At the heart of the String Project@Wayne is its three-year training cycle for teaching interns and young string students. Teaching interns who join the Project enter a long-term mentoring process with the master teacher and other string pedagogy experts. They perform together in recruiting and outreach concerts. They take responsibility for single-instrument classes right away and gradually grow into conducting larger mixed ensembles. They observe experienced teachers and get feedback on their own teaching at regular seminar meetings. Ultimately, they learn the most from each other.
Beginning students are also encouraged to stay in the program for three or more years, and will remain with the same instructor as long as practical during that time. Here the instructors themselves become long-term mentors:as young students move through Levels I, II, and III their instructors move with them, to promote meaningful teaching relationships and allow students and teachers to see the results of their work.
After completing String Project, many teaching interns will go on to their official student teaching assignments, others will prepare to graduate with performance degrees. Young students who have completed the program may also "graduate", and will be encouraged to consider private lessons and to audition for one of the Detroit Symphony's Civic Youth ensembles. Meanwhile, a new cohort of teaching interns begins work with a new group of beginners each year.
