The Suzuki Triangle is unique to the Suzuki Method. Whereas parent involvement is always encouraged within the construct of any music lesson, it is absolutely required in the Suzuki method. Parents are the "practice partners" for the student in the home. The obvious reason is that most Suzuki students begin lessons at a tender age--around age 3 to 5. The lessons are designed to get a young child actually playing music with excellent technique and to instill proper habits towards the future. Suzuki lessons are focused on the individual student arriving at a specific skill set as early as possible. To do this, the parent must be a part of the process.
Very young students do best with daily, short, yet specific sets of repetitions. Some parents scatter these exercise sets throughout the day when focus is still at a minimum. Eventually, a student will develop a number of pieces that they can play independently. The parent is encouraged to remain a part of the process to add layers of musicality to existing review pieces. As pieces become completed, parents can step back and ask the child to review these pieces more and more on their own. Parents will be there to assist with the learning of new information and new pieces and to monitor the integrity of the review pieces.
Suzuki parents are permitted to teach additional notes, rhythms, dynamics and fingerings. The teacher takes time during the student's lesson to work with the parent specifically on anything that is needed to provide support at home that week. Videos are usually taken at the end of each lesson to capture the new goals. Parents are also supported by the Suzuki Association with online education.
Suzuki parents come in all sizes and shapes--some with a lifetime of Suzuki training themselves, some with a few years of piano lessons under their belts and some with no music background at all. All that is required is desire to learn and to work with the child. Some of the best Suzuki parents are those who have never had the chance to take lessons and now have the opportunity to act upon that unfulfilled wish. Suzuki teachers love their Suzuki parents!