Online Teacher Training
To meet the need for trained teachers, the SAA has established a Teacher Development Program, with systematic, comprehensive professional training available from registered Teacher Trainers in violin, viola, cello, bass, piano, flute, harp, guitar, recorder, Suzuki in the Schools and and Suzuki Early Childhood Education. Both prospective and experienced teachers can benefit from the training offered through SAA’s Teacher Development Program. Recognition of training is provided by the SAA registration program for completed training credits.
The San Diego Suzuki Institute believes in making teacher education as accessible as possible. We realize that many music instructors use their time and own money to expand their knowledge. Take a course with us and earn discounts on future courses!
The San Diego Suzuki Institute believes in making teacher education as accessible as possible. We realize that many music instructors use their time and own money to expand their knowledge. Take a course with us and earn discounts on future courses!
2021 Fall Online Course Offerings
The Business of Institute and Workshop Management $195.00
September 2 - September 30
Taught by Marguerite Jayasimha and Danielle Kravitz
Learn the “ins and outs” of how to run a Suzuki institute or workshop as a business. This course will cover everything from SAA guidelines and pricing models to website, financial and scheduling technology options. This course will be custom tailored to the experience level of the attendees and will allow for a lot of discussion time. Course hosts have experience running two institutes and many workshops! Make your event a success!
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 9-11am Pacific Time on the following dates:
9/2, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30
Learn the “ins and outs” of how to run a Suzuki institute or workshop as a business. This course will cover everything from SAA guidelines and pricing models to website, financial and scheduling technology options. This course will be custom tailored to the experience level of the attendees and will allow for a lot of discussion time. Course hosts have experience running two institutes and many workshops! Make your event a success!
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 9-11am Pacific Time on the following dates:
9/2, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30
Setting Families Up for Success: Designing & Implementing New Student Orientation & Ongoing Support $195.00
September 14 - October 12
Taught by Christine Goodner
This enrichment course is for teachers who want to think deeply about how they approach parent education in their studios, especially during our current reality of many lessons and group events happening online. As teachers, we know the integral part parents and caregivers have to play in supporting each student’s learning process. We will explore best practices, new ideas, current research, and apply what we know and understand the support we give to the families we work with each week.
This 10-hour enrichment course will cover topics including onboarding new parents (including online), a framework for ongoing parent education in your program. It will help teachers create a plan to help each family feel supported and be successful in their studio. Teachers of all instruments are welcome.
This course is 10 hours. No observation time required.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 8-10am Pacific Time on the following dates:
9/14, 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12
Pre-requisites:
This enrichment course is for teachers who want to think deeply about how they approach parent education in their studios, especially during our current reality of many lessons and group events happening online. As teachers, we know the integral part parents and caregivers have to play in supporting each student’s learning process. We will explore best practices, new ideas, current research, and apply what we know and understand the support we give to the families we work with each week.
This 10-hour enrichment course will cover topics including onboarding new parents (including online), a framework for ongoing parent education in your program. It will help teachers create a plan to help each family feel supported and be successful in their studio. Teachers of all instruments are welcome.
This course is 10 hours. No observation time required.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 8-10am Pacific Time on the following dates:
9/14, 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12
Pre-requisites:
- Unit 1
Teaching Improvisation Using Fiddle and Spiritual Tunes $195.00
September 17 - October 15
Taught by Dr. Renata Bratt
With mainly American songs that fit on the cello, viola, and violin, teach your students improvisation skills step by step through rhythmic variations, scales, arpeggios, chords, conversational fiddling and spiritual phrases and melodic quotation. Starting from the first lesson, students can learn to create music on their own. Students first learn easy chords and rhythmic variations for their tunes. Then they can learn to create musical phrases (“riffs” or “licks”) that can be adapted to many other tunes. As students progress, they add their own double stops to fiddle tunes. Through spiritual songs, students can add their own scalar passages and arpeggios.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 8-10am Pacific Time on the following dates:
9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15
Pre-requisites:
With mainly American songs that fit on the cello, viola, and violin, teach your students improvisation skills step by step through rhythmic variations, scales, arpeggios, chords, conversational fiddling and spiritual phrases and melodic quotation. Starting from the first lesson, students can learn to create music on their own. Students first learn easy chords and rhythmic variations for their tunes. Then they can learn to create musical phrases (“riffs” or “licks”) that can be adapted to many other tunes. As students progress, they add their own double stops to fiddle tunes. Through spiritual songs, students can add their own scalar passages and arpeggios.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 8-10am Pacific Time on the following dates:
9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15
Pre-requisites:
- Violin, Viola, or Cello Unit 1
Viola Unit 6 $450.00
October 22 - November 19
Taught by Elizabeth Stuen-Walker
This course is 15 hours with 8 hours of observation time. Course hours will be Fridays from 9am-12pm Pacific Time on Oct. 22, Oct. 29, Nov. 5. Nov. 12, Nov. 19. Observation hours are a required part of this course and will take place outside of the scheduled course time.
Pre-requisites:
This course is 15 hours with 8 hours of observation time. Course hours will be Fridays from 9am-12pm Pacific Time on Oct. 22, Oct. 29, Nov. 5. Nov. 12, Nov. 19. Observation hours are a required part of this course and will take place outside of the scheduled course time.
Pre-requisites:
- Viola or Violin Units 1-3
- Intermediate or higher level viola audition
2022 Winter Online Course Offerings
Teaching Improvisation Using Spiritual and Early Blues Tunes $195.00
January 14 - February 11
Taught by Dr. Renata Bratt
Using mainly African American Blues tunes from the beginning of the twentieth century, teach your students improvisation skills step by step through rhythmic variations, scales, arpeggios, chords, conversational blues and jazz phrases and melodic quotation. Through simple but powerful Blues tunes, students can start playing the blues starting as early as book 2 and from any time after that. Then they can learn to create musical phrases (“riffs” or “licks”) that can be adapted to many other blues, spiritual and jazz tunes.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 8-10am Pacific Time on the following dates:
1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11
Pre-requisites:
Using mainly African American Blues tunes from the beginning of the twentieth century, teach your students improvisation skills step by step through rhythmic variations, scales, arpeggios, chords, conversational blues and jazz phrases and melodic quotation. Through simple but powerful Blues tunes, students can start playing the blues starting as early as book 2 and from any time after that. Then they can learn to create musical phrases (“riffs” or “licks”) that can be adapted to many other blues, spiritual and jazz tunes.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 8-10am Pacific Time on the following dates:
1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11
Pre-requisites:
- Violin, Viola, or Cello Unit 1
The Business of Institute and Workshop Management $195.00
January 17 - February 14
Taught by Marguerite Jayasimha and Danielle Kravitz
Learn the “ins and outs” of how to run a Suzuki institute or workshop as a business. This course will cover everything from SAA guidelines and pricing models to website, financial and scheduling technology options. This course will be custom tailored to the experience level of the attendees and will allow for a lot of discussion time. Course hosts have experience running two institutes and many workshops! Make your event a success!
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 9-11am Pacific Time on the following dates:
1/17, 1/21, 1/28, 2/7, 2/14
Learn the “ins and outs” of how to run a Suzuki institute or workshop as a business. This course will cover everything from SAA guidelines and pricing models to website, financial and scheduling technology options. This course will be custom tailored to the experience level of the attendees and will allow for a lot of discussion time. Course hosts have experience running two institutes and many workshops! Make your event a success!
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 9-11am Pacific Time on the following dates:
1/17, 1/21, 1/28, 2/7, 2/14
Setting up Home Practice for Success: Fostering Positive Practice between Students & Parents/Caregivers $195.00
January 20 - February 17
Taught by Christine Goodner
This enrichment course is for teachers who want to help foster positive practice routines between their students and the adults who practice with them. This course will cover research & strategies on topics, including developmentally appropriate approaches to practice based on age and fostering cooperative relationships during home practice. We'll also cover what parents need to know about practice to navigate the ups and downs that inevitably come up during their musical journey.
This 10-hour enrichment course will cover resources you can use in parent ed sessions in your program and give you a foundation of knowledge and principles that help foster positive practice at home that will help you in weekly lessons as you communicate with families you work with.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 10am-12pm Pacific Time on the following dates:
1/20, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17
Pre-requisites:
This enrichment course is for teachers who want to help foster positive practice routines between their students and the adults who practice with them. This course will cover research & strategies on topics, including developmentally appropriate approaches to practice based on age and fostering cooperative relationships during home practice. We'll also cover what parents need to know about practice to navigate the ups and downs that inevitably come up during their musical journey.
This 10-hour enrichment course will cover resources you can use in parent ed sessions in your program and give you a foundation of knowledge and principles that help foster positive practice at home that will help you in weekly lessons as you communicate with families you work with.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 10am-12pm Pacific Time on the following dates:
1/20, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17
Pre-requisites:
- Unit 1
Cello Unit 2 $450.00
January 23 - March 6
Taught by Alice Ann O'Neill
This course is 15 hours with 8 hours of observation time. Course will be held Sundays 6:30-9:30am Pacific Time on:
Jan. 23, 30
Feb. 6, 13
Mar. 6
8 additional observation hours will be required outside of scheduled class time.
Pre-requisites:
This course is 15 hours with 8 hours of observation time. Course will be held Sundays 6:30-9:30am Pacific Time on:
Jan. 23, 30
Feb. 6, 13
Mar. 6
8 additional observation hours will be required outside of scheduled class time.
Pre-requisites:
- Unit 1
2022 Spring Online Course Offerings
Teaching Improvisation Early Blues and Jazz Tunes $195.00
March 4 - April 8
Taught by Dr. Renata Bratt
Using mainly African American Blues and Jazz tunes from 1915-1924, teach your students improvisation skills step by step through rhythmic variations, scales, arpeggios, chords, conversational blues and jazz phrases and melodic quotation. Through these early jazz tunes, students can start playing jazz and blues starting as early as book 2 and from any time after that. Then they can learn to create musical phrases (“riffs” or “licks”) that can be adapted to many other blues and jazz tunes.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 8-10am Pacific Time on the following dates:
3/4, 3/11, (NO CLASS 3/18), 3/25, 4/1, 4/8
Pre-requisites:
Using mainly African American Blues and Jazz tunes from 1915-1924, teach your students improvisation skills step by step through rhythmic variations, scales, arpeggios, chords, conversational blues and jazz phrases and melodic quotation. Through these early jazz tunes, students can start playing jazz and blues starting as early as book 2 and from any time after that. Then they can learn to create musical phrases (“riffs” or “licks”) that can be adapted to many other blues and jazz tunes.
This course is 10 hours total. No observation hours are required. Class will be 8-10am Pacific Time on the following dates:
3/4, 3/11, (NO CLASS 3/18), 3/25, 4/1, 4/8
Pre-requisites:
- Violin, Viola, or Cello Unit 1
Viola Unit 8 $450.00
March 4 - April 1
Taught by Elizabeth Stuen-Walker
This course is 15 hours with 8 hours of observation time. Course hours will be Fridays from 9am-12pm Pacific Time on 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/1. Observation hours are a required part of this course and will take place outside of the scheduled course time.
Pre-requisites:
This course is 15 hours with 8 hours of observation time. Course hours will be Fridays from 9am-12pm Pacific Time on 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/1. Observation hours are a required part of this course and will take place outside of the scheduled course time.
Pre-requisites:
- Viola or Violin Units 1-3
- Viola Unit 4
- Intermediate or higher level viola audition
Refund Policy
In the event that you decide to cancel your registration, notify the San Diego Suzuki Institute in writing. There is a $100 non-refundable cancellation fee per participant. The payment of all other fees will be returned if email or postal notice of cancellation is received 14 days before the first day of class.
Due to commitments we must make with faculty, applicants who withdraw 13 or fewer days before the first day of class forfeit all fees.
If enrollment is full or a teacher-training course is canceled, all registration and course fees will be refunded.
Due to commitments we must make with faculty, applicants who withdraw 13 or fewer days before the first day of class forfeit all fees.
If enrollment is full or a teacher-training course is canceled, all registration and course fees will be refunded.
