Though “older children will still reap the benefits of learning music”, it is often seen as more beneficial to learn at a younger age to due to the “brain being more sensitive to information” (Queen’s Park Music Kids, n.d.). This is one of the core principles of the Suzuki method (which is what my lesson will be partially based on) in which children “learn to play before learning to read” (www.europeansuzuki.org, n.d.) and treat learning music as an extension to learning their own language rather than as an entirely new language. Starting at a young age is known to “benefit a child’s overall mental development” (Kumon.co.uk, 2022) and build confidence at a time in the world when there is so much pressure to succeed.
In my lesson, assuming the child is between the ages of 5 and 8, the first thing which needs to be addressed is the environment the child will be learning in and the learning materials that are present within the room. The main focus is to create an organised, but interesting space for the child so that it is “attractive to the eye” and “functions effectively” (Colbert, 2006) in an attempt to make sure that the pupil does not become disinterested or uncomfortable as the first thing they will notice is their surroundings and if it is untidy or inappropriate, that will negatively impact theirs and their parents’ perception of me which may result in losing the pupil straight away. Along with this, I need to make sure that the room is made up of blues which is associated with “calm and serenity” and yellows which is associated with “creativity and cheerfulness” (MissPompadour, 2022) in an attempt to make sure the child feels welcomed, is encouraged to learn and has fun. In order to be able to run the lesson effectively I also need to ensure that the appropriate equipment is there such as an extra guitar, capo, picks, etc. This is because the student may not have all the necessary equipment due to it being their first lesson and therefore being inexperienced along with the parent possibly not knowing what the equipment is for as they are both most likely learning the instrument for the first time together.
For this lesson and possibly the few following it, a parent would accompany the child and also learn the basics of the instrument. This benefits the lesson in a multitude of ways. One way is by making the child feel “safe, secure and loved” (Bo, 2022) as that is when they learn the best. Along with this, the pupil meeting me with the accompaniment of the parent will provide more “emotional security” (Suzuki, 1983) and leave the child with less anxiety when the parent is eventually removed as they will know the parent trusts me having met me in person. This also gives me a chance to question the parent and see if there is anything I should be aware of when teaching their child in order to “overcome barriers” which may become apparent, whether that is a “physical barrier, due to disability or illness,” or the “parents own previous experiences of education” (Early Years Coalition, 2021). The parent being present is also a vital part of the Suzuki method of teaching, in which “one parent often learns to play before the child, so that they understand what the child is expected to do” (Suzuki Association of the Americas, 2025) and can assist them at home if they begin to struggle, causing less frustration away from the lesson and an overall better experience learning their instrument. Despite this, an issue that often occurs when children learn with their parents is that there comes a point in which they don’t want them in the lesson with them, therefore the parent will be removed from the lessons earlier on so that there are no issues further down the line and that the child can have a sense of freedom and individuality when learning away from their parent.
When beginning the lesson, I will introduce myself to both the parent and student using my first name as it often helps teachers to be seen as “more supportive, approachable and trustworthy” (Unisq.edu.au, 2025) which I believe is incredibly important as the parents main priority will be to find a teacher that is just that, and anything that will put them at ease is essential to incorporate into my teaching. The main focus should be to cultivate an interest in the instrument rather than trying to teach in the most efficient manner as “46% of children” stop playing their instrument as they have “lost interest” (Gioia, 2025) and don’t want to play anymore rather than it being too difficult. To do this, I would demonstrate a variety of different genres and playing styles to show what they could do in the future whilst also suggesting to the parent to surround their child with music as “familiarity with music is acknowledged as a central factor for liking” (Madison and Schiölde, 2017) and constantly having music in their life, preferably guitar based, would help to cultivate and keep an interest in their instrument.
As the lesson progresses past the initial meeting stage, I would set a goal for the end of the lesson which would be to learn 3 chords and play a simple popular song. This would involve showing the general fingerings on the guitar for each chord, which would be followed by asking them to play and remember each chord by name, as some of the key principles of the Suzuki method is repetition and learning to play before learning to read. This is to show the pupil that even at the beginning of their music journey they can perform a song that they may know which is “one of the most powerful, rewarding, and creative ways to develop self confidence” (Tiwari, 2025) in a new musician. This also helps to further grow their interest in the instrument as they can now link it to actually creating meaningful sound rather than just meaningless noise. Despite this, this may be difficult for the student to do in the span of the lesson, so we would spend the majority of the lesson learning the new chords and how to change between them, and then do a run through of the song together towards the end of the session. Playing simultaneously with the student often helps to “reinforce new concepts” and “provide encouragement” (Why, 2025) in the same way that playing with peers would but in a more encouraging light as there would be no hesitation or uncertainty from the teacher.
In the closing minutes of the lesson, it is important that I set homework for the pupil in a way that will “reinforce what they’ve learned class” (aboutschools.uk, 2024). To do this, I would set another song for them to learn using the same chords that they learned in the lesson. This is to help them remember what they had learned whilst also applying it to something else, whilst also not overwhelming them by making them learn anything new like other chords. To assist in this, I would make sure to leave their parent with a chord chart to help them remember how to play the chords in the event that they forget, so that they are not lost when they come to do their work. Thanks to the parent being present for this first lesson, they can act as their “home coach” and guide them in “practise sessions” (Suzuki Music/Musique Canada, 2023) at home in order for the student to fully understand the material that was given to them. This is different from how the Suzuki method is normally used as traditionally it would be expected that “daily practise sessions” (Suzuki Music/Musique Canada, 2023) are done, however I would diverge from this method as I believe that this could deter the student from enjoying playing the instrument and instead see it as a chore and want to quit. This is a big possibility as “when children feel the weight of high expectations and the fear of disappointing others, it can create stress and anxiety, making the learning experience unpleasant” (Music, 2024) and this could manifest through the parent pushing practise onto the child. I believe that this goes against one of the main positives of learning an instrument which is to have fun. Despite this, one key part of the Suzuki method is to “listen to the recordings of music pieces that they will learn to play long before they learn how to play” (Peel, 2015) so I would advise the parent to play the songs we were working on whilst the child is around, so that they hear and understand it on a deeper level than from just trying to read the chords as it will help to “develop a sophisticated ear for pitch and tone” (Peel, 2015)
Overall, my teaching method is influenced by the Suzuki method, but altered slightly in ways to make it more appealing to the child and increases the likelihood that they will enjoy the instrument rather than becoming burnt out and regretting learning to play.
Queen’s Park Music Kids. (n.d.). Benefits of Children Learning Music. [online] Available at: https://www.queensparkmusickids.com/blog/benefits-of-children-learning-music. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
www.europeansuzuki.org. (n.d.). The SUZUKITM Method» European Suzuki Association. [online] Available at: https://www.europeansuzuki.org/esa/the-suzuki-method/. [Accessed 28 Dec. 2025].
Kumon.co.uk. (2022). The benefits of children learning music. [online] Available at: https://www.kumon.co.uk/blog/the-benefits-of-children-learning-music. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
Colbert, J. (2006). Classroom Design and How it Influences Behavior. [online] www.communityplaythings.com. Available at: https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/classroom-design-and-how-it-influences-behavior. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
MissPompadour (2022). Nursery: Colours and Their Effects. [online] MissPompadour. Available at: https://www.misspompadour.com/r/nursery-colours-effects/. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
Bo, R. (2022). Why do children learn best from their parents? [online] Rosa & Bo. Available at: https://www.rosaandbo.com/blogs/our-blog/why-do-children-learn-best-from-their-parents [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].
Suzuki, S. (1983) Nurtured by Love: The Classic Approach to Talent Education. Translated by W. Suzuki et al. (English edition). [original work published 1966].
Early Years Coalition (2021). Birth to 5 Matters: Non-statutory Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage www.birthto5matters.org.uk from the Early Years Coalition. [online] Available at: https://birthto5matters.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Birthto5Matters-download.pdf. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
Suzuki Association of the Americas. (2025). About the Suzuki Method. [online] Available at: https://dev.suzukiassociation.org/about/suzuki-method/ [Accessed 28 Dec. 2025].
Unisq.edu.au. (2025). Mr Smith or Gary? Why some teachers ask students to call them by their first name. [online] Available at: https://www.unisq.edu.au/news/2025/06/the-conversation-teacher-names [Accessed 1 Jan. 2026]
Gioia, T. (2025). Why Do Children Hate Music Lessons? [online] Honest-broker.com. Available at: https://www.honest-broker.com/p/why-do-children-hate-music-lessons. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
Madison, G. and Schiölde, G. (2017). Repeated Listening Increases the Liking for Music Regardless of Its Complexity: Implications for the Appreciation and Aesthetics of Music. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 11(147). doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2017.00147. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
Tiwari, L. (2025). Why Learning an Instrument Can Boost Your Confidence. [online] The Mystic Keys. Available at: https://themystickeys.com/why-learning-an-instrument-can-boost-your-confidence/. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
aboutschools.uk. (2024). Purpose of Homework | aboutschools.uk. [online] Available at: https://www.aboutschools.uk/purpose-of-homework [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
Why (2025). The Music Circle. [online] The Music Circle. Available at: https://www.themusiccircle.org/blog/the-benefits-of-group-music-lessons-for-children-a-fun-and-engaging-path-to-learning-music [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
Suzuki Music/Musique Canada (2023). The Suzuki Method – Suzuki Music/Musique Canada. [online] Available at: https://suzukiontario.org/about-us/the-suzuki-method/ [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
Music, J. (2024). Why Kids Dislike Music Lessons – S & C Junior. [online] S & C Junior. Available at: https://sandcjunior.ae/why-kids-dislike-music-lessons/. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]
Peel, R. (2015). The Suzuki Method of Teaching. [online] Holiday Academy. Available at: https://holidayacademy.co.uk/blog/suzuki-method-of-teaching/ [Accessed 1 Jan. 2026]
