Early Childhood Program

“All Children Can Learn”
—Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured By Love

Baby Class, Ages 0 - young 3s (no instruments)

Early Childhood Violin & Cello Classes (age 3-4)

Baby Class

Children ages 0 to young 3 year olds (Baby Class) participate in the Suzuki Early Childhood Education (ECE) class. The Suzuki ECE Baby Classes are quite different from the the traditional baby music classes frequently seen in Portland. The Suzuki ECE Baby Class has a strong language based pedagogy that helps lay the foundation for speaking, reading and music education. The class provides consistent, integrated, joyful learning opportunities in the areas of vocabulary development, number sense, social-emotional development, and listening skills. Children participate in the class environment in a relaxed way, with their parent by their side for loving encouragement. The child’s learning occurs naturally through the sights, sounds, and activities that the child is invited into.

Parent Education is a strong component of the Suzuki ECE Baby Classes. The parenting philosophy, similar in approach to Attachment Parenting, follows these tenets (Each tenet is a live link to the Suzukiece.com website, simply click on the one that interests you for in depth information):

• Every child can learn
• Ability develops early
• Environment nurtures growth
• Children learn from one another
• Success breeds success
• Parental involvement is critical
• Encouragement is essential.

The recording, “Lullabies, Action Songs, and Rhymes” is used to help the parent and child learn many words, actions and cooperative behavior while dramatically increasing vocabulary and communication skills. The same steps that go into language learning inform the steps used in the Suzuki ECE Music class.

Early Childhood Education: Violin and Cello

Children age 3 to young 4 year olds participate in a special, small ECE class where individual attention from both parent and teacher is present. Instruments are introduced in this class when the individual child is ready. (Up to 5 parent child pairs per class.) Through physically active games mixed with quiet activities, young students learn to focus their bodies, hearts and minds on the basic skills needed to begin playing their instrument. Children pay attention to detail, develop memory skills, body-mind co-ordination, and begin training their ears. In the 3-4 year old class, children are introduced to Music Mind Games, to begin their journey toward musical literacy. Parents participate side by side with their children.

When the child is ready, he or she will move to Individual Lessons combined with the Repertory Group Class.

Schedule & Tuition

All classes meet for 1 hour per week, 3-5 children per class,
Parent participation required

A semester is 15 weeks long. There are three semesters per year, making lessons available 45 weeks of the year.

ECE Baby Class (0-3 Year Old)

Wednesdays, 10:30 - 11:30 am starting January 7, 2009

$200 per semester

ECE 3-4 Year Old Classes:

Cello Class: Violin Class (am): Violin Class (pm):

Mondays Fridays Fridays

6:15 - 7:15 pm 10:00 - 11:00 am 6:00-7:00 pm

starting January 5, 2009 starting January 9, 2009 starting January 9, 2009

 

$375 per semester

Early Childhood classes are located at the SuzukiPortland studio, near Multnomah Village.

Early Childhood Violin Class is taught by Catherine Whelan

Early Childhood Cello Class is taught by Valdine Ritchie Mishkin

 

When we started our very active 4-year-old with music lessons in the Early Childhood Program, it was more the idea that musical activity could calm him down a little. Despite thoughts that he would be much too wild for this “brain-sport,” he learned to listen and concentrate in a fascinating way. The concept may be seen as fun games by the little ones, but in fact, is a well-elaborated sequence of skill-training, step-by-step. Through listening to music, watching and copying, being part of the group, and being given little music-related tasks, our energetic boy has gained the ability to focus and concentrate, and also, to play the violin beautifully. Instead of breaking the instrument, which we expected to happen sooner or later, he developed a close relationship to his violin and takes care of it now, all by himself.
— Stephanie Siefert, Suzuki Parent, 2005

For more information contact Catherine Whelan
503.244.6190 Email catherine AT suzukiportland dot com

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