Tiny Twinklers
What is Tiny Twinklers?
Tiny Twinklers is a Suzuki ECE music programme for parents and babies aged 0-4½ years. A parent or caregiver accompanies every child attending a class. A qualified teacher, who is assisted by a team teacher, leads the class.
Tiny Twinklers helps, through music, to prepare the foundations required to take full advantage of the children’s future educational opportunities and to become effective citizens and loving parents of the next generation.
Where does Tiny Twinklers take place?
Classes in Tauranga take place in the small hall at Wesley Church, 100 Thirteenth Avenue, Tauranga. With sufficient interest from surrounding areas, classes may be offered in other locations.
When are the classes?
We hope to accommodate as many families as possible with suitable times for a class. Times and days may change depending on the needs of enrolled families and will be determined closer to the start of the progamme. When the currently running classes are full, names will go on a waiting list. When there are enough names on the waiting list a new class will be created.
At this stage, classes are planned for:
Thursdays: 2.00 – 3.00pm. With sufficient interest, a new class may start on a different day and time.
How often are the classes?
Classes take place weekly during the school term. Please refer to the term calendar at the bottom of this page. There will be nine classes every term, as well as at least 1 concert at the end of each semester. Parent evenings to learn more about ECE, research in child development and the Suzuki method will be offered from time to time.
Why are weekly classes important?
Babies learn from their parents and the environment they grow up in. They also learn through frequent repetition and don’t get tired of hearing a song or a rhyme over and over again. This is a very important fact, as it is through repetition that they thoroughly master a basic skill. Then they build on these basic skills to master more advanced skills. In this way ability is developed from a very early age.
Suzuki Educators aim to create a nurturing environment free from pressure so that each child can learn at his/her own pace. Parents are encouraged to observe their child carefully, allowing them to learn and develop self confidence in a task before moving on to more advanced actions.
Is it possible to practice at home?
After the enrollment fee has been paid, parents receive their copy of the core curriculum CD. Parents use the CD at home to create special moments of nurturing, singing and playing with their child. Bath times, bed and nap times, meal times and during playtimes are ideal opportunities to play the CD. This daily nurturing through frequent repetition builds a strong, loving bond among family members. It also helps provide a regular structure which is so essential for a baby’s sense of security.
How much does it cost?
Enrolment fee: $70 ($20 non refundable registration fee, CD $50)
Per student: $190 per term (9 classes + concert) $170 for second and more siblings.
Payment options 2010:
Full payment at registration 2010:
Due to the shorter first term, the fees have been adjusted:
First term, February: $171 (sibling $151)
Early payment discount (within first week of term) $161 (sibling $141)
Second term, April: $190
Early payment discount (within first week of term) $180
Third term, July: $190
Early payment discount (within first week of term) $180
Fourth term, October: $190
Early payment discount (within first week of term) $180
What is different about Tiny Twinklers, which is a Suzuki ECE music programme?
The concepts used in the Suzuki ECE curriculum are:
- Every child can learn
- Ability develops early
- Environment nurtures growth
- Children learn from one another
- Success breeds success
- Parental involvement and education is critical
- Encouragement is essential
Every child can learn
Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, a Japanese violinist and teacher, spent more than 50 years of his life developing a very effective method of teaching young children to play the violin. The basis for the method was the natural process of learning one’s mother tongue: in every culture, children learn to speak their mother tongue fluently by being immersed in a family and society, hearing the language every day from their mother and father, and imitating those people that surround them. Suzuki’s goals were not limited to teaching children the violin, but were much wider and included the development of a sense of beauty, learning the discipline required to master a skill and most important of all, becoming a fine human being.
Ability develops early
Research is showing the importance of the pre-natal stage and the first 5 years of a child’s life on his or her intellectual, emotional and mental development. Parents are becoming more aware of the tremendous importance of these years in giving their child the best possible start in life.
Environment nurtures growth
The awareness of the importance of a rich and varied environment during the pre-natal period and earliest years of a child’s life has become mainstream knowledge. Through attending a Suzuki ECE music programme, music becomes the medium to lay the foundations for life-long learning. Exposure to quality music and participation in music classes helps to develop an appreciation for beauty, acquire personal and social skills, learn discipline and become a fine human being. Using the CD at home as part of the regular daily routine creates a happy and relaxed atmosphere and helps familiarize baby and family with the songs, lullabies and rhymes.
Children learn from one another
Classes consist of mixed ages (and mixed ability), which is a very important feature. Older children have developed further and serve as ‘role models’ for the babies to learn from, which helps build the older children’s self-esteem and confidence. In turn, the babies inspire the older children to learn patience and understanding, gentleness and care, and appreciate the efforts made by the little ones. It is heart warming to see the interaction between the different age groups in this controlled and caring environment where every person is appreciated and celebrated.
Success breeds success
When learning happens in small easy steps without undue pressure, and new skills are built on the already mastered skills, the learning process becomes enjoyable and easy. Correct repetition is an essential ingredient in the mastering of a skill. Children all learn at their own pace, and with encouragement and careful nurturing they achieve their potential in their own time, while developing self confidence.
Parental involvement and education is critical
As can be expected with a Suzuki approach, parental involvement is crucial and parent education forms a very important part of the programme. Suzuki ECE teachers understand the importance of assisting parents who are the child’s first and most important teacher. Parents are able to create a rich and varied environment for their baby at home, even before they are born. They may have little or no musical background, but often become interested in attending baby music classes due to their desire to provide a balanced and nurturing environment for their baby during these advantageous years. In this way parents become their children’s first teachers providing a stimulating and nurturing environment at home, as well as partners with teachers in laying solid foundations for their development.
Encouragement is essential
We give children the opportunity to explore music, singing, rhythms and movement in a playful way at their individual level. There is no pressure from teachers or parents to be in competition with anyone else. Together we celebrate each child’s achievements, and enjoy watching each individual’s development from week to week. The children learn to encourage each other in the nurturing environment created by parents and teachers.