Suzuki vs. Anti-Suzuki

I have a series of blog post partially written and waiting for editing and publishing. Reading through them, I realized that many of them might seem rather anti-Suzuki method. While I am sometimes critical of certain aspects of the Suzuki Method, I don’t want to give the impression that I am anti-Suzuki. I recognize the numerous wonderful things that are done in Suzuki programs and private studios around the world and I personally use many aspects of the Suzuki method and materials in my own teaching. In fact I have Suzuki training in books 1-3 and have plans to take more training. What I do worry about is that with the overwhelming number of Suzuki violin/viola teachers in my area. I think there is a danger in having fewer options for non-suzuki lessons. For one, not all students have parents able or willing to be the practice partner for their child. Also, for many students who begin at slightly older ages, say 9 and over, parental involvement many take away the ownership of the musical experience from the child. I think it is vitally important to question whatever seems to be becoming standard practice, which at least in my area, seems to be Suzuki based violin/viola instruction, to make sure that the standard practice is properly serving all students, not just those who thrive under a particular model of instruction. 

One of the things I absolutely love about the Suzuki method is the sharing of teaching ideas amongst teachers via teacher training, online forums, Facebook, teacher get-togethers etc... I really wish this were the case for all private violin teachers and that there were more public discussion forums and teacher courses for more non-suzuki methods. There unfortunately seems to be quite a bit of polarization between those teachers who are Suzuki and others, many of whom seem to be anti-Suzuki (if you can trust online comments). I think there is far more grey area between absolutely 100% supporting every aspect of the Suzuki method and saying the the method is useless and that "nothing good" has come from Suzuki instruction. For some reason, much of this discussion seems to be missing from public forums (although I am certain these teachers exist) the discussion seems to take place on Suzuki forums where teachers issue disclaimers about certain aspects of their teaching methods that are "non-Suzuki" by way of explanation. On the other side of the coin, when the Suzuki method or materials are mentioned on non-Suzuki specific forums (such as violinist.com) someone always seems to chime in with an anti-Suzuki comment. I wish there were a forum or class where it was more acceptable to discuss these things frankly in terms of how a teaching idea has helped a teacher teach a certain aspect of violin playing than being couched in "Suzuki" vs. "non-Suzuki" terms. We need free exchange of all ideas in violin teaching, not just those that follow the Suzuki method.