Suzuki violin instructor Cathy Mejia keeps a picture of herself as a child in El Salvador with one of her first violins. "I keep it as a reminder to my students that I did this too," she said. "I practiced when I didn't want to and cried when my dad made me play, and I still turned out this good."Violin instructor Cathy Mejia helps four-year-old Ben Puckett with his form in holding his tiny violin. "I have a power ranger that turns into an eagle!" Puckett. While this is only his third lesson, keeping focused is one of the major challenges Mejia has to face in teaching young children.Suzuki violin instructor Cathy Mejia trims three fingernails on the hand of 7-year-old violin student Ellie Simms. "These are not violin fingers!" Mejia said. To firmly press the strings, fingernails need to be short and out of the way. "I just forgot 'cause we've been on vacation," Simms explained. Natalie Lenberger, 5, turns the tables by stepping back to assess the example being played by her Suzuki violin instructor Cathy Megia.Natalie Lenberger, 5, turns the tables by advising her Suzuki violin instructor Cathy Megia on what they piece they should practice. "You must decide what you really want to play the most," Mejia informs her. Instead of learning one new piece at practice, Lenberger wanted to play all three that Mejia had brought for her to choose from..Abbe Gevrye, 5, bows to piano teacher Dale Dufour before beginning her weekly lesson, a custom designed to help the child show respect for their instructor in the Suzuki learning method.
