Category: Podcast Episodes

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In today’s episode, I discuss a helpful technique that I call, “the foreseeable future.” When planning the action steps to complete our projects, this technique will help to keep our focus on the next few action steps in order to muster our discipline and energy forces to complete the work. This idea may also apply to the teaching arena to help parents understand the teaching process and how the pieces will fit together in the end.

How to Support the Teach Suzuki Blog and Podcast

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Today’s episode briefly visits three subject areas: making connections, reframing language, and Suzuki Triangle goals. The episode discusses each of these three areas and offers examples and suggestions for improving our teaching and parenting relationships.

Making Connections

Often we interpret the behavior of others as an annoyance, an interruption, or an interference with something we are working to accomplish. We might achieve better results if we think of the behavior as an expression of the need to make a connection. Today’s episode discusses examples of how we can interpret things differently to achieve more successful connections in our relationships, whether it is parent with parent, parent with child, teacher with parent, or teacher with child.

Reframing Language

Many of us find it so easy to express complaints or criticism or to offer critiques or advice. We may be masters of negativity when it comes to our self-talk and the talk we direct at others. Instead, we might improve our relationships if we were to reframe our language choices into more positive expressions. Today’s episode discusses ways to do this reframing.

Suzuki Triangle Goals

Goal setting can be done early and often. Today’s episode talks about two different ideas from teachers about setting goals in the teaching studio. One idea is a type of “goal board” that resembles a vision board. Another idea is to create goals that address all the viewpoints and goals of each member of the Suzuki Triangle: the child, the parent, and the teacher.

How to Support the Teach Suzuki Blog and Podcast

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Wait For It, Work For It

One important skill set we should learn and master in order to navigate life successfully, is the ability to “wait for it” and “work for it.” Even if you are a child, a parent, or a teacher, there are many opportunities to learn and strengthen this skill. This episode discusses some of those opportunities from each perspective and suggests some ways to approach this learning task.

Teaching and Practicing Resources

I mentioned the fun my students had using small animal erasers by Iwako. This is an associate link, which means that if you click on it to purchase this item, you might provide the podcast and blog with a small benefit at no additional cost to you. If you click on the picture, you will be directed to a picture that shows the animal erasers in greater detail. My students love to work for these little animal erasers as a reward!

Iwako Animal Erasers (assortment)

How to Support the Podcast & Blog

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

During a recent lesson, I discussed with a university student how to “find your mark,” what it means to “find your mark,” and also how this simple skill can relate to other areas of life. Today’s episode looks at some other general applications of this skill of finding your mark and relates it to the teaching arena, whether home or studio.

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Noise seems to fill our environment and distract us from our purpose and path. What are some distractions we face and how can we be more effective about handling them?

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

At a recent meeting with other teachers, a colleague raised the question of whether we teachers were making things too easy for teachers, parents, or students to choose not to participate. I thought this was an important idea to consider in more depth. Are we making it too easy for our fellow teachers, parents, or students to be unengaged or uninvolved?

This episode explores the motivation for teachers or parents to choose to make things too easy. What can teachers and parents do to change this default position so everyone can be more engaged and involved in the learning process? For teachers, this concept will also relate to how we can be more engaged in the community building and sharing process.

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Attitude is perhaps one of the greatest tools we have to affect our lives — positive or negative. The Charles Dickens character Ebeneezer Scrooge described his former employer, Mr. Fezziwig, as someone who had “the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” This was an employer with an attitude that lightened his employee’s labor.

But what is attitude? Where does it come from? Can we change it? Dr. Suzuki had an attitude about his own personal talent. “I was not born with enough talent to become great,” he wrote in the preface to his book, Ability Development From Age Zero. By the time Dr. Suzuki finished this paragraph, he was able to write, “[T]oday I can say, ‘Talent is not inborn.'”

How did Dr. Suzuki change his attitude from one end of the spectrum of fatal negativity to the other end of  life-giving positivity? This episode explores the importance of attitude in our lives and discusses the importance of self reflection to keep us mindful about our attitude choices.

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Today’s episode explores the phenomenon of the swirling carousel and the problems that arise when we crank up the carousel. Come listen and explore some solutions to this perpetual problem of loose pieces that begin to fly off the carousel once we crank the merry-go-round handle.

In this episode I mentioned some tools that I use to solve the swirling carousel problem. If you would like to try these same tools, here are links to the items that I use. Of course, you never need to purchase anything, but if you decide to make a purchase, please consider using these links here, as they will provide a small benefit to the podcast and blog at no additional cost to you.

artist’s sketchbooks, 5.5 x 8.5: This page shows a variety of these sketchbooks. I find this tool to be my most useful. I have one in almost every room of my life!

My bullet journal (dotted). I use a new one every year, and for really busy years, I use more than one. My favorite tool! Here is an episode that explains how to use it:  The Bullet Journal and Other Tools.

I use Frixion erasable pens, because I do not like smeary pencil markings in my bullet journal. I prefer these pens because of the color possibilities. I buy ink refills for my favorites (light blue, pink, dark blue , and green). I use the black pens for the office.

Flylady Website: if you are interested in finding a workable system to keep your house clean enough to invite visitors, check out this website!

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This episode looks at the importance of trust in the Suzuki Triangle. How does trust affect the teacher-parent-student relationship? What impact can trust or the lack of trust in these relationships have on the quality of learning in the lesson?

This is the final week for my special summer discount I to purchase my book, The Twinkle Project. From now until August 31, 2018, I am offering a 25% discount on the book for my listeners and anyone who is interested in purchasing the book. Click Summer25 to link to the sales page (the 25% discount will automatically apply on the final order page), or visit the Teach Suzuki Store and enter “Summer25” at the time of checkout.

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Today’s episode looks at the thorny issue for teachers of makeup lessons. How do we busy teachers explain to parents how difficult the issue of offering makeup lessons can be? This episode offers an opinion from an economist’s point of view. Dr. Victoria Barham is on the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Ottawa (Canada), currently serving as the Vice-Dean of Undergraduate Studies. Thank you, Dr. Barham, for allowing Teach Suzuki to share your economist views about makeup lessons!

I am offering a special discount to purchase my book, The Twinkle Project. From now until August 31, 2018, I am offering a 25% discount on the book for my listeners and anyone who is interested in purchasing the book. Click Summer25 to link to the sales page (the 25% discount will automatically apply on the final order page), or visit the Teach Suzuki Store and enter “Summer25” at the time of checkout.

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!

—– Paula —–

© 2018 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.