Practice Motivators, Repetition Games and How Daily Practice Can Make Your Life Easier!

Good luck everyone as we begin our first weeks of the Play Challenge!

All of the practice motivators and repetition games I am providing here are listed on my website www.amysviolinschool.com under the resources. Use the internet to search for even more ways to motivate practice at home!

Put on performances - for family members, stuffed animals, over skype or even record yourself playing!

Parade - parade around the house playing the twinkle variations, review songs or even newer pieces to test your abilities!

10x Challenge - complete a practice spot 10x in a row without any mistakes. Make a mistake and start over at 1. Watch how the spot gets easier and easier!

Play in different rooms around the house - does the sound of your violin change at all?

Take a step - play a practice chunk well and take a step forward (to a desired destination). Take a step back if played poorly.

6 things a day - pick 6 things everyday to do with the violin. Write them down with your child and check them off as you go. Make them small and concise.

Practice Candle - burn a candle every time you start to practice. Watch as it gets smaller and smaller each time you practice (the candles with little prizes inside can be fun!)

Beads! - string beads together for every repetition or task completed in practice!

Lego! - stick lego pieces together for every repetition or task completed in practice!

Puzzles - put puzzle pieces together for each repetition

Monopoly money - parent and child get same amount of money. If child plays well, they get to steal one piece of parents money. If they play poorly, parent gets to take one piece of child's money. Watch how your child is determined to not let you win all the money!

Why is it so important and expected in the Suzuki method to practice everyday?

Children feel comfort and stability in having a schedule and a routine. They know what to expect and what is expected of them and this makes them feel secure and confident. Having schedules in your family instills healthy lifestyle habits that will carry on into adulthood and establish a sense of responsibility early. It's all about providing the best education, experiences and learning environment for children.

By playing everyday, power struggles can be eliminated because the expectation has been developed. In turn, stress on your part can be reduced and you and your child will get better at practice because you do it so regularly. Your practice sessions will become more concise (shorter in fact!) because there will be no more trying to remember what teacher said at lesson which was two days earlier and you can get straight to the point. 

Practice is all about quality and not quantity. 10 minutes of focused practice can replace 20 minutes of unfocused practiced. Use practice motivators and games to capture the focus of your child. Practice daily so that you may learn to practice more efficiently, and therefore save more time in your busy lives for other things. 

Sound too good to be true? You can all do it! Call me anytime to discuss daily practice in your home!

Phase One: Suzuki Music Class - New Class Times!

The Phase One: Suzuki Music Class for Babies, Toddlers and Parents now has two available class times in North London!

Wednesdays from 9:30-10:30

&

Saturdays from 9:00-10:00

(times subject to change depending on class size)

In our Phase One: Baby and Toddler class, music is used as a vehicle to develop character in each and every child. This is possible through our belief that every child can learn and that every child has unlimited potential. 

Through the use of lullabies, action songs and rhymes, our one hour class develops numeracy, speech and literacy skills, as well as sharing, sensitivity, discipline, fine motor skills, confidence, and a strong bond between parent and child.

These skills will blossom through:
 - the constant nourishment of a positive environment provided by the parent in the home and the teacher during class
 - the observation and interaction of other children
 - encouragement from parents and teachers, 
  - and by allowing children to develop ability and success without pressure so that the learning process is done so with love and joy. 

Phase one is not just a music class. It is an opportunity to provide children with fundamental skills they will use in preschool, grade school, instrumental music lessons and essentially life.

Call NOW to reserve your spot!

226-234-6836

519-858-0547

amylewis5355@gmail.com

Visit www.suzukiece.com for more information.

Your 2013-2014 Violin Lesson Updates!

As much as I have enjoyed my summer as I hope all of you have as well, I am so excited to see everyone on a regular basis again and get working on some new stuff this year!

Can you spot the piper? 

Here are the updates for your 2013-2014 year of Violin Lessons! 

The first lessons and group classes start Monday September 9th! Please call or e-mail me to confirm your lesson time if needed.

Violin Lesson Parking:
As previously stated, there are two designated spots to park at my place; spot #64 and to the right of #64 which is in front of the gate to my unit. DO NOT PARK IN ANY OTHER NUMBERED OR VISITOR SPOT, even if there are many other spots available.  If these spots are for some reason not available, you will have to park outside the complex on Savannah Road and walk into the complex. Thank you so much for your understanding in this matter and please tell me immediately of any parking issues.

Suzuki Baby/Toddler Music Class:
Wednesday Mornings 9:30-10:30

Calling all parents, babies and toddlers! Please tell your family members and friends about this class. Not only does it develop musical skills but recent research shows that babies in this class smile more, are easier to calm, show earlier communication skills and an adaptability toward new things. Do not wait to enroll! Please provide the best education for your child from age zero.

Fall Theory Class:
Wednesday Evening 6:00-7:00 October 2nd - November 27th
This is a mixed ages class, however, you must be playing May Song or higher to enroll. We will continue to master skills such as note reading, where notes are on the violin, rhythm and note values, compositions and improvisations, key signatures, intervals and ear training. Check your calendars and let your teacher know if you are interested. Registration and fees will be given out in early September.

Fiddle Play-in:

I am in the process of developing an all ages fiddle play-in. Please let me know if you are interested. I will get this exciting event up and running as soon as I can, but want to guarantee its success. So please have patience. 

Calendars:
Please check the calendar on my website regularly as well as the hard copy you were given with your registration package. Please put all the recital, parent education and group class dates into your calendars so that you don't miss out on anything throughout the year. I do expect 100% attendance to all group classes and recitals and require an explanation if you cannot make it.

***Change to Calendar***:
There will be lessons the week of Halloween, October 28th - November 2nd. There will be no lessons the first week in the new year, January 6th - 11th. I will be in Mexico that week for my brother's wedding! If your lesson falls on Halloween day it is completely up to you if you'd like to come to your lesson. If not, we will make it up sometime throughout the year.

Play Challenge:
Starting in September there will be a Play Challenge in my studio! Basically, this is similar to the 100 chart, however, all I am asking for is that everyone plays their violins everyday! I'm still working out the details, and prizes, but the goal here is to start the school year off with good habits that will carry through to the rest of the year. Stay tuned.

As always, if there are ever any questions, I am available 24/7 through e-mail and you can call me anytime between 8:00 am - 9:00 pm at home or on my cell (you're best to try my home phone first). If you're unsure about something on your practice chart, ask me! If your violin needs tuning, arrange a time with me to tune it! Need some advice on getting your child to practice? Call me up to chat or send me an e-mail explaining your situation! I am here to do whatever I can to help you get the most out of making music an important part of your family's lifestyle.

Garden Show with Celtic Shift!

Celtic Shift Performances!

I'll be playing two shows this week at St. James Westminister Church (115 Askin Street) out in the garden on Tuesday June 18th and Wednesday June 19th both at 7:30 p.m. 

These are very casual performances (busking) as this is the last chance for the band to play together before our gigs in Nova Scotia in August (I'm so excited!). So if you have time to drop by and check out some music, you can stay for as little or as long as you'd like, I'd love to see you there!

Also, just to reiterate an e-mail that was sent out by Sharon earlier this week...

Check out the Every Child Can class being run on Monday June 24th from 9-4. 

This is a great class run by Dorothy Jones (Sharon's Mom), who is an incredible speaker on the Suzuki method and has so many wonderful stories about her first hand experience with Shinichi Suzuki, his teachings and his philosophy. If you have a day to spare and would like some more information on what exactly this method is, how it was developed and what makes it so different to other ways of teaching music, then consider attending this class. Call/e-mail me for more details if interested.

One more thing... We need more babies/toddlers to attend the Phase One music classes running Tuesday June 25th - Monday July 1st from 10-11. This is an incredible opportunity at a great price ($5/day!). Tell your friends! 

Wedding Pictures (if you`re interested...)

Hi everyone! Just wanted to post a few pictures from the wedding. You may need to view them from the website as apposed to the e-mail. Let me know if the slideshow doesn`t work.  There may be a video coming soon of me actually playing at the wedding.

The family pictures demonstrate the three divisions in my family. This has been the only time my entire immediate family have been in the same place at the same time so it was quite an accomplishment and it meant the world to me

We had a simple and short outdoor ceremony and the reception consisted of coca-cola decor, burger buffet with salads and chips, a pop station with lemonade and iced tea, hamburger cupcakes and sugar cookie fries for dessert as well as an incredible assortment of the best pies you`ve ever had and the most beautifully laid out fruit tray and carved watermelon (that was a surprise!)

Wedding Day

It was such a wonderful weekend. We were so lucky with the weather as Sunday turned out to be a nice sunny day. We had a small outdoor wedding, and the afternoon consisted of good food, good music, and of course our inescapable family drama. All in all, Steve and I are so happy with how everything turned out. Thank you to everyone who was thinking about us on the weekend.

Just a few updates as we head into the final lessons before summer:

I have misplaced my Suzuki Violin Book 4. I don't think my name is in it, and it won't have any markings. Could everyone please take a look through your books especially those in book 4 or higher and let me know if you seem to have an extra copy. Thank you!

I look forward to seeing everyone together on Saturday June 1st at 2:00 at Sharon's house for the pool party! Please bring your swim suit, violin, and let me know if that are any snacks/treats that would be convenient for you to bring. Just a heads up, I will be playing at a wedding in Byron until 3:00 but will get the to pool party as soon as I can.

Let me know if you did not receive a registration package for summer/fall. Registration is due by June 2nd.


When I started this post, I thought there were a bunch of things I needed to tell you all. I think I'm just in wedding withdrawal. It feels strange not to have lists of things to do. If I think of anything else I'll let you all know. 

As we head in to the summer months, take some time to make some practice play charts! The summer is more about continuing to play the violin than it is about practice. Pick up your violin and do some review, play with a friend or sibling, put on a recital for family members or friends, compose your own song, try playing your favorite songs on the radio, buy a fiddle book and learn some fiddle tunes, take your violin with you on vacation; play at the cottage, on the beach, in a different country! Just keep playing!

Notice about Parking & E-mails

Hi everyone, I have just been informed by the condo board that a complaint has been made about the amount of traffic during my teaching hours. Specifically, my neighbour seems to think that the visitor spot in front on her unit is her spot. Regardless, do not park in the spot to the left of my red Mazda. If my car isn't there you can part in spot #64, otherwise the spot to the right of my car is fine as well as any other visitor spot. Also, for parents picking kids up after lessons, please do not idle in the lane way but pull into a parking spot.

Please do not reply to these posts from your inbox. The mailing address that sends these posts to you is not mine but is a do not reply address. I do not want to miss any of your messages so still send all your e-mails to amylewis5355@gmail.com.