Playing with beautiful hearts and beautiful tone, deep in the heart of Texas!
August 17-21, 2026
SECE Stage One Teacher Training in San Jose, California
at the Suzuki Music School of San Jose
1211 Meridian Ave, San Jose, CA 95125
Cost: $795
(includes course fee, SAA registration fee, and course manual)
Experience the kind of learning and progress that only an intensive Suzuki Institute experience can provide!
Suzuki Early Childhood Education Baby-Toddler Classes and SECE Teacher Training classes!
We’re going to California! Join us in San Jose at the Suzuki Music School of San Jose for SECE Stage One teacher training and a baby/toddler music immersion class in August.
To register for the course:
1. Visit the Suzuki Association of the Americas website – www.suzukiassociation.org
2. Join the SAA as a teacher member
3. Complete the prerequisite course ‘Every Child Can!‘
4. Register and make payment for SECE Stage 1 through the SAA website
5. Complete the event registration form on the Dolce Music Academy/Houston Suzuki Institute website
The SECE Stage One Teacher Training Course is a warm, inspiring introduction to teaching Suzuki Early Childhood Education for babies, toddlers, and their families. This course welcomes musicians and educators of all backgrounds who want to create joyful, nurturing learning environments grounded in Dr. Suzuki’s belief that every child can learn.
Throughout the training, participants explore the foundations of the SECE curriculum, including purposeful repetition, musical readiness, observation skills, and the essential role of the parent-child relationship. Trainees observe live classes, engage in hands-on activities, and learn how to guide families through the beautiful process of learning together in an atmosphere of calm, encouragement, and delight.
In a supportive and collaborative setting, teachers discover how to:
- Foster a predictable, loving environment where young children thrive
- Use music, movement, language, and rhythm to build early skills
- Encourage cooperation, independence, and confidence in very young learners
- Support parents as partners in the learning process
- Apply Suzuki’s principles to real-life classroom situations
The SECE Stage One course provides not only practical teaching strategies, but also a heart-centered philosophy that strengthens every aspect of a teacher’s work. Participants leave feeling inspired, confident, and ready to begin bringing the joy of early childhood Suzuki education to the families they serve.
Schedule:
Monday, August 17 thru Friday, August 21
10:30am-6:30pm (pacific time)
Daily Schedule M-F:
10:30am-12:30pm – teacher lecture
12:20pm-2:00pm – lunch break
2:00pm-4:30pm – teacher lecture
4:30pm-5:30pm – baby/toddler demonstration class
5:30pm-6:30pm – teacher lecture
Teachers with babies/toddlers age 0-4 are welcome to have their child participate in the demonstration classes. Contact us about afternoon childcare.
Pre-Requisites
- Completion of the ECC! (Every Child Can!) course
Current, active SAA teacher membership
There are no SAA audition requirements for SECE
Reading/listening:
- Nurtured by Love (revised edition recommended)
- Ability Development From Age Zero
- Lullabies, Action Songs and Rhymes BOOKLET by Dorothy Jones (available directly from me)
- Lullabies, Action Songs and Rhymes RECORDING by Sharon Jones
- digital recording available online on itunes, amazon, spotify, etc. Please purchase both albums – Week 1 and Week 2
- CD recording (an actual physical CD, available directly from me)
Please note: the SECE curriculum was revised in 2021. We will be using the new, revised curriculum in class. The new official Suzuki recordings are not yet available for the revised curriculum, but a large portion of the curriculum is still the same as on the Lullabies, Action Songs and Rhymes CD. Printed lyrics for the revised curriculum will be shared with participants after registration to facilitate preparation before the course.