Teacher Training at the
North Texas School of Talent Education
The Suzuki Association of the Americas oversees an extensive teacher development process. Courses are offered across the country by a select group of registered teacher trainers, a distinction shared by NTSTE Directors Charles Krigbaum and Daina Volodka Staggs.
If you are interested in pursing training to become a registered Suzuki teacher, you can view upcoming training opportunities with Mr. Krigbaum and Mrs. Volodka Staggs below.
Upcoming Events
The Joy of Pre-Twinkle!
March 29-30, 2025
1PM-6PM Central Time
Online via Zoom
The tuition for this course is $300.
It's the Pre-Twinkle training line-up of your dreams!
Please join us for a rare opportunity to learn about the Pre-Twinkle phase from two of
its most pre-eminent champions:
Registered Suzuki Violin Teacher Trainers,
Stacy Garner and Daina Staggs!
Join Daina and Stacy for a dynamic, engaging, and exciting discussion about the
Pre-Twinkle phase of learning! This course promises to deliver on many levels and for many teaching situations and instrument areas. Daina will share about what is new in the studio and in the NTSTE approach for violin students, raising the level of expression and artistry through a deep foundation of technical mastery in the youngest beginners. As a Suzuki student, Suzuki teacher with 30 years of experience, and Suzuki mom to two boys, Daina has tons of practical, real world solutions to share. Stacy brings with her a wealth of Pre-Twinkle experience on all string instruments. As a Suzuki Teacher in a public school, she teaches Pre-Twinkle students in grades K-6 on the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. Stacy is particularly passionate about teaching Pre-Twinkle group classes, and has developed ways to blend and meld the work of Pre-Twinkle in her mixed string instrument classes. Stacy is also a Suzuki mom to five children and has experienced Pre-Twinkle seven times as a Suzuki parent. She recently realized she's been practicing with at least one of her children for 20 consecutive years!
Pre-Twinkle Stage refers to the initial stage of Suzuki violin instruction, designed for young beginners before they start playing actual songs. It is named after the first piece in the Suzuki repertoire, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," and focuses on establishing foundational skills necessary for playing the instrument. This stage is crucial for building confidence and technical ability in a supportive environment.
Key Features of the
Pre-Twinkle Stage of Learning:
Basic Setup and Developing Endurance: Proper posture, including how to hold the instrument correctly, and keeping it that way! Developing a relaxed and balanced body alignment.
Lesson Behavior: Learning how to take a lesson and how to learn from adults one on one.
Rhythmic and Motor Skills: Practice with rhythmic patterns often using open strings or plucking.
Exercises to develop fine motor coordination and control.Listening and Ear Training: Children listen to recordings of the Suzuki repertoire to internalize the melodies and rhythms with activities like clapping or singing rhythms.
Parental Involvement: Parents learn to be the home teacher to help reinforce skills during practice at home.
Playful Approach: Games, songs, and fun activities are incorporated to keep lessons engaging.
Focus on Beautiful Tone: From the beginning, students are encouraged to produce a clear and resonant tone.
The Pre-Twinkle phase prepares students to play their first song, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," and its variations, ensuring they have the foundational skills to succeed. Feelings of joy spring from the experiences of students engaged and succeding in the the learning process. Pre-Twinkle violin is taught in group and individual settings, fostering both personal and social development.
Dr. Suzuki said that to play the music of Mozart, a player needs to have the highest level of both technical ability and musical sensitivity. The Joy of PreTwinkle will center around shaping the earliest experiences of a student with activities to support these aims, framed inside of brain development, ownership, and the building of internal motivation. This course is filled with practical tools for setting and developing the technique AND musicianship for the beginning student.
This course is designed to provide support whether you’re present for live sessions or need to catch up with recorded lessons on your own schedule. For those seeking SAA registration credit, completing all 10 hours will qualify you for SAA requirements.
To learn more about the instructors, please follow these links:
https://dev.suzukiassociation.org/people/stacy-garner/
https://dev.suzukiassociation.org/people/daina-volodka-staggs/