Every Child Can! Guidelines

Every Child Can! (ECC) is an introduction to Dr. Suzuki’s philosophy and its application to Suzuki education. For parents, teachers, prospective teachers, and others, this course provides an inspiring, in-depth look at the Suzuki approach to teaching and learning.

In addition to exploring the elements of the Suzuki approach and its far-reaching goals, it includes an introduction to learning styles, history of the development of Suzuki education, the role of parents, the importance of Suzuki pedagogical training, and an overview of the SAA’s role in supporting teachers and parents. A fast-paced, engaging and inspiring program, ECC includes video materials and SAA-developed courseware and provides each participant with useful reference materials (manuals) for later study. For teachers, ECC serves as the first course in the Suzuki Association of the Americas’ Teacher Development Program.

ECC Sponsorship Application Form

See the upcoming ECC courses across the Americas.

Basic Set-Up

Course Presentation

Every Child Can! is an 8 hour course. This course must be offered over two (2) days.

Audience

It is required for all new Suzuki teachers, but open to non-teachers, prospective teachers, parents, administrators, and all others interested in learning about Suzuki approach to education. It is not instrument-specific. Experienced Suzuki teachers are also encouraged to participate for renewed inspiration or review.

Venues

It may be offered at an institute, at a workshop, or other events; or offered as a free-standing course. It may be presented at any time during the year. It may be sponsored by an institute, workshop, school, university, program, chapter affiliate, or by the SAA.

Course Facilitator

Only SAA-registered Teacher Trainers may teach the course. The Trainer must also have a current ECC license in order to qualify to teach the course and use the ECC trainer’s kit materials. (All SAA-registered Teacher Trainers who wish to teach the course may be licensed to use the materials.)

Class Size

The maximum number of participants for online ECC courses is 15, minimum of two.
The maximum number of participants for in-person ECC courses is 30, minimum of two.

Qualifications to Participate

High school graduation completed and the age of 18 are required. There are no instrument proficiency requirements. (No audition is required.) There will be no auditor status for this course.

Fees

Average fees for the course range from $95-125 USD. Fees will vary, depending upon the sponsor’s specific costs—trainer’s fees and expenses, A-V or venue rental, other overhead costs, anticipated enrollment, etc., less any subsidies available to the sponsoring organization/event. SAA’s fee of $30 USD per participant for materials, participation and registration must be included.

Course Approval

Any organization sponsoring Every Child Can! during the September-May months must complete the ECC course sponsorship application, and submit it to the SAA office at least 6 weeks before the course date. SAA will post the course, when requested, on its website within 2 weeks of application approval. When information is available well in advance of the ECC course date, the course information will also be listed in the American Suzuki Journal.

Exceptions

1. Institutes are required to schedule the course in the fall using the ECC sponsorship application, along with their other application materials, due October 15.

2. Trainers offering the course in a private studio situation must apply to sponsor the course no less than 3 weeks in advance, whether online or in person.

Additional Details on Offering the Course

Sponsor/Host

The organization, school, program, workshop or institute offering the course is normally the “sponsor.” The agency providing space/venue for the course may be considered the “host.” A Trainer licensed to teach ECC may offer the course in his/her home program or studio; in such situations, the Trainer is considered the sponsor and the host. The SAA itself may also choose to sponsor the course.

Budgeting for the Course

In budgeting for the course, the sponsor should consider the following factors:

• SAA’s per participant fee of $30 USD
• Teacher Trainer’s fee (set individually by Trainers)
• Any travel/lodging/meal costs for Trainer (as arranged)
• Any room or A-V rental
• Publicity/mailing costs
• Any additional personnel costs
• Scholarship needs
• And other factors specific to the situation

While SAA’s per participant fees cannot be discounted, the sponsor is welcome to offer discounts on the sponsor’s regular fee rate to parents or other non-teachers, teachers who have previously taken 1A and wish to review the material, and in other situations deemed appropriate.

Marketing the Course

The sponsor must use the course name (Every Child Can! An Introduction to Suzuki Education) on promotional and registration materials. The Association’s name (Suzuki Association of the Americas) must also appear on such materials. The use of the copyrighted ECC logo is permissible and recommended on promotional and registration materials, and is available in electronic formats. Color postcards announcing the course are available for a minimal cost. (You fill in specifics of the course.) The purchase of postcards can be elected on the ECC sponsorship application form.

ECC Course Roster

This required roster must be returned to the SAA by the sponsor after the course (see below). The roster must be signed by the Trainer, and the names initialed for participants who have completed all 8 hours of the course. It is recommended that an assistant be designated to handle sign-in, and keep roll to finalize and verify the course roster.

Obtaining Materials and Payment

For online courses, materials will be shipped directly to each participant. Send addresses to [javascript protected email address]. It is appreciated to have the whole roster sent at the same time as soon as enrollment is closed (10 days for US addresses and 14 days for Canadian addresses). Participant fees will be assessed for all participants that receive materials. Refunds will be issued to the host when either 1) the materials received by the SAA office or 2) proof that the participant signs up for another course.

Please use this format to send addresses:
Name
Address 1
Address 2
City, STATE Zip code

US Locations: No less than 10 business days prior to the course, participants’ materials will be shipped first class (covered by SAA).

Canada Locations: The deadline is 14 working days prior to the course, to allow for longer transit times.

For in-person courses, materials will be shipped to sponsor and will receive a Materials Return Form, payable by 10 working days after the course. This payment deadline includes summer institutes who are offering ECC and would be making a payment for the ECC course separately from their institute payment. If the sponsor is affiliated with a college or university, please coordinate in advance with the accounting department, so that the SAA payment deadline noted above can be met.

Unused, unopened materials in perfect condition may be returned within 10 working days after the course (at sponsor’s or participant’s shipping expense) for return credit. Materials must be received by 10 working days after the course. The sponsor of this course bears full financial responsibility for the safe return of these materials. Please pack returns adequately to prevent damage during transit, and return by a traceable and insured delivery method.

Course Wrap-Up

For online courses:
• Within 3 working days after your course, finalize your ECC course roster, on your Partner’s site, listing all participants who attended and completed the class.
• Within 5 working days, the SAA office will send you an invoice payable online or with a check.
• Within 10 working days after the course, send or scan your signed roster to the SAA office to register the course, and if necessary, a printed invoice and check.

For in-person courses:
Within 10 working days after the course, the SAA office must receive the following:
• Final ECC course roster listing all participants who attended and completed the class.
• Any memberships received.
• Invoice payment (online or check)
• Any unused, unopened ECC participants’ manuals in perfect condition

Additional Notes on Teacher Participation

As with SAA book unit courses, no teacher should participate in overlapping courses or in more than one course simultaneously, nor should Teacher Workshop Participants be scheduled for more than six class hours per day. In the USA and Canada, participants who have completed ECC may begin Unit 1 training. However, the ECC Committee hopes that many trainees will take the ECC course further in advance of Book 1, to allow for time to read the ECC Appendix material, thoughtfully consider the ideas presented in the course, complete the video audition process for Book 1, and enroll in Book 1 courses on time. Participants located in Latin America or taking training in Latin America must complete Filosofía.

SAA Subsidy Fund

In situations in which the enrollment is quite high and expenses have been met, it is recommended that excess revenue be set aside for the sponsoring organization’s scholarship fund, when such a fund is available. To fulfill anticipated needs, SAA has set up a special ECC Scholarship Fund which will also welcome voluntary donations from sponsoring organizations. As this fund grows, subsidies will become available to assist with setting up ECC courses in remote or isolated locations.