169 TSP The Summer Challenge

Summer breaks and vacations present challenges that differ from the rest of the year. Today I look at three ideas that have been successful in my studio at guiding my students and studio parents to practice more without complaint.

I mentioned a few resources related to the summer challenge and the summer daze:

Episode 62: The Summer Daze Challenge

Episode 9: 100 Things to do in the Summer

100 Things to do in Summer (printable)

100 Day Practice Challenge (printable)

How to Encourage the Teach Suzuki Blog and Podcast

Contact Me

I really enjoy hearing from my readers and listeners. If you have a question, a comment, a suggestion, or an idea for future articles and podcast episodes, please consider contacting me. You can find me by email (paula@teachsuzuki.com) or find me on Facebook (Teach Suzuki).

Leave a Review

Many listeners ask how they can support the podcast. If you are a fan of the podcast, you can help to support it by leaving a rating and review. Here is how to review the podcast:

  1. Launch Apple’s Podcast app.
  2. Tap the “search” tab, enter “Teach Suzuki,” tap the blue Search button, and you will pull up the podcast.
  3. Tap on the album art for the podcast.
  4. Scroll down to the “write a review” link, and leave a rating and a review.
  5. That is how easy it is!
Buy The Twinkle Project

You can also support the blog and podcast by making a purchase of The Twinkle Project, which is my book to help teachers and parents of young violin beginners. This book takes teachers and parents through all of the steps to teach a complete violin beginner all the way through the “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” variations and begin the next steps to learn “Lightly Row.” Included in the book are many forms and checklists to guide teachers and parents through the progression of steps to learn this important initial stage to play the violin.

The Twinkle Project

Episode 54, The Twinkle Project

If you have questions or answers or you would like to comment or leave me a voice mail, you can do so at (512) 537-6356. If you would like to send me an email, you may do so at paula@teachsuzuki.com. I welcome comments and questions about this episode and am interested in hearing about the perspective of other parents and teachers.

You may find more information and useful articles on my blog at: Teach Suzuki Blog.

Until next time,

Happy Practicing! Watch how you practice, and practice accurately!

—– Paula —–

© 2019 by Paula E. Bird

Join the Teach Suzuki Community!

If you would like to make a donation to support the Teach Suzuki Podcast and the blog, click here to donate.

168 TSP So What?

What do you do when a student or a parent comes into your teaching studio with a set of excuses for why they did not practice enough or at all? Have you tried, “so what?”

How to Encourage the Teach Suzuki Blog and Podcast

Contact Me

I really enjoy hearing from my readers and listeners. If you have a question, a comment, a suggestion, or an idea for future articles and podcast episodes, please consider contacting me. You can find me by email (paula@teachsuzuki.com) or find me on Facebook (Teach Suzuki).

Leave a Review

Many listeners ask how they can support the podcast. If you are a fan of the podcast, you can help to support it by leaving a rating and review. Here is how to review the podcast:

  1. Launch Apple’s Podcast app.
  2. Tap the “search” tab, enter “Teach Suzuki,” tap the blue Search button, and you will pull up the podcast.
  3. Tap on the album art for the podcast.
  4. Scroll down to the “write a review” link, and leave a rating and a review.
  5. That is how easy it is!
Buy The Twinkle Project

You can also support the blog and podcast by making a purchase of The Twinkle Project, which is my book to help teachers and parents of young violin beginners. This book takes teachers and parents through all of the steps to teach a complete violin beginner all the way through the “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” variations and begin the next steps to learn “Lightly Row.” Included in the book are many forms and checklists to guide teachers and parents through the progression of steps to learn this important initial stage to play the violin.

The Twinkle Project

Episode 54, The Twinkle Project

If you have questions or answers or you would like to comment or leave me a voice mail, you can do so at (512) 537-6356. If you would like to send me an email, you may do so at paula@teachsuzuki.com. I welcome comments and questions about this episode and am interested in hearing about the perspective of other parents and teachers.

You may find more information and useful articles on my blog at: Teach Suzuki Blog.

Until next time,

Happy Practicing! Watch how you practice, and practice accurately!

—– Paula —–

© 2019 by Paula E. Bird

Join the Teach Suzuki Community!

If you would like to make a donation to support the Teach Suzuki Podcast and the blog, click here to donate.

167 TSP Solvable Problems

We all have problems and today’s episode offers five strategies to solve any problem.

Monthly Focus: Habits

This month’s focus or theme is to take a closer look at our habits. Let us focus on what our actual daily habits are and what we can do to improve these habits and routines, and let us whittle away anything we do habitually that does not serve us in the pursuit of mastery and excellence. Today’s episode discussed five strategies to solve problems, and implementing these strategies may involve changing a current habit.

How to Encourage the Teach Suzuki Blog and Podcast

Contact Me

I really enjoy hearing from my readers and listeners. If you have a question, a comment, a suggestion, or an idea for future articles and podcast episodes, please consider contacting me. You can find me by email (paula@teachsuzuki.com) or find me on Facebook (Teach Suzuki).

Leave a Review

Many listeners ask how they can support the podcast. If you are a fan of the podcast, you can help to support it by leaving a rating and review. Here is how to review the podcast:

  1. Launch Apple’s Podcast app.
  2. Tap the “search” tab, enter “Teach Suzuki,” tap the blue Search button, and you will pull up the podcast.
  3. Tap on the album art for the podcast.
  4. Scroll down to the “write a review” link, and leave a rating and a review.
  5. That is how easy it is!
Buy The Twinkle Project

You can also support the blog and podcast by making a purchase of The Twinkle Project, which is my book to help teachers and parents of young violin beginners. This book takes teachers and parents through all of the steps to teach a complete violin beginner all the way through the “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” variations and begin the next steps to learn “Lightly Row.” Included in the book are many forms and checklists to guide teachers and parents through the progression of steps to learn this important initial stage to play the violin.

The Twinkle Project

Episode 54, The Twinkle Project

If you have questions or answers or you would like to comment or leave me a voice mail, you can do so at (512) 537-6356. If you would like to send me an email, you may do so at paula@teachsuzuki.com. I welcome comments and questions about this episode and am interested in hearing about the perspective of other parents and teachers.

You may find more information and useful articles on my blog at: Teach Suzuki Blog.

Until next time,

Happy Practicing! Watch how you practice, and practice accurately!

—– Paula —–

© 2019 by Paula E. Bird

Join the Teach Suzuki Community!

If you would like to make a donation to support the Teach Suzuki Podcast and the blog, click here to donate.

166 TSP Practice Small, Practice Deep | Mastery

I think everyone should spend time in the “learning mode” in order to remember that the main road to skill mastery and ability development is filled with opportunities to practice small and practice deep by how we choose to build our habits.

I talked of two books that contain useful information about this subject area. I highly recommend both books; I read a lot of useful information about habit building and skill development.

Daniel Coyle’s The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills

James Clear’s Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

Here is another episode that discusses the value of learning another skill, such as juggling, and how this can positively impact practice issues. Here is a link to that episode: Reduce Friction and Take Up Juggling | Parents Who Practice (podcast episode 75).

Monthly Focus: Habits

This month’s focus or theme is to take a closer look at our habits. Let us focus on what our actual daily habits are and what we can do to improve these habits and routines, and let us whittle away anything we do habitually that does not serve us in the pursuit of mastery and excellence.

How to Encourage the Teach Suzuki Blog and Podcast

Contact Me

I really enjoy hearing from my readers and listeners. If you have a question, a comment, a suggestion, or an idea for future articles and podcast episodes, please consider contacting me. You can find me by email (paula@teachsuzuki.com) or find me on Facebook (Teach Suzuki).

Leave a Review

Many listeners ask how they can support the podcast. If you are a fan of the podcast, you can help to support it by leaving a rating and review. Here is how to review the podcast:

  1. Launch Apple’s Podcast app.
  2. Tap the “search” tab, enter “Teach Suzuki,” tap the blue Search button, and you will pull up the podcast.
  3. Tap on the album art for the podcast.
  4. Scroll down to the “write a review” link, and leave a rating and a review.
  5. That is how easy it is!
Buy The Twinkle Project

You can also support the blog and podcast by making a purchase of The Twinkle Project, which is my book to help teachers and parents of young violin beginners. This book takes teachers and parents through all of the steps to teach a complete violin beginner all the way through the “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” variations and begin the next steps to learn “Lightly Row.” Included in the book are many forms and checklists to guide teachers and parents through the progression of steps to learn this important initial stage to play the violin.

The Twinkle Project

Episode 54, The Twinkle Project

If you have questions or answers or you would like to comment or leave me a voice mail, you can do so at (512) 537-6356. If you would like to send me an email, you may do so at paula@teachsuzuki.com. I welcome comments and questions about this episode and am interested in hearing about the perspective of other parents and teachers.

You may find more information and useful articles on my blog at: Teach Suzuki Blog.

Until next time,

Happy Practicing! Watch how you practice, and practice accurately!

—– Paula —–

© 2019 by Paula E. Bird

Join the Teach Suzuki Community!

If you would like to make a donation to support the Teach Suzuki Podcast and the blog, click here to donate.

165 TSP Practice Woes

Many teachers, parents, and students struggle with practice issues: lack of desire, lack of time, or lack of know-how. The practice struggle can be easily altered by a change in perspective and renewed commitment to take action in a different direction.

Here is another episode that discusses the value of learning another skill, such as juggling, and how this can positively impact practice issues. Here is a link to that episode: Reduce Friction and Take Up Juggling | Parents Who Practice (podcast episode 75).

Monthly Focus: IDEAS COMPENDIUM

For this month’s focus or theme, we put our attention on building an “ideas compendium.” Previous weekly missions identified teacher struggles with students’ parents and with students. Future weekly missions will look at practice and scheduling woes. Next week we will consider scheduling problems.

How to Encourage the Teach Suzuki Blog and Podcast

Contact Me

I really enjoy hearing from my readers and listeners. If you have a question, a comment, a suggestion, or an idea for future articles and podcast episodes, please consider contacting me. You can find me by email (paula@teachsuzuki.com) or find me on Facebook (Teach Suzuki).

Leave a Review

Many listeners ask how they can support the podcast. If you are a fan of the podcast, you can help to support it by leaving a rating and review. Here is how to review the podcast:

  1. Launch Apple’s Podcast app.
  2. Tap the “search” tab, enter “Teach Suzuki,” tap the blue Search button, and you will pull up the podcast.
  3. Tap on the album art for the podcast.
  4. Scroll down to the “write a review” link, and leave a rating and a review.
  5. That is how easy it is!
Buy The Twinkle Project

You can also support the blog and podcast by making a purchase of The Twinkle Project, which is my book to help teachers and parents of young violin beginners. This book takes teachers and parents through all of the steps to teach a complete violin beginner all the way through the “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” variations and begin the next steps to learn “Lightly Row.” Included in the book are many forms and checklists to guide teachers and parents through the progression of steps to learn this important initial stage to play the violin.

The Twinkle Project

Episode 54, The Twinkle Project

If you have questions or answers or you would like to comment or leave me a voice mail, you can do so at (512) 537-6356. If you would like to send me an email, you may do so at paula@teachsuzuki.com. I welcome comments and questions about this episode and am interested in hearing about the perspective of other parents and teachers.

You may find more information and useful articles on my blog at: Teach Suzuki Blog.

Until next time,

Happy Practicing! Watch how you practice, and practice accurately!

—– Paula —–

© 2019 by Paula E. Bird

Join the Teach Suzuki Community!

If you would like to make a donation to support the Teach Suzuki Podcast and the blog, click here to donate.