Shinichi Suzuki developed his method for the purpose of instructing normal children to learn the basics of music. He emphasized the fact that given the right training and development from an early age, children could learn to play an instrument regardless of their background or whether or not their parents had any musical history. Over time, his method was found to be successful. As of 2010, the Suzuki method is an international program that certifies teachers and students across the world.
To be come a Certified Suzuki Method teacher, one must undergo a variety of steps in a process. First, the potential teacher must take the Every Child Can! instruction course. Then he must submit a teacher training video audition and join the Suzuki Association of the Americas as a teacher member. He must also take the book 1 and 2 training courses, which can be done through an apprenticeship, long-term study at a university or college, or short-term training through a workshop or summer program. There are teachers and representatives of the Suzuki method across the United States.
Over the course of a child's musical education within the Suzuki method, he will receive a variety of certificates that officially launch him to the next level of Suzuki training. There is no testing within the Suzuki method; these certificates of graduation are presented at a teacher's discretion when they feel that their student is clearly prepared for the next level of Suzuki training.
Much of the success of the Suzuki program is owed to the style in which it is presented. The versatility of the Suzuki training method allows for students to progress at whatever speed is best for them individually. Students learn rhythm, theory, and musicality alike not through mundane exercises, but through unique pieces of music, cementing their education with repetition. Their success depends in part on the encouragement and involvement from parents and teachers who are committed to being a part of their child's learning process.
The popularity of the Suzuki method is due not only to its widespread success, but to the enjoyment of the students who learn under it. A survey taken in Dallas, Texas, showed that children felt their experience under the Suzuki method was overall fun and challenging. Their experiences with the Suzuki method taught them discipline, constructive use of time, and ways to set achievable goals for themselves.