While Gillespie’s poignant statement refers to the enactment of the Orff approach in our classrooms, the possibilities are also nearly endless in our Post-Level III study of the Schulwerk. Gillespie continues in emphasizing that the secret to a fruitful life in the Schulwerk begins with seeking experiences and moments of discovery and that “the lifelong work of Orff Schulwerk must be built on the roots of wonder”  (Gillespie, 1987). As experienced Orff Schulwerk educators, many of us seek additional coursework to benefit our students’ musical experiences and feed our own need for professional, musical, and personal growth. Our “roots of wonder” truly begin to germinate, sprout, and blossom with our involvement in Post-Level III coursework. 

Curriculum Development

There is a misconception that there is little understanding of the educational capacity of the Orff Schulwerk materials, with the utilization of the Orff approach having a misguided reputation as disjointed, scattered, and lacking in curricular direction. Though we as Orff Schulwerk practitioners have gained an understanding of how to utilize both Orff and Keetman’s primary sources and other materials through the Orff approach, there is enormous potential within a Curriculum Development course to focus one’s teaching as we meet students in each grade level. 

Courses in Curriculum Development have been available for Orff Schulwerk practitioners for decades, with opportunities presenting them as early as the mid-1980s. One such course was led by Orff Schulwerk luminaries, Jane Frazee and Arvida Steen in 1984 at Hamline University (AOSA, 1984). Steen and Frazee’s initial groundbreaking course has led to the inclusion of similar courses in Curriculum Development at a number of other sites of Orff Schulwerk dispersal. Notably, Steen led courses herself and with her protegé, Jay Broeker, until her retirement in the summer of 2000 (AOSA, 2000; AOSA, 2001).

My personal experience includes courses in Curriculum Development at the University of Kentucky and the University of St. Thomas. Each of these courses were led by former students and mentees of the initial course facilitators, with my course at the University of Kentucky being led by Jay Broeker and the course at the University of St. Thomas course being led by Diana Hawley. Though varied in material, both courses took great inspiration from the initial leaders’ framework, using a curriculum grid familiar to users of Steen’s revolutionary book “Exploring Orff” as well as models from Frazee’s unprecedented text “Discovering Orff” and its supplements, including “Artful-Playful-Mindful in Action.”  

In addition to the analysis of one’s grade level activities for inclusion in the curriculum grid (which acted as a culminating project for participants), we had the opportunity to experience teaching models where the instructor led us through activities that would be appropriate for each grade level band. After participating in each activity, we would analyze why it might be appropriate in that particular grade level and discern whether it might share that appropriateness within our own teaching situation. Once we had experienced the instructor’s models, we created our own lessons for involvement in our newly revised curriculum, with a number of lab teaching experiences being some of the most valuable aspects of the course.

Though instructors in other courses might veer from Steen and Frazee’s initial model, the opportunity to analyze the skills needed to develop an effective music curriculum is invaluable. Please consider taking advantage of this opportunity for yourself and your own students. This summer (2024), there will be courses of this sort available at the University of St. Thomas (Diana Hawley) and Anderson University (Lisa Sullivan Odom). Please visit the AOSA Course Website Listings for more information or for additional courses, as they are added frequently.

Master Class

According to the Handbook for Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education Courses, Master Classes are only suited for those music and movement educators who have completed all three Orff Schulwerk Levels Courses. As stated on the AOSA website (2013), “Master Classes are intended to be a series of specialized, intense, and focused high level experiences.” Additionally, AOSA states that “Participants who do not have the background knowledge from the three levels of Teacher Education courses will not benefit from the advanced ideas that are being presented in a Master Class situation unless they have the appropriate foundational learning.” 

Each Master Class demands immense focus from the participants, but the information and materials will vary per instructor and be dependent on the course design. Courses might focus on intensive study of the Orff and Keetman primary materials, delve deeper into the historical foundations of the Schulwerk (Elemental Explorations with BethAnn Hepburn), create connections between the Schulwerk and diverse media or new music (Matt McCoy–Building on the Past, Looking Towards the Future), or find the connecting threads between Orff Schulwerk and the others arts and sciences (Integrating the Arts with Sofia Lopez-Ibor). Additionally, instructors might choose to share their greatest passions (or their students’ passions) through their course design. In another recent Master Class, Karen Medley shared her passion for catering to a child’s view of the world with a course entitled “Through Children’s Eyes.” Whatever the theme, content, or design of the Master Class, each participant will gain experiences that will weave together the various threads of the Schulwerk together in a new synthesis for themselves and their students. 

Supplemental Courses in Specialized Topics

In addition to Curriculum Development and Master Class, there are a variety of courses offered that might better support both your students’ and personal needs. You might hope to broaden your understanding of implementing the Orff approach with your youngest students– consider Janet Greene’s course in Orff Schulwerk and Early Childhood. Perhaps you have a passion for involving music unique to the United States in your approach to teaching– have you heard about Doug Goodkin’s Course in Jazz and Orff Schulwerk? 2024’s other opportunities include a course in Orff Schulwerk and Popular Music (Martina Vasil and David Dockan, University of Kentucky), Trauma-Informed Pedagogy through the Orff Schulwerk lens (Dr. Abbie Van Klompenberg, University of Kentucky),  Composing and Arranging in the Style of the Schulwerk (Elemental Composition at Anderson University), and a Post-Level III Retreat in Oregon (Portland Orff, with Kris Olsen, Matthew Stensrud, and Fauna Woolfe). These courses change from year to year, with courses still being added, so please visit the AOSA Course Listing for more details.

International Orff Schulwerk Experiences

Though these courses vary on a yearly basis, there are a multitude of opportunities beyond the United States. As the Schulwerk’s development is different in each of its countries of dispersal, exploring international coursework is also worth considering. 

The Orff-Institute in Salzburg offers a variety of courses for music and movement educators, with its yearly International Summer Course being one of its most approachable. In this course, seasoned practitioners of the approach offer classes that cater to an international clientele. I had the opportunity to visit the Orff-Institute in 2018. One of the most striking features of the course was the inclusion of students from six continents and dozens of countries. It was both incredibly exciting and humbling to be involved in a course with students with such diverse backgrounds and understandings of Orff Schulwerk. The classes at the Institute cover elemental pedagogy, movement, and learning through play– all hallmarks of the Schulwerk. Please visit the Orff-Institute’s website for details on how to register.

Outside of the Orff-Institute, there are a number of additional international courses that you might find inspiring.

• JaSeSoi Ry’s International Music Village: Often held in Finland (as it is a course associated with the Finnish Orff Association, JaSeSoi Ry), 2024’s course will be held in Croatia as the beginning of a rotating series of summer courses, with next year’s course being held in Catalonia. This rotation is being done in an effort to provide greater accessibility to the world’s Orff Schulwerk practitioners.
• Orff-Afrique: This course happens biennially in Dzodze, Ghana. Led by Dr. Kofi Gbolonyo and further facilitated by Doug Goodkin, Sofia Lopez-Ibor, and James Harding and other faculty local to Ghana, the course explores the connections between Orff Schulwerk, the traditional musics of Ghana, and the music of the West African diaspora. The course will be offered in the summer of 2025.
• There are often other courses offered around the globe, so please visit the International Orff-Schulwerk Forum Calendarfor more information.

Retaking a Level (Or More!)

If the thought of taking additional supplementary courses seems daunting, perhaps taking a familiar course will be appropriate to expand your understanding of Schulwerk. I have been fortunate to retake my Levels courses as part of my graduate program. With that opportunity, one has the chance to follow the instructor’s teaching process in a way that a first-time participant might not. Using their understanding of the Orff approach and unencumbered by first-time body percussion woes, bashful movement exploration, and speech piece tongue twisting, participants might gain even more understanding during their second “go through.” Please consider this valuable opportunity at any of the incredible courses listed on the AOSA Course Listing Website.

And if you are earlier in your Orff certification journey and want to learn more about what to expect in each course, please see our post on 2024 Summer Orff Levels.

The post Making It Work: Post-Level III first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

Why Take Orff Levels?

What to Expect When Taking an Orff Level

Making It Work: Level I by Elaine Larson

Making It Work: Level II by Betsy Kipperman Sebring

Making It Work: Level III by Rob Amchin

Links to Learn More and Find a Course Near You!

2024 AOSA Teacher Education Course List

Frequently Asked Questions about AOSA Teacher Education Levels Courses

Handbook for Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education Courses

The post 2024 Summer Orff Levels first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

Before I go further, I am speaking from the perspective of a music educator in the USA. The language and processes are centered in the American public education system (this includes charter schools). Those who live and work outside of the USA are encouraged to share your country-specific information in the comments. Also, I acknowledge that some IEP and 504 goals will not translate to all classes. Goals can be course specific. That said, more often than not there are targets, accommodations and modifications that music educators can and should address. 

IDEA is very clear that all educators who serve a child with an IEP or 504 are required to have access to documents for each child they serve. Some music educators are told that they do not need to see the IEP or 504, this information is false. You can be held liable in court if a lawsuit should arise, even if you were told by your school it was not necessary to comply. Legally, we are responsible for knowing the law and reviewing the documents. 

But what if my school or district blocks access to special education documents?

In this case I recommend first contacting your union (if you have one) and/or the school or district special education office. Express your concerns, and take note of the response. If that does not solve the issue, contacting your state department of education special education office is your last stop. In each instance, use school email to ask for access. If you are attending an in-person meeting, ask a union rep or trusted colleague to come with you to take notes. After the meeting, send an email (again using school email) summarizing the conversation to confirm that you understood correctly. In both instances, Bcc copies a personal email address to have a record at home. School email communications are considered public record and cannot be destroyed. In the instance of legal action documentation requesting access will help to protect you from liability.

I have so many students! How could I possibly read and understand so many documents?

I understand! I am old enough to know what teaching was like before the use of computer databases for documentation. It feels really overwhelming. Here are a few strategies to get the information you need.

1. Talk to your special education teachers. MOST special education teachers will be thrilled that you are interested and willing to work with them. I have had special education colleagues share a “greatest hits” list with me at the beginning of each year. Special education teachers review each child’s IEP at the start of the year. While they are doing that they make a list of children who have an IEP, and areas where they need support in the general music setting. The guidance counselor does the same for students with 504 plans.
   
2. Use online tools. My school used PowerSchool for gradebook and student documents and most online tools have similar options. There was a class list with symbols for each student that had an IEP, 504, Mastering a second Language, Heath Alert or Gifted Identification. Click on the icon and the documentation is right there – no more shredding paper.
   
3. Use the “IEP At a Glance” page. For most children, understanding the needs outlined on this document will be all you need. If there is an area where more research is necessary, the document can tell you where to look in the larger IEP for more detailed information.
   
4. Don’t do it all at once. Most of us do not teach the same classes M-F. After the first time I meet a class, and before the second meeting I go through all of the materials for special education, students learning English, gifted identifications, and 504 plans. Looking over these materials helps when I am making seating charts. The only exception is health alerts. I look those over before school begins. I always want to be prepared for any medical emergencies for the first meeting.
   
5. Keep a list of questions or areas for clarification and send it to the appropriate service provider all at once. I keep a document with my notes and questions. After I have reviewed the documentation for all classes, I copy and paste into an email for the appropriate service provider (Special ed teacher, OT, speech etc.) If you have a team of “special subjects,” (art, music, PE etc.) you may wish to do this together. One email streamlines the process for getting the information we need in a timely manner, without causing stress for the service provider.
   
6. Never, under any circumstances, sign an IEP unless you were in the entire IEP meeting. This is a violation of federal law. Not a violation to take lightly, there can be serious consequences.
   
7. Do the best you can and ask for help when needed. When servicing large numbers of children we are likely to make mistakes, forget to implement an accommodation or support. It is OK, we are human. Own the mistake, apologize to the student, and/or family if needed, make the appropriate adjustments to grade records and move on. If you are having problems meeting needs, ask for help. If help is denied, document. I have found when I am asking the appropriate provider and center the needs of the student, most of the time help is offered.
   
8. Keep positive, efficient and compassionate communication with grown ups consistent. Communicate the amazing things the child can do as well as the parts that need more growth. Remember that some parents and/or family members of children with disabilities may have the same disability. Be selective and careful with how you express your concerns.

When I am serving children I think of how I would want to be treated as a child and how I would want others to treat my child, especially if they have a special need or accommodation. Understanding the needs and goals of our children with special needs will make their experiences in music positive and will create a more pleasant learning environment for all students and YOU too.

What else would you like to know about serving our musicians with special needs? Let us know in the comments.

For more from Three Little Birds Music Education Services, visit LeslieAnne’s website.

For a deeper dive into this important topic, check out our webinar with Dr. Patrick Ware, NBCT – Elementary General Music and Special Education: Focus on the Self-Contained Classroom.

The post General Music and Special Education first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

As a culturally responsive, relevant, and ABAR (Anti-Biased Anti-Racist) teacher, my praxis is always evolving. One of my goals is to guide my students through the discovery of their cultural identity. This guided process is aligned with the two SEL Standards of Self-Awareness and Social Awareness, as well as our 2014 Musical Standard of Connecting specifically. 

I find that some of my students mistakenly suggest that they “do not have a culture.” This misconception is due to their limited view of what culture entails. To them, culture is colorful dresses, beautiful songs, energetic dances, yummy foods, and interesting celebrations. However, this is what we consider to be Surface Culture. As I consider implementing culturally responsive strategies in my teaching, one of the challenges that I typically encounter is how limiting the musical curriculums available to us can be. To address this, I am always asking questions and consulting cultural bearers, community stakeholders, and student family members. 

I usually start by sharing my own experiences as an Afro-Latina: my racial background, where I come from, how I continue learning about my culture, how proud I feel of it, and who I am because of it. I firmly believe that the earlier we get in touch with our roots during our development, the more likely we are to build a profound appreciation and lasting connection with our traditions throughout our lives. 

In order to facilitate my teaching, I have been researching and sharing my own Dominican cultural traditions. One of our folkloric traditions, often overlooked, is “Los Palos.”

I was raised in the town of Villa Mella. This town has a strong Palo community and is home to The Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit of Villa Mella, which was proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco in 2001. By 2008 it became a part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Palos is a folkloric ritual tradition and a communal expression. The term “Palos” is both a genre and an umbrella term used to refer to various Dominican folkloric expressions. “Palos” also means trunk, which is what is used to make the drum instruments. This oral tradition is celebrated throughout the year, across the entire island, and passed on through generations. The tradition of the Palos music is performed by members of the community to celebrate many occasions, both sacred and secular.

The instrumentalists of the Palos, also known as Atabales, consider the instruments sacred and such instruments are typically baptized before being played for the first time.

The instrumentation of the Congos of Villa Mella includes the Congo Mayor, Conguito, la Canoita, and Maracas.

Each region of the island has its own Palos expressions. The most common Palos instrumentation includes Palo Mayor, Respondón, Alcahuete, and Güira.

The Salve expression uses, in addition to the Güira, the Balsié, Mongó, and Panderos. 

Instruments such as the Güira and the Canoíta are original to the Native Taino people, who were exterminated during the first European contact. The Drums are part of our African heritage, and Maracas are a constant feature in the music throughout the American Continent. 

In other words, Palos is the perfect musical representation of how the Dominican Republic came to be as well as the mixtures of our heritage, all of which make up the Dominican identity. 

Stories like these belong in our teachings today. Yet, no matter how extensively I searched, I did not find a book that contained and properly encompassed these concepts. Therefore, I decided to do some research and write it myself. The story is a composite of my experiences growing up, listening and learning about Palos, as well as my husband, Socrates, childhood’s experiences in his hometown. Creating the book granted me the freedom to write the story in the same style I would have used when telling it to my own children, who are Domincan-American.

Socrates’ musical talents brought forth the opportunity to implement cultural songs and audio. This beautifully creates a true connection between our audience and the heart of the celebration. We used his Jazz Orchestra composition “From Across the Street” as the main song, as well as individual audio representations of each instrument, recorded in the Dominican Republic by renowned anthropologist and percussionist Edis Sánchez. Socrates recorded our daughter, Astrid, narrating in English and myself in Spanish.

The story is an interactive experience where Pati, a young Dominican-American girl who is visiting her grandmother during her summer vacation, journeys through the town to the “Fiesta de Palos.” While reading the book, students join Pati in playing the maracas, as she discovers the sounds of several of the instruments present in various Dominican folkloric musical traditions. 

Our story is written, illustrated, and musicalized by Dominican artists, making it a very authentic story about our Dominican culture and traditions. 

I am grateful to F-flat for publishing the e-book for anyone interested in sharing this beautiful tradition with their elementary students. The flipbook allows you access to the story in English and in Spanish. The book is also available in print in both languages through Amazon, including a QR code that links to the audio tracks.

References:

“La Musica Folclorica Dominicana” by Josué Santana and Edis Sánchez

“Dominican Suite for Jazz Orchestra.” A Doctoral Dissertation by Dr. Socrates García

Follow Wanda on Instagram @wandavgteachmusic

From Across the Street and its teaching guide are published by F-flat Books.

The post From Across the Street first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

Yes, you! You are the educator who will benefit from taking your AOSA Teacher Education Level Courses. What’s that, you say? The American Orff Schulwerk Association approves an average of 50 courses a year that provide professional development in Orff Schulwerk commonly referred to as “taking your levels”. A frequent phrase heard from teachers after taking Level I is “Orff Schulwerk has changed my life and how I teach!” 

Oh, you’ve already taken them. Guess what? Countless educators who have completed all three levels of the AOSA Teacher Education Curriculum, return to courses and retake their levels for a deeper understanding, a chance to reinvigorate their teaching, to learn from another instructor’s perspective, and to once again engage in the collaborative, active music-making and movement found at AOSA courses. 

You might be thinking that you only need Level I since you only teach little kids. Not true! The AOSA Teacher Education Curriculum is a comprehensive journey that takes course participants from the simplest forms of elemental music and pedagogy to advanced concepts of understanding  the modes, chord changes, and complex forms. Improvisation and creativity are woven throughout with a primary focus of how to make this happen in your classroom with your students. Learning or strengthening Orff Schulwerk concepts will make a difference for you as a music educator, but the real impact comes when you are able to transform the important work you do with children in your classroom. Being able to take a simple set of rhythms and develop age and skill appropriate experiences for your students allows you to customize your teaching for the needs of your students.You become the designer of your learning environment and facilitate growth and learning in your students. 

Below are lesson ideas for a speech piece I composed. First, I share how it can be used with very young or inexperienced learners using concepts that are learned in a Level I AOSA Teacher Education course. Following that, I demonstrate how the same material is developed for slightly more advanced students using concepts found in Level II. Finally, I give you strategies to extend your instruction even further utilizing concepts from Level III. Completing or repeating your Levels gives you the tools to generate and tailor instruction to meet the needs of your students wherever you and they may be on a musical journey in Orff Schulwerk!

Somebody Who?

Level I

Explore the two rhythms through speech, different order, different voice timbres, etc.

Create rhythmic chains using the blocks 4 times in various patterns.

Ex: Somebody, Who? Who? Who?

Refine to this pattern:

Somebody, Somebody, Who? __________

In the 4th pattern, substitute someone’s name. Then play a game where the chant is spoken by all while patting a beat. The person whose name was used gets to call the next person’s name, etc.

Ex. Somebody, Somebody, Who? Jason!
Somebody, Somebody, Who? Jamara!
Somebody, Somebody, Who? Isabella! Etc.

On another day, transfer the words to a short-range melody using sol, mi, and la.

Add a steady beat simple chord drone and have the students sing the names using sol-mi.

Extensions might include:

Transfer to a DO pentatonic melody or pentatonic mode.

Level II

Model the text using the following rhythm:

Divide into two groups and speak antiphonally.

Once the antiphonal speech is secure, speak the chant in unison, then speak in canon exploring options for the canon entrances.

Transfer the rhythm to patting and then to tubanos, playing while saying, exploring where the natural accents occur which can then become “tone” and “bass” on the drums. When secure, play with the chant internalized in unison and canon.

Other options at this point might be:

• Have the class create a diatonic melody based in one of the modes. Lydian works well!
• Also a great time to talk about what makes a good melody.
• Add an improvisation section either over a drum or barred percussion ostinato. Consider rhythmic word chains as a structure for improvising.

Level III

Review the speech activity from above. Explore creating a melody that uses an I-V accompaniment. Adapt that melody to use an I-IV-V accompaniment.

• Extend the form to Rondo by adding contrasting sections developed by the students. Consider a Body Percussion version, a movement adaptation, recorders, etc.

Click here to download a pdf of Karen’s post.

Are you interested in taking an Orff Levels course with Karen? She will be teaching at Level III at Baker University in June 2023 and Level II at University of Nebraska-Lincoln in July 2023.

The post Somebody. Who? You! first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

Why Take Orff Levels?

What to Expect When Taking an Orff Level

Making It Work: Level I by Elaine Larson

Making It Work: Level II by Betsy Kipperman Sebring

Making It Work: Level III by Rob Amchin

Find a Course Near You!

AOSA Teacher Education Course List

The post Summer Orff Levels 2023 first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

If you are like many music teachers out there you have probably heard the term Elemental Music before. You may have also wondered at some point in your life what that phrase means.

It’s one of those things that we hear thrown around at workshops at clinics at conferences… and even when people stop to explain what Elemental Music is, sometimes that definition can still feel fuzzy.

So is this question is very simply ….. What is Elemental Music?

Standard Definition

There isn’t a standard definition for elemental music out there. Different pedagogues use the term in different ways and actualize it in their classrooms differently.

However, in general, there are a set of characteristics we can expect to observe in elemental music.

Characteristics of Elemental Music

Basic Musical Structures

Elemental music uses the most basic musical elements. This doesn’t mean that the music isn’t artistic. It just means that it uses foundational musical elements.

Elemental Forms and Patterns

Elemental forms are how we piece music together. A few of the most common elemental forms are aba, aabb, abba, and aaab.

Elemental Instruments

For most people, the most naturally-occurring instrument is the human body. Elemental music is centered around the body as a way to express music through movement, speech, body percussion, and singing.

Where instruments are used, they are going to be the most accessible and the most natural extension of the human body. Often this means things like barred instruments and unpitched percussion.

Mixed Media

Elemental music uses a combination of textures and sounds.

Accessibility

A hallmark of elemental music is that anyone can – and should – actively participate in it, regardless of their level of formal musical training. Elemental music uses basic musical structures so it can be as accessible as possible to any child, or any adult.

“Elemental Music is never music alone, but forms a unity with met with movement, dance, and speech. It is music that one makes one’s self, in which one takes part not as a listener but as a participant.”

Carl Orff

At its core, elemental music is created by humans with the intention that other humans will participate in it. In this style, everyone has something to contribute. It is music that humans make themselves. They can make it in an ensemble with each other in a way that is organic, and in a way that celebrates community.

The post What Is Elemental Music? first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

Last month Crystal Pridmore led an online workshop in which she explored the way trauma affects the brain and behavioral patterns and discussed strategies to manage the behavior and manage ourselves as teachers. She will be hosting a follow up session with that group to continue the work they started together.

As part of that work, Crystal developed a series of journaling prompts to reflect on all the past year has brought and to set intentions for the coming year.

This reflection toolkit is her gift to our community of music educators. This is her gift to you.

An Invitation to Reflect on an Extraordinary Year

Hello friends, 

It was an honor to spend some time with many of you last month to talk about becoming trauma informed, burnout resistant music teachers. I have read and been grateful for every comment and note that you have sent. It feels to me like we have some unfinished work together as we process and heal from the many things the last few years have brought. Today, I want to invite you to continue the work we began in the workshop with a year-end reflection.

I was 15 years old the first time I sat down for a holiday break time of reflection with my journal. My family had just moved that summer across the country to a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. I had to start all over with making friends and finding a place to fit in as a VERY awkward (super band geek) teenager. I’ve never been able to move through this life quietly and with stealth. By Christmas, I had committed so many social faux pas and had shoved my foot so far in my mouth so many times that I was practically gasping for air. I dealt with it like a good high school sophomore in the early aughts. I clipped my bangs back with a flappy butterfly hair clip, cranked up my boombox with N’SYNC’s Christmas CD, grabbed my entire collection of milky pens, flipped to a fresh page in my trapper keeper, and started writing a letter to past Crystal and future Crystal. It didn’t make me any less awkward, but it certainly made the many hard things I was growing (well, stumbling) through seem a lot more manageable.

Fast forward to 2021, and this ritual of mine has become an important milestone in my year for more than two decades. It’s helpful to read back on those old journal entries and see what was so daunting as a high schooler, a college student, a newlywed, a young mother. And to see that each one of those stressors had a clear end date.

As we enter into a well earned winter break, I’d like to invite all of you to spend some time in reflection with me. What we have been asked to do as teachers during this unique time in history has been extraordinary in every way. Extraordinary… and extraordinarily difficult. This Reflection Toolkit is designed to help lead you through some thought exercises to name, examine, and process the many stressors and lessons this school year has brought with it.

I invite you to find a quiet place, perhaps some nice music (I’m happy to report that I’ve graduated from N’SYNC to YoYo Ma and Friends Songs of Joy and Peace), a fuzzy blanket, a warm cup of tea, and about an hour to lead yourself through a good Think, some journaling, and some intention setting for the year to come.

– Crystal

Click here to download Crystal’s Reflection Toolkit

For a deeper dive into this work, consider exploring Crystal’s workshop: Growing Into a Trauma Informed, Burnout Resistant Music Teacher

The post An Invitation to Reflect first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

For most of us, school is not back to “normal” and now that we understand much more about how COVID is spread, we are back in the music room, able to use our classroom instruments and have a bit more freedom to move. We are excited to dig into as many of our favorite lessons as quickly as we can. The children are so excited to have instruments in their hands and to do all the things.

And then………disaster.

Let’s keep a few things in mind:

• It has been a LONG time since anything about “school” has been “normal”
• Just like the rest of us, the children have experienced a collective trauma as we navigate through the pandemic.
• Many children have spent over a year either learning from home or spent a much larger portion of their school day behind a desk and a computer with limited movement to maintain social distance.
• The children have changed.
• WE have changed.

Here are a few suggestions for refamiliarizing our children with making music together in our spaces.

GO SLOW: I am guilty of being so excited to teach some of my favorite lessons again that I rush through the process because we are having so much fun. Then, the lesson breaks down, behaviors pop up and everyone is frustrated. 

Practice personal space. Define the space for the children. Use hula hoops, tape squares, shoe polish to mark the floor or large sections of yarn to make a circle. 

• Spend time talking about the “personal space” in a playful way. 
• Grab a drum and have the children move to the beat in their personal space. 
• Make up a story that their space is “safe” from an unusually fast turtle with slimy feet who is lurking around the room waiting to “hug” little children and cover them in turtle slime. EWWWW The turtle is mesmerized by your drum, so it is safe to venture out while you are playing, and when you stop they need to hop back into their “safe space” or its SLIME TIME!
• Play one beat for them to hop out, and then hop back in. 
• Try a different direction, then another one.
• Walk two beats away from the “safe space” and back.
• Hop out and in, tip-toe, change levels, move with big and small steps.
• Repeat this game over several classes for SHORT sessions (Always leave them wanting more!)

Plan shorter learning “blocks” in each lesson, and choose activities that teach procedures in a playful way. Like this one for older elementary students.

• Use a short speech piece like Good, Better, Best by Michael Chandler
• Chant the proverb in rhythm 
• Compose body percussion ostinatos
• Perform together THE END, Now go do something else.
• The next lesson, get out just hand drums (If you have enough) or hand drums and rhythm sticks.
• Take time to remind (even the older students) how to handle and care for the instruments. 
• Plan time to teach them how to sanitize after they play.
• Play the ostinato’s they composed the previous class while chanting the rhythm in three or four ways. THE END, Now go do something else. 

If we leave them wanting more, we can reuse this activity the next lesson and reteach the sanitizing procedure again. 

Advance in small steps. Perform the chant as a round while we play our ostinatos, the next class create an instrumental B section.

REMAIN CALM. Remember that collective trauma I was talking about? Find two or three moments in your work day where you can take 30 seconds to a minute just to breathe and clear your mind. These mini-breaks will allow your nervous system to settle and help us stay calm. Many of us are feeling over-stimulated after being home and isolated for some time. Many of us are experiencing conflicting thoughts and emotions that can be confusing to our mind and body making us feel unsettled. If we take some time to reset our own mind and body we can be better leaders and models for the children and remain calm when problems arise in the classroom.

Repeating procedures and routines in a playful and musical way, with short bursts of active music making and a heavy dose of patience and compassion for our students will help them to re-learn how we have fun while learning in our music spaces. Taking care of our own needs as educators will allow us to do the same. 

We would LOVE to hear about what has been working well for you and the mini-musicians you serve.

The post Making It Work: Relearning the Music Room first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

The end of the most challenging year of teaching is here. I am going to take a little brain break before I dive into my summer professional reading list. As I have stated in previous years, I set aside time to read three teaching-related books each summer to get the wheels turning and learn something new, and improve as a music educator and human. Here is my list for this summer.

Elementaria First acquaintance with Orff -Schulwerk, Gunild Keetman

Every few years I read through this text again to learn and dig deeper into the mind of this brilliant woman and her work with children. I like to read Elementaria in small chunks over the whole summer so I can think through and process new ideas and discoveries as they come.

Inside Arabic Music Arabic Maqam, Performance and Theory in the 20^th Century, Johnny Farraj and Sami Abu Shumays

I am interested in learning more about Arabic music and experiencing and performing Arabic music with children more often. This book is one step in expanding my knowledge and learning best practices. Learning from practicing musicians will help me to do my best to be culturally respectful when preparing and guiding my musicians in learning experiences. Which type, style, genre or form of music are you interested in learning about? Do a bit of research and find a reputable text to advance your level of understanding. There is so much music to explore.

Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Paulo Freire

This text has been sitting on my shelf for over a year. It is time for me to dig in and do the work. Having a better understanding of how the education system as a whole is failing children will better equip me to speak up and advocate for change in the schools where I work and in my community.

BONUS:

If you are a bit depleted and need a reset, look back to Teaching with Vitality to get you back on track for the 2021-2022 school year!

And for more ideas check out our lists from summers past!

• Summer Reading List 2019
• Summer Reading List 2018
• Summer Reading List 2017
• Summer Reading List 2016

What does your summer professional reading list include?  Please share titles you plan to read or re-read in the comments below. It may be just the inspiration someone else is looking for to make their summer reading list work. Happy summer!

The post Making It Work: Summer Reading 2021 first appeared on Teaching With Orff.