North Wales Elementary School
Music Department - Strings
201 Summit Street
North Wales PA, 19454
215 699-4471(p) 215 616-0521 (f)
Dear Parent,
Welcome to Kindergarten! Your child’s ‘formal education’ has now begun and may that education be filled
with rich experiences that help make a well-rounded adult.
Talent education is a term used in Japan to mean the education of the whole child through music. It has
come to be known as the ‘Suzuki Violin Method’ and is being offered to Kindergarten students in the North
Penn schools. Dr. Suzuki believed that ability is not an inherited trait, and that anyone can learn to play the
violin the same way in which one learns his native language, by imitation. This is called the ‘mother tongue
approach.’
Kindergarten students are invited to learn how to play violin through this approach. Lessons are provided by
the school district during the school day (between am and pm sessions). Students who are enrolled will
receive two lessons each week. The students learn by rote, making it necessary for a parent to attend the
violin lessons. This parent then becomes the ‘home teacher’. The child also listens to recordings, which,
when played again and again, facilitates memorization.
Parent classes for all ‘home teachers’ will be held from 12:00-12:30 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays at
North Wales, beginning Tuesday, December 11, 2007. Lessons are held in room 328 (near the 4th grade
hallway.) For the first few weeks of lessons the parents will receive most of the instruction so that you will
understand the mechanics of the instrument well enough to become the ‘home teacher’ when the children
begin. I will include instruction for the children at the end of most of the parent lessons. After about 7-10
lessons, the parent lessons will be concluded and the lessons will focus on the children. Parents will still
need to attend to facilitate practicing at home.
Please consider this most valuable instruction for your child. (If this opportunity is not feasible for your
family at this time due to work schedules, students may take traditional strings lessons in third grade - parent
attendance is not required.) Please fill out the form below and return it to your child’s teacher so that I can
send home instrument lease forms and packets only to those interested. Also, please do not hesitate to
contact me if you have questions. My e-mail address is hopfhm@npenn.org. There is also more information
on my teacher website under North Wales at npenn.org.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Heidi Hopf
Instrumental Music Specialist
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I wish to register my child, _________________________________________, for Suzuki violin lessons.
Parent name:___________________________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________________
Phone:______________________________ E-mail: _____________________________________________
Please return to Mrs. Hopf by Monday December 3, 2007