She is currently serving on the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) Teacher Development Committee and was a member of the committee which developed the teachers’ and participants’ manuals for Every Child Can!®, the SAA’s introductory course to Suzuki education and Suzuki Principles in Action, the SAA’s newest course.

 

With the assistance of a donation from the Rolak family, Pat researched and developed the UWSP Suzuki Strings Mentoring Program, a year-long program, in which string teachers can be mentored in their teaching.

 

Working with other UWSP personnel, another of Pat’s projects has been to preserve the videos taken during Dr. Suzuki’s visit to Stevens Point in 1976. The videos are available to view online at http://www.uwsp.edu/cofac/suzuki/asi/method.aspx.

 

Pat has been a teacher and/or trainer at Suzuki institutes and workshops in 19 states, as well as Canada, Puerto Rico, Japan, Finland, Estonia, Peru, and Chile, and Taiwan.

 

She earned a BME, magna cum laude, from Rosary College, and holds an M.M.Ed with emphasis in Suzuki Talent Education from UWSP, where Pat studied with Margery Aber. In 1988, she was awarded a three week grant to study in Japan with Dr. Suzuki. She has also received a grant to work with Dr. Robert Duke at UT-Austin to learn innovative ways to use technology in giving feedback to teachers. She is the only SAA-sanctioned Teacher Trainer active in the state of Wisconsin.

 

Prior to Stevens Point, Ms. D’Ercole was the founder and director of the Flambeauland Suzuki Talent Education Program, Ladysmith, Wisconsin and also taught instrumental music for two years in the Maywood, Illinois public schools. She has authored many articles for the American Suzuki Journal, served on the the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) Board of Directors and as its chair, and as secretary of the International Suzuki Association. She is also the founder and first president of the Suzuki Association of Wisconsin.