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 | | | Last Chance to support the Cherry Tree CampaignOnly 6 more days to help bring the Cherry Tree into full bloom!  Your donation will support excellence in Suzuki education throughout the Americas. All gifts will be shared between the Annual Fund and scholarship funds earmarked to support outreach initiatives. Every blossom empowers the SAA in its quest for excellence in Suzuki Teacher education and brings us closer to our goal of increasing accessibility and inclusion throughout the Americas. We look forward to receiving your donation by May 5!
Thumbs Up for Teaching Strategies!Now is a great time to investigate upcoming institute courses! As your look over the possibilities, please consider “Teaching Strategies!” It’s available to any teacher at any level of experience who has completed ECC or Filosofía plus Unit One training. Teaching Strategies is often described as a practice teaching masterclass or a mini-practicum. Within a supportive environment, participants share short videos of their home teaching and receive helpful suggestions from the teacher trainer as well as learning from their peers. Strategies is currently being offered in two formats—integrated into various unit courses (often Unit 2) or as a stand-alone 10-hour course. Check with the institute or course sponsor for details. Possible arrangements may be available if you wish to participate but are unable to provide a video segment. Strategies (Estrategías) has been included in the Latin American offerings for years and is now considered an essential element of Suzuki teaching. It is quickly becoming a staple offering in North America, as well. A few thoughts on the course shared by recent Strategies participants: Numerous North American Institutes are offering Teaching Strategies this summer. Institute offerings for Strategies include Violin, Violin/Viola, Cello, Flute, Flute/Recorder, Piano, and Harp. Most are offered as online courses. SECE Curriculum Revision CourseStarting in May 2021, there will be several opportunities for SECE teachers to take a SECE Curriculum Revision Course. The courses will be available to any SECE teachers who have previously registered a minimum of ECC and SECE Stage One training with the SAA. Revisions to the SECE curriculum have been underway since July 2020 with a focus on bringing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access to the Suzuki Early Childhood Education Classroom. The SECE Curriculum Revision Courses will be taught in teams of two Teacher Trainers including Sharon Jones, Lynn McCall, Wan Tsai Chen, & Danette Warren Schuh. Each course will be 5 hours in length, over one day, with a maximum of 30 participants. The platform for these courses will be Zoom. The fee per course/per person will be $85 and SECE teachers will be able to register the course with the SAA. Please watch the SAA Event Page for the upcoming SECE Curriculum Revision Course dates.  In case you missed the 2021 Institute Preview emails, here are the Previews for the upcoming summer institutes: Institute Preview: June 2021 Online Teacher Training Numbers:Over the past seven months (September 2020 through April 2021), we observed the following numbers in teacher trainings: Total units registered:
Individuals who participated in one or more courses:
A few of the many comments we’ve heard: Online training has been transformative and highly effective. Opening up this method of training has brought together people who otherwise would not have been able to meet and learn together. The contributions of my new colleagues were so valuable. I have not had the opportunity to do in-person teacher training for the past 15 years given life and schedule demands. Having the opportunity to do this online was a big game changer for me. The online course allowed the opportunity to try new teaching practices with my own students while still under the direction of the course instructor. While I understand the benefits of in-person trainings, and I definitely do miss in-person institutes, these virtual training opportunities are really amazing. I love the opportunity to connect with different trainers across the country without financial or time limitations.
Invitation from ASJ Editor, Allie Reed:While we may still be a long way from normalcy, there’s no shame in indulging ourselves by imagining the joys of a post-COVID world. Will your studio be having a socially distanced showcase? Will you and your vaccinated friends play music together once again? Are you looking forward to being able to teach using physical touch? Tell the ASJ what you’re most looking forward to in the post-COVID world in one sentence or less. Submissions can be Suzuki related or not, and are welcome from teachers, parents, students, and other Suzuki community members.
Upcoming IssueThe May (Spring) Issue of the American Suzuki Journal is coming to your mailbox soon! In your copy, you’ll find:
And so much more! Support your colleagues and friends by reading their work.
Canadians take the first stepSince the sad and distressful events of the summer of 2020 particularly in the U.S., the world has become awakened—or re-awakened to systemic racism—everywhere. There have been many manifestations of this re-awakening.  Since the Confederation of Canada in 1967, Canadians have been grappling with our history, particularly with our First Nations, our indigenous people from coast to coast. It is not a happy history. Suzuki teachers in Canada have taken a significant step. Jacquelyn and Hunter Cardinal, who operate the Edmonton consulting firm Naheyawin, created a two-session course for Suzuki teachers, through the efforts of Kathleen Schoen, a flute/recorder trainer from Edmonton. It was especially significant to see teachers from coast to coast on the screen, each of whom might see this re-awakening from a different perspective.
The Latin American Association Committee is pleased to announce the new meeting on April 16th, in which it discussed important points for the good functioning of the associations and other working groups in different countries. We discussed matters related to: general reports on the functioning of each association or “Red”, indication of a teacher to help elaborate book 3 of the Brass course, review and update of the document “Teacher Development Program”, latest changes for applications for scholarships for the SAA, upcoming meetings with national associations that have existed in the past. Members of Brazil, Peru, Guatemala and Ecuador participated in this meeting. For this SAA newsletter, we would like to share beautiful actions that took place in Brazil and Mexico. We also share a work developed by “Red Promesa”, from Colombia. Accordion enrichment course in Brazil!Leer en español | Leia em Português AMSBrasil (Suzuki Musical Association of Brazil) would like to express its joy at the offer of the “Suzuki Accordion Project” Enrichment course during the months of January to March 2021, with teacher Elena Enrico, from Italy. The lectures with her took place in January. In the following months, the enrolled teachers took class appraisals, had the opportunity to discuss specific issues, and received direct monitoring from teacher Elena. The offer of this course has helped to strengthen the community of accordion teachers not only in our country, but also in other countries in Latin America. We see the importance of this course, for at least three factors: the possibility of knowing this incredible project of teaching accordion, the engagement it has provided to teachers committed to music education, and finally, the possibility of implementing the Suzuki accordion course as part of the courses offered by the Suzuki Method. The enrichment course had as main purpose to present the “Suzuki Accordion Project” (SAP) to the accordion teachers. Its main aspects are:
Furthermore, it is very important to note that the offer of remote support in February and March to all teachers who participated in the course helped to maintain the quality of teaching, create a space to answer questions, as well improve instrumental skills of all participating teachers.  We have received several comments from happy teachers with the opportunity to take this course, which in the future could become the Suzuki Accordion book 1 course. Aware of the importance of the accordion in our culture, we believe that this course can help spread the teaching of this instrument, allowing more people to be interested in expressing themselves musically through it. It is vital to emphasize that the realization of this enrichment course was only possible thanks to the work of different people: Elena Enrico, AMSBrasil, “Flauta e Fole” Studio, Marco Messina, Martina Drudi, ESA, SAA. In addition, of course, all students who participated in the activities organized before and during the enrichment course. This shows us, once again, that collective efforts always yield very positive results. The course was beautifully organized by the team at “Flauta e Fole” Studio, with whom we had the great pleasure of working over the years. We would like to express our special thanks to Luciana Aparecida Schmidt dos Santos and Miguel Pereira dos Santos Jr., who worked in a captivating and very committed way during all stages of the elaboration, planning and execution of this course. We also thank Marco Messina for his task of contextualizing the work “Children’s Music Laboratory” (CML). Finally, Martina Drudi: assistant teacher and translator of the accordion enrichment course. Special thanks to teacher Elena Enrico, for sharing all her knowledge in a loving, generous and extremely competent way. For all these reasons, AMSBrasil is available to assist in the next stages of recognition of the accordion course as part of the Suzuki training program, or to meet any other demand that may arise. News from the AMMS (Mexican Suzuki Method Association)Leer en español | Leia em Português Suzuki Teachers Orchestra AMMS 2021 The Mexican Association enthusiastically brings information about the first performance of the Suzuki Teachers’ Orchestra AMMS. The orchestra’s members are exclusively teachers who belong to Academies recognized by the Association. The project arose from the initiative of one of the coordinating teachers of the pedagogical violin committee (and also director of a Suzuki School in Veracruz), with a collaborative effort by the Suzuki Córdoba group. We invite everyone to watch “Huapango de Moncayo” on our Facebook page: https://pt-br.facebook.com/suzukimexico/videos/orquesta-de-maestros-suzuki-amms/933769527197570/ Thanks to @Suzuki de Córdoba for the coordination, arrangements and editing. Weekly Lives on the AMMS Facebook page: AMMS is organizing weekly events on its Facebook page. Red Promesa!Leer en español | Leia em Português The group of teachers from Latin America invites everyone to attend a wonderful concert to get to know the Suzuki Method in different countries. You can follow the event through the YouTube channel and enjoy music directly in your homes. When: April 24th and May 8th Opening hours: 17:00 (Mex, Cu), 18:00 (Col, Ecu, Ven, Pe), 19:00 (Py, Bol, Chi), 20:00 (Uru, Arg, Bra).  “Red” also invites you to follow social networks to learn more about this topic. It is also possible to contact us by email promesasuzuki@gmail.com. We renew the most cordial invitation to all Latin American countries that work with the Suzuki Method to send information about all the actions they have been carrying out (organization of their associations, events and activities that are being programmed, etc.) in order to share them in the following posts. This information can be sent to the email: asociacionesamericalatina@gmail.com Report from the Latin American Teacher Trainers CommitteeLeer en español | Leia em Português | Lire en français In the Committee of Teachers Trainers we continue working to have a fluid communication between the SAA office, this committee and the committee of Suzuki Associations of Latin America (a group that brings together representatives from Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru and Ecuador). Likewise, we are thinking of different alternatives to implement and promote the creation of the Suzuki community in virtuality. An important issue to all Suzuki teachers is how to offer options to attend conferences and institutes (festivals) to children and teachers, and the modality that these events would have when we return to in-person events. Concerning teacher training, when evaluating the advantages of online courses, we valued the level of accessibility of the training, which made it possible for many teachers who, for several years were interested in approaching for the first time or continue with their training in the Suzuki approach, they had this new alternative that, due to problems of costs, distances or extension in days, was previously impossible. Finally, we are proposing to the SAA office that the “Teaching Strategies” course be a requirement for all teachers, in order to continue their training in Book 3. We are convinced that the different challenges that have arisen since 2020 with the pandemic, drive us to look for new tools, different formats, to offer the best to our students and teachers, for the good of children. Communications Updates: If you are not receiving messages from the SAA, remember that you can always update your email and web settings under your SAA Account. You also may wish to add the suzukiassociation.org domain to your email providers whitelist and add the info@suzukiassociation.org email address to your contacts. If your mailbox is full or your email provider has overly aggressive SPAM settings, messages might not be delivered because of your email provider. All messages sent by the SAA are DKIM verified and signed and sent through Amazon AWS.
Attention, Certificate of Achievement applicants!The answer to a frequently asked question this month: Yes! For your 2021 Certificate of Achievement application, submitting a video of a virtual lesson is acceptable. Be sure to follow all overall application instructions. You can see details and application here.
Okto Carmonia Spring Concert Submitted by: Carlos López
Have a great picture to share? We are looking for photos of students performing in their community. Did you invite the neighborhood to a book recital? Or the general public to a group concert? Have you played in an assisted living facility, street fair, or mall? Submit your own picture today!
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Translate: Español / Français / Português The Suzuki Association of the Americas is a nonprofit organization of teachers, parents, and educators dedicated to the advancement of the Suzuki Method in the Americas. You received this message because you are a member or supporter of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Suzuki Association of the Americas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
