T.E.A. – Teaching, Education, Action is a series of online events meant to bring teachers together for discussion. Past sessions have included topics from both the Suzuki pedagogical spectrum as well as more social and community based topics.
Sessions that are part of the SAO T.E.A. series are FREE for SAO members. These sessions will not be recorded, and can only be viewed live on Zoom.
Past T.E.A. Series
Breaking the Ice, Finding your voice, and Using your voice!
Session resources:
What are practical steps we can take as teachers to become comfortable teaching improvisation? It works perfectly to learn improvisation alongside our students!
This session will trace stages of creativity from the beginning on zoom with instruments. Teachers can improvise in the privacy of home, on mute. We study musical instruments to play great masterpieces, and because each of us is born with our own songs inside of us.
We will begin at the pre-twinkle stage with “Playing from the Heart” by Alice Kanack. This collection allows very young musicians to improvise their own music using one point lesson material along with imagination.
Next we will explore “Fun Improvisation for (violin/viola/cello/piano/bass/flute)” by Alice Kanack to mine the many teaching points in this collection for players in Suzuki books 1-3. There will be time for all your questions.
We will do our best to simulate in-person improvisation games and strategies.
For improvising in simultaneous parts, we will use “Improvising String Quartets” Alice Kanack wrote with Sera Smolen.
We will play through some of the “Basslines and Fantasies” collection by Alice Kanack. We acquire fluency in every key with this collection of gorgeous improvisation pieces.
Through these affordable, user friendly materials, students can uncover their own unique musical voices, step by step. The process is a great pleasure for all. CAD parallels musical development of our students offering profound brain development and the gift of self-expression. Art, after all, is a combination of discipline and freedom. For many years we have observed, internationally, countless young players uncovering their own authentic musical voices.
Dr Sera Smolen has had a thriving Suzuki cello studio in Ithaca NY since 1986. She started working with Alice Kanack in 1992 and has been doing CAD (Creative Ability Development) Teacher Training internationally since 2000. It is such a delight to honor the outstanding work of Alice Kanack for many reasons. Dr. Suzuki publicly asked teachers to learn from Alice Kanack. I love sharing the deep inspiration and artistic knowledge she offers to us through Creative Ability Development.
For more about Sera Smolen, articles and resources: www.serasmolen.com
Expanding Suzuki Communities: the joy of Suzuki events and the practicalities of organizing them
Attending workshops and institutes are a highlight of the year for many of our students and their families. Behind the scenes, organizing these events can feel like an overwhelming task. In this session we will talk shop, explore ideas, and get to the nitty gritty of event planning with time for questions at the end.
The Red Pen is Mightier than the Sword
We remember all too well that English essay we wrote in high school thinking we aced it just to find it marked C minus in red pen as the teacher hands it back saying ” you can do better than this”! How humiliating.
Now we have the opportunity to work with students giving them much more positive constructive advice. Come join me for a lively conversation about being careful to give comments that makes them feel good about themselves throughout their lives. As the saying goes “Children will Listen”.
Sleuthing: Investigating the Feelings Driving Behaviors
Understanding the feelings behind difficult behaviors can go a long way towards helping teachers respond to those behaviors in constructive ways. It’s not always easy to figure out the feelings behind behaviors, so this session will take a look at some ways teachers can play detective and investigate possibilities. Topics include how the teacher’s mind understands what’s going on, ways to help everyone in the triangle feel gratified, suggestions for defusing power struggles and arguments, and ideas for establishing successful routines.
The History and Philosophy of Tonalization
Fumiyo Kurimochi, a long-time student of Dr. Suzuki, accomplished teacher and performer and member of the Talent Education Violin Textbook Committee and representative for the TERI on the ISA, she
is dedicated to researching Dr. Suzuki’s numerous texts on the role of
Tone development in nurturing musicality and sensitivity.