El Sistema USA has grown to become an organization with over 100 programs across the nation. The organization has become known for offering free music instruction to the poorest neighborhoods and school districts in the country. The vast majority of these programs offer string programs that focus on ensemble- based learning. What is lacking is a uniquely El Sistema method of instruction for strings. This doctoral essay will discuss the current state of violin pedagogy for beginning violin group classes in El Sistema USA programs, examine areas where there is a lack of unity in teaching styles using information collected from a national survey, and propose a first-year teaching prospectus that incorporates the organization’s core values to be used for reference by instructors.