The Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club

The Plucky Violin Teacher Book ClubThis post was originally published by McKenzie Clawson on the Plucky Violin Teacher Blog on October 9, 2015, so links and resources may not be current.
Join Us In Our Quest for Continuing Education
One of my favorite ideas of the Suzuki Philosophy is the “three legged stool” of parent, teacher, and student to create an ideal learning environment. I also believe that there is another three legged stool that I have to keep balancing. These three legs are business owner, musician, and child whisperer. To be a great violin teacher I feel that I need to learn how to run a small business, connect with my students as a friend and mentor, and continue to develop my own technique and musicality. I spent four years as a violin performance major building my musician “leg,” and now my stool is a little unbalanced. (Though my musicianship also has a long way to go!) Somehow I need to find a way to learn more about the other two “legs” without taking the time to get a second and third degree in Business and Child Development.
I hope that you read Brecklyn’s post earlier this week about continuing your education without going back to school. One of my favorite ways of continuing my education is reading. When I’m reading a new book, I constantly tell my husband what I’m learning. “Did you know…?” “Do you think if I tried this in my studio…?” Although he is a very good listener, he’s also a civil engineer and he doesn’t have very much to contribute. That is why I would like to invite all of you readers to become part of a book club.


In addition to monthly blog posts about the chosen book, Brecklyn and I will be hosting discussions on Periscope discussing books about pedagogy, child development, and musicianship, and we would love your input. Our October book is How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. So, run to your nearest library or book store so you can join us in the first month of the Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club.


I also need your help in planning what other books we can read. Please comment and let us know of your favorite books or one that you would like to read with us.
Here are some of the book ideas that I came up with:
Nurtured by Love by Shinichi Suzuki
Teaching from the Balance Point by Edward Kreitman
Playing (Less) Hurt by Janet Horvath
They’re Rarely Too Young…and Never Too Old “To Twinkle” by Kay Collier Slone
How Children Learn by John Holt
NurtureShock by Ashley Merryman
The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
Teaching Genius: Dorothy Delay and the Making of a Musician by Barbara Lourie Sand
Principles of Violin Playing and Teaching by Ivan Galamian
The Savvy Musician by David Cutler
Making Money Teaching Music by David R. Newsam and Barbara Sprague Newsam
The Musician’s Way by Gerald Klickstein
Practicing for Artistic Success by Burton Kaplan
More books suggested by commenters: Edited 10/26/2015
Mindset by Carol Dweck
Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn
Helping Parents Practice by Edmund Sprunger
The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey
The Dynamic Studio by Phillip Johnston
Music and the Mind by Anthony Storr
How Muscles Learn: Teaching the Violin with the Body in Mind by Susan Kempter


What would you add to this list?  Want to join our book club?