable to order and pay for a cup of coffee. When we learn our OWN language we repeat and internalize EVERYTHING year after year.  Kids that are comfortable with math didn't forget the addition facts when they went on to division.  They KNOW it.

So, parents, as you get ready to come back to lessons, ask your child to play all her pieces. Not mindlessly, but with a central focus, for example, today let's play all the pieces with your feet very flat or with very nice balance--of course depending on where the child is at.  Don't get stuck on fixing everything.  Just play the songs and look for one thing to think about.  Have faith.  Have fun!

Use charts, games, or. . . dig out my flash cards for books 1 and 2.

Teachers. . . here's the other news flash: the students will only review when we ask to hear the pieces every week.  This is my goal this fall, to hear every song at every lesson. Yes, this means less time for the new piece. But the payoff is extraordinary.  And. . not to worry. . as ability grows. . . you will spend less time fixing things and be able to learn things correctly the first time. I promise you will make even more efficient progress.  Good luck.  Get busy.

See you Monday. . .