LIKE most working moms, I do not have time to tutor my five children. Yet they have managed to do quite well in the arts, sports and academics?thanks to an innovative music teaching method and a dedicated, selfless teacher named Mrs. A.

Wanting to bring some beauty into the lives of children amid the devastation of post-World War II Japan, violinist Dr. Shinichi Suzuki created the Suzuki Method, an educational philosophy which strives to create ?high ability? and beautiful character in its students through a nurturing, enabling environment.

Its primary vehicle for achieving this is music education on a specific instrument, often the violin, piano or cello. The nurturing environment is modeled on a concept of early childhood education focusing on factors thought then to be present in acquiring native language ability. These include immersion, encouragement from parents and teachers, small steps, and an unforced learning timetable based on each child?s readiness to imitate examples and internalize principles.

Thanks to articles by Pablo Tariman in the Inquirer almost a decade ago, I got to know about the music of Ingrid Santamaria and other world-class Filipino pianists. By bringing my children to concerts of these talented musicians, they learned to appreciate classical music at an early age.

Eight years ago, we were looking for the best piano teacher in the country for my second son, Franco Lorenzo. We sought out professor Carmencita G. Arambulo, or Mrs. A as her adoring students call her at the Greenhills Music Studio (GMS). My two older sons auditioned.

Francis Carlos eventually became Mrs A?s cello scholar under teacher Herrick Ortiz, while Franco Lorenzo, who had played Mozart?s ?Ronda Alla Turca? in his audition, was accepted but had to start from the bottom, Book 1 piano level. The firm and fair Mrs. A never takes shortcuts.

Today, Franco is a graduate of the Suzuki Method and, like his older brother, a GMS piano scholar.

Living proof

I believe my children are living proof that the Suzuki Method works. I also strongly believe in Suzuki?s thesis that talent is not inherited but acquired, and for parents to concede that a child has no talent and to just give up is cowardice. Based on my experience, I offer parents these insights:

Creating an enabling environment can help a child develop superior talents and abilities. Surrounding kids with books, newspapers and children?s magazines, musical instruments, board games, and sports gear will encourage them to seek learning.

My eldest, 19-year-old Francis Carlos, is a BS Architecture sophomore at UP Diliman. A classical and jazz guitarist who does local bar gigs with his jazz-rock group, the Boss Paos and Aki bands, Francis Carlos was the principal cellist of De La Salle Santiago Zobel (DLSZ) School Orchestra during high school. He now plays the saxophone.

My 10-year-old Claudia plays the piano while my youngest, Felix Gabriel, 8, plays the violin. Eleven-year-old Clarisse plays the violin and has performed at Equitable PCI Bank Auditorium and several SM Malls, among others. She is a Kumon Math Gold Awardee and at the top of her fifth-grade batch in Kumon Math nationwide. Her level O with trigonometry is equivalent to the course taken by second and third-year college students. Credit goes to Clarisse?s instructress at Kumon Alabang Hills, teacher Mia Taca, for her keen attention to details in coaching my daughter.

Repetition develops excellence. Keep in mind that patience is important faculty for achievement. ?Mastering concerto pieces requires a high level of discipline, hard work, perseverance, and a profound longing to fill an inner need,? Franco wrote in an essay for his college admission test.

Playing the violin and trumpet first before learning piano, 16-year-old Franco was a two-time winner (2005 and 2006) in the annual Piano Teachers? Guild of the Philippines (PTGP) Piano Competition, and has participated in various PTGP Festivals. He was invited as piano soloist to the memorial concert in Seoul for the 106th birthday of Dr. Suzuki. He has performed abroad many times.

Working with kids

Constantly encourage children. Work, read, play and pray with them. Because I spend most of the day at work, we discuss and agree on my children?s daily schedules. My kids listen to their CDs every day and rehearse their music instruments daily for 15 minutes to an hour. After their daily chores, they enjoy an hour playing computer and board games. They?re also into swimming, biking or Frisbee. I encourage them to read a chapter of a book daily.

Every night we pray as a family with the kids saying their intentions aloud, which actually serves as excellent report of the day?s happenings while I was out working. When my turn to pray comes, I ask for guidance to help my children always give their best for God?s greater glory.

Every Saturday for the past seven years, I bring my kids to the GMS for their music lessons. The founder of the Philippine Suzuki Association, Mrs. A has taught accomplished Filipino musicians, including Rowena Arrieta, Oliver Salonga and Louie Ocampo.

I still have much to learn about parenting. Fortunately, the wisdom and selflessness of Mrs. A and my kids? pediatrician, Alice Tamesis, inspire and guide me. These parenting models epitomize Dr. Suzuki?s philosophy, ?Where love is deep, much can be accomplished.?

The author is the corporate affairs and market access director of Novartis Philippines. The Philippine Suzuki Association can be reached at 7240705 or 7242543.