NewIS will soon be adding a new bus route, this time from Toyosu. In addition, the Early Learning Centre is expanding, increasing both in space and number of teachers, and whereas the children at NewIS have always played the violin from age eight, from this school year they will play from age six.
The Suzuki Method has the children learning initially by ear, and parents as well, if they would like to join the oya ko (parent-child) violin club. The school provides the violins and there is no need to practice at home. There is also an abundance of keyboards, xylophones, taeko and shimetaiko drums, guitars, recorders, and other instruments, and of course the children sing. This summer, one of the teachers was delighted to discover that even 4–6 year olds know Justin Bieber songs.
NewIS teachers find that the musical training enhances students’ language faculties. Children happily learn all subjects in both English and Japanese, and about half of them learn Chinese.
