• Are you a skilled, well-trained professional musician who would like to teach your instrument and work with young children?
• Do you have a genuine affection for children and an interest in helping them develop as human beings through the study of music?
• Are you interested in working in a cooperative atmosphere with children, parents and colleagues?

If so, you may be interested in becoming a Accredited Suzuki Music Teacher.

Important Teacher Training Information:

• Registration for Entrance Recital (pdf)
• Outline of Teacher Training Course
• Teacher Accreditations & Definitions
• Director of Teacher Training: Gwyneth Amphlett

Teacher Training Program

There is a comprehensive teacher-training course for all teacher trainees.

The Suzuki Teacher Training programme is well-structured offering an in-depth course. It provides knowledge of how to apply the Suzuki philosophy to violin teaching, and creates much enlightenment when the skills learnt are used to teach and nurture young students, guiding them to develop their musical potential.

Our Teacher Training Outline can be viewed here.

Ongoing Study:

A Suzuki teacher continues his or her own musical education throughout a teaching career. All teachers are required to complete several sessions of Suzuki professional development annually. This is accomplished through attendance at workshops held throughout the year, often with guest international teachers of worldwide reputation.

"As a Suzuki student from a young age, I grasped the developmental steps naturally, and didn’t notice how I had been taught these things. To me, it seemed like I’d always been able to play, and it seemed odd when someone else couldn’t hear an in-tune note, or had no concept of how to hold the bow or play a violin.

It was not until I was older and wanted to teach the violin that I was challenged. What steps do I take to train this child so that they, too, could naturally feel and play music, until they forget that they once didn’t know how to play.

I had to think from the child’s point of view and work out the steps they would need to take. I had many ideas, but no plan of how I would go about putting them into practice.

After coming back from my first teacher training workshop I was so excited about my teaching, and had a much clearer vision of the learning path I would lead my students on, and had a greater respect and understanding of the Suzuki philosophy

It is such an interesting, helpful and inspiring course. I highly recommend it for teachers of any level."

Accreditation

The SUZUKI TALENT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (WA) Inc offers teaching certificates at 3 levels: Primary, Intermediate and Advanced. Teacher Accreditations & Definitions

Australian Suzuki teacher trainers authorized by the Director of Teacher Training in Australia, present the courses of study. International and inter-state teacher trainers at 3, 4 or 5 day workshops conducted annually also give training courses.

The study involved is part-time and is provided specifically for tertiary level students and practising teachers. The minimum age is 18. It leads to the presentation of an accreditation certificate from STEAA(WA) Inc. which is endorsed by Talent Education Japan, at the completion of each level of study.

Teacher Trainers

The teacher trainers for Western Australia are:

Piano:

• Elisabeth Anderson – MA(Hons) Dip ED (Poland/Melbourne Uni) STCA(Adv) T.T.(Aust)
  Tel: 9310 3779
• Dorothy Clark –BA DipED(UWA), DM<T(WACon), AmusA(Perf)
  STCA(Adv), TT(Aust), MIMT Tel: 9309 3823
• Jan Moreschini-DMT(WA Con), AmusA(Perf) STCA(Adv),
  TT(Aust),MIMT
  Tel: 9307 6603

Violin:

• Gwyneth Amphlett-ATCL(Perf/T)(Trinity College London), STCA(Int), DTT(WA),
  Tel: 9477-3702

Cello:

• Emma O’Keefe-ATT(WA) BA(UWA), B.Mus(WACon)
  Grad.Dip.Ed.(Edith Cowan) Post Grad.Dip. (TESOL) STCA(Adv)
  Tel: 9339 0410

Voice:

• Laura Bernay-Grad. Dip Ed(Mel Uni) DipArtsMus(Perf)V(Vic.College)
  STCA(Int) STCA Flute (Pri), ATT(WA)
  Tel: 9380 4704

Guitar and Flute training is coordinated through interstate teacher trainers. All teachers wishing to enroll in the Teacher Training Course are also required to apply for membership of the local state Association. Independent teacher trainers in Australia design these courses, which are approved by the Talent Education Institute of Japan.

Membership Year
Membership year is from February 1st to January 31st - Joining after July 1st - half year fees for that year.

Definitions:

Teacher Members are those who are accredited Suzuki Teachers at the first level, or satisfy the Executive that they have the appropriate background and achievements of the first level.

Associate Teacher Members (a) are those who have satisfactorily completed the introductory Teacher Training course to the end of Book 2 and are working towards accreditation as a Suzuki teacher OR (b) The Executive Committee is satisfied that the person has the appropriate qualifications and background that sub-clause (a) ought not to apply in their case.

Trainee Teacher Members are those training to become teachers.
Example 1: Persons who have advanced to high levels in musical proficiency but who have not yet finished formal education and who are preparing for their future careers.

Example 2: Persons who have attained the required music levels some years ago and who now desire to regain their former skills and prepare for a renewed career opportunity in teaching.

Benefits of membership:

Trainee Teachers may:

• teach Suzuki students under the immediate supervision of an accredited teacher (above primary Level)
• participate in STEAA(WA) activities, graduations, conferences, schools and workshops, teacher training, playa longs.
• participate in Western Australian Suzuki Schools, Associations and their branches that are affiliated with STEAA(WA).
• participate in STEAA(WA) activities in this and in other states of Australia (an additional membership is required for international activities)
• receive 4 newsletters during the year (one each term)
• attend general and council meetings of the association with a right to speak but not to vote
• hold office in positions available to trainee teachers

Associate Teachers may:

• participate as above
• be included on the STEAA(WA) register of Teachers
• with the approval of the Director of Teacher Training put forward students for graduation
• hold office in positions available to Associate teachers

Teachers may:

• participate fully in STEAA(WA) activities and may put forward students for graduation
• be registered on the Australian Register of Suzuki Teachers

Semi Retired Teachers may:

• participate fully in STEAA(WA) activities and may put forward students for graduation
• be registered on the Australian Register of Suzuki Teachers

Responsibilities:

It is the responsibility of Teachers of Associate Teacher members to attend at least one teacher training workshop/seminar each year and to ensure that all their Suzuki students enrolled and tutored become financial members of the Association and maintain membership for the duration of tuition.