Every Child Can Learn

SECE is based on the premise that the potential of every child is unlimited. As Suzuki teachers we believe that talent is not inborn, and must be nurtured and developed. This is most obvious when a baby arrives for the first SECE class. No-one knows what ‘talent’ the baby has! There is no limit to the possibilities and potential of that child. The parent also arrives with no doubt in their mind that their child will speak their language, and the Suzuki teacher has the same approach to all the many important life skills that are mastered within the SECE setting: numeracy, literacy, listening, self control, gross and fine motor skills and language development, as well as musical skills such as keeping a steady beat and gaining an understanding of pitch, rhythm, tempo and dynamics.

Environment Nurtures Growth

The calm environment created by SECE teachers is one of the crucial elements that allows the children to learn. Demonstrating non-verbal instructions to children is a very powerful tool in helping parents create this environment at home. Several elements of the SECE class are led with non-verbal instructions, and allow parents to see how much more attentive their children can be when no words are used.

Another aspect that allows the success of the children is the format of the curriculum, allowing space for creative expression, alongside concentrated periods of activity. Parents can see that at certain times young children need to move around and express themselves. Use of the repertoire recordings and other quality music recordings at home will allow parents to maintain a musically nurturing environment for their children at home.

Children Learn From One Another

SECE classes work best if there is a full age range from the smallest babies to the nearly three’s. In this way the older children act as models for the younger ones. The smallest children have a peer to copy, as well as the adults in the room, and much learning takes place this way. Conversely, older children have an opportunity to show empathy and consideration for the smallest members of the group, by helping them receive their turn and by doing some physical tasks for them (such as stacking the drums). I have often noticed within classes, that if one child begins a certain action, this is generally copied by the other children in the group. A group with one confident singer for ‘Bow wow wow’, will often inspire the less confident to have a go. This system is unique (as far as I can tell) in baby music classes, where they are so often divided by age, thereby losing so many learning opportunities.

Success Breeds Success

Suzuki teachers believe in teaching just one small step at a time. In this way thorough mastery is obtained, in much the same way as a child repeats its first words endlessly. New words are added to the child’s vocabulary slowly at first, and then faster and faster, until new words are being acquired every day. Suzuki noted how one ability fostered another, and that without the repetition and mastery of the early stages this rapid ability development would not have happened.

SECE teachers achieve this by the use of the set repertoire, which allows time for children to become ‘fluent’. Children are able to be successful because of the repetition of the songs and actions, and the thorough mastery that brings is extremely joyful for children and parents. This would not be possible if the songs were rotated as in other baby music classes. If we changed the repertoire just as children are becoming familiar with it, it would be like starting again every few weeks.

Parental Involvement is Critical

There are several moments during an SECE class where it is clearly apparent that the parent’s role is crucial to the child’s success. If the parent takes part with enthusiasm and joy, then the child feels this, and imitates their parent. A child can sense whether their parent values the importance of the class, and can imitate this in their attention and concentration. Children learn through imitation, and if their first and most important teacher is taking part in the activities in earnest, then the child will learn to have the same response. Children also love to hear their own parents sing. Parents singing in ‘Mulberry Bush’, or making up a new speech pattern with the help of their child, can inspire real confidence and pride in what they have achieved together.

Encouragement is essential

When a young baby or toddler is playing the instruments on the teacher’s knee there are quite often two looks for re-assurance that the child is doing the right thing: one is from the child to the teacher, the other is from the child to the parent. It is extremely difficult not to respond to these wide eyed looks of wonder with anything but smiles and encouragement, but not everyone knows how crucial that encouragement is. If a parent can understand how powerful their affirmation is for the child at this early stage in their development, then both parent and child are set up for success for many years to come.