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.

Last summer, many folks who had been preparing to take an Orff Schulwerk Level saw the opportunity fade as the pandemic spread. As more and more folks are vaccinated and we better understand how to manage and prevent the spread of COVID 19, opportunities to create joyful music, make life-long friends, and become better facilitators are available throughout the country. Elaine Larson, tells us what to expect when taking Level I, Betsy Kipperman Sebring sheds light on what happens in Level II and Rob Amchin demystifies Level III. We have also included a link to the American Orff Schulwerk Association’s teacher education course list so you can find a course near you.

The way I approached teaching and learning was forever changed after Level I and I could not wait to go back for more!

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

AOSA Teacher Education Course List

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

Thank you for providing this very worthwhile form of professional development!  It is so wonderful to be able to participate in workshops that I will actually use the information that I have gained.

Teaching With Orff has partnered with some amazing educators to bring you online workshops designed to provide new ideas for lessons and to enhance your teaching.

Unless otherwise noted, each workshop is 1.5 hours of professional development.

We invite you to explore our offerings below. Registration for live webinars includes access to the recording and materials. If you missed a live workshop, recordings and downloadable materials from past webinars are also available for purchase.

If you would like to receive a certificate of completion after watching one of our workshops, please email your request to our team at hello@teachingwithorff.com and we will be happy to assist! Be sure to reference the title of the workshop in your email.

If you are trying to access a recording you have previously purchased, please click here to login to your online course library.

Additional questions? Please email our team at hello@teachingwithorff.com – we’re happy to help!

Workshops Available for Purchase

Your online workshops are fully worth the $20! Easy playback, slides and materials, plus pd cert. Love, love, love!

Stephanie, Music Educator

Live Webinar October 30th!

Join us for an engaging musical webinar that explores the intersection of winter music and the experiences of neurodivergent learners. We will focus on senses, successes, and what parents want you to know about their children. Register soon for this inspiring journey where creativity meets inclusivity.

Click here to learn more

Experience the beauty of fall through music and movement. Explore creative ways to integrate rhythmic speech, body percussion, improvisation, and elemental instruments to evoke the sounds and sensations of an autumn park.

Click here to learn more!

Join Judy and Lisa for this illuminating workshop! Come away with some tried and true procedures to introduce and improve improvisation in your classes. Lesson plans and outlines of possibilities will be presented. Though online, you can experience the joy of improvising music and movement in your own home and take it to your students.

Click here to learn more!

Join the American Center for Elemental Music and Movement in partnership with Teaching With Orff for this online workshop on social justice through the lens of kindness. With entry points of children’s literature, poetry, history, and science, teachers will get materials, plans, and approaches that allow their students to tackle these big ideas through music and movement.

Click here to learn more

Many of us enjoy the cool, crisp air of the fall and all of the celebrations that come with this time of year. We also recognize that these traditions are not celebrated by everyone for various reasons. Join Drue Bullington, Liban Gómez, and Jeaneau Julian for ideas that welcome all students to participate in the ever changing colors of our fall landscape! 

Click here to learn more

The most important part of having a great school year is having a successful start. Join Kate Bright and Crystal Pridmore as they share their strategies for creating a positive learning environment through story, song, and movement.

Click here to learn more

Lesson design for those first weeks of general music sets the tone and lays the foundation for the rest of the school year. Deciding what to do and when can be a challenge. In this webinar, LeslieAnne Bird will share strategies that have worked for her in a variety of situations to help you to design a quality start for your new year. 

Already started? It is not too late to make a few changes for a smooth year ahead! 

Click here to learn more

April and May wrap up the year in many ways. Jazz, poetry, standardized testing, awards, and graduations only scratch the surface of what our students experience at this time. How can we as music teachers create fun and engaging lessons around these topics? Can we finish the school year with the love and joy that we had at the beginning? Join Jeaneau, Kate and Liban as they lead you over and through activities to finish out the school year without going under.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

This webinar will take participants on “adventure-based” musical and movement explorations. Engagement is at the forefront, as the activities will be based on stories and ideas that are not only artistically satisfying, but captivating in their content. Participants will have lesson plans that can be used as-is, or modified to meet their specific needs. They will also have a new repertoire of engaging activities that will freshen up any music program with lively and imaginative engagement.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

A playful approach to melody and its many ups and downs, Drue Bullington, Casey Goryeb, and Crystal Pridmore will bring you “next-day-ready” lessons to LEVEL UP your teaching, enchant your young learners, and PUT DOWN THOSE WORRIES about what you’ll teach next! We’ve got you covered!

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

In this webinar, we will look at Cyndee’s arrangement of Carol of the Bells for your classroom or Orff ensemble. You will learn how to process the different parts so that they are easily accessible for your students, as well as how to put the piece together. We’ll find ways to “level up” the arrangement as well as ways to simplify. Bring a barred instrument and a sense of adventure. Happy winter!

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Join Kate Bright, Liban Gomez, and Jeaneau Julian as they share lessons that can be used by a general music teacher or a classroom teacher. Invite your classroom teachers to join us for this session to see how they can incorporate singing, saying, moving, and playing, and creating into their classrooms!

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

LeslieAnne Bird explores ways to craft developmentally appropriate performances that work with the standards and your learning goals and take less time to prepare. She will share alternatives to stage performances that families and administrators love and will help you to brainstorm ideas for challenging performance situations.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Four workshop series – 6 PD hours!

In honor of Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, join the Inouye Family for a four-part practicum centered around teaching the stories of others in the classroom. The Inouye Family will share their postmemories of WWII Japanese internment camps and ideas for using music, movement, and stories to experience diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom. 

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 6 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Join Casey, David, and Natasha as they guide you through simple, fun activities for the end of the year. “Copy and Paste” these activities into your lesson plans and watch your students sing, say, dance, and play through the last day of the school year.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Children’s literature can serve as a powerful vehicle to help navigate different elements of both music and life. Join Kate, Jeaneau, and Liban as they demonstrate how to combine music, playful language, and movement to help students more deeply understand who they truly are. At the end of this session, attendees will have four ready-to-use lesson plans that focus on rhythmic and melodic elements and also connect with social-emotional learning.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Do you have to post an entire year of music lessons for all of your students? Do you want to get ahead with your planning to lighten the load during the school year? In this webinar we will create a plan to craft a year’s worth of lessons, without losing your mind in the process.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

We all know too well the chaos and frenetic pace of the world and the effects it has on our students and classrooms. How can we transform our classrooms into a refuge from the frenzy? How do we create a healthy space for body and mind? Come partake in activities that musically weave elements of calm into classroom practice. Yoga, chanting, interpretive dancing, instrumental explorations, and singing unfolded in calming ways that create a safe and calm environment for students and teachers alike.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Crystal Pridmore and Drue Bullington share a variety of lessons and engaging visuals that you can use with your students right away! You will receive detailed notes that outline several music and movement lessons along with Google slides that translate directly to use with your students.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is an educational buzzword that many music teachers may have difficulty weaving within their already jam-packed teaching schedules. Without guidance, it can also be a challenge to teach with a lens beyond surface-level multiculturalism. In this webinar with Darlene Machacon, teachers will develop an understanding of transformative SEL and what that can look like in the music room. With belonging, identity, and empathy being the main focus, teachers will receive inspiration for student-centered lessons using children’s literature and technology.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Dr. Ware will discuss all aspects of working with students will special needs from decoding an Individualized Education Plan through working with (and without) teacher assistants. Examples of active music making with be shared and discussed. We will discuss adaptations and modifications including adaptive communication devices and adapted music making equipment.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

The 2021-2022 school year has teachers all over the world facing staggering challenges. After a year and a half of enormous stress and global trauma, teachers and students find themselves struggling to find their way back to stability in the classroom. In this webinar, Crystal Pridmore offers insight towards framing the way we think about the mindset children come to school with from a brain-science perspective. Once we explore the way trauma affects the brain and behavioral patterns, we can come up with strategies to manage the behavior and manage ourselves as teachers.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Jeshima will provide support for you to successfully facilitate a community drum circle in your classroom. You will experience using nature as the impetus to create rhythmic building blocks for improvising on a percussion instrument. Jeshima will share drum circle activities that are scaffolded for various ability levels and provide time for you to experience each one in a safe environment. In addition, they will share peer-reviewed research supporting the need for community drum circles in schools and how it will benefit your students and communities.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Music Educators are busy people. Music classrooms and learning spaces are busy places. When busy people are in busy places the environment can get out of hand causing undue stress for everyone. We will learn ways to manage and organize our learning spaces to minimize opportunities for disruption and streamline routine tasks freeing up your time to focus on your musicians in class and your life outside of work.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Children’s books can be the perfect launchpad for a lesson, unit, or performance in your music class. Join the Chaotic Harmony podcast team members – Marc Keehmer, Crystal Pridmore, and Jonathan Seligman – as they share lessons they’ve developed from their favorite children’s books. These lessons are applicable online, in person, or hybrid.  Participants will walk away with three ready-to-use lesson plans from the given books and tools for selecting an appropriate book for the music room.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Ritmo, Tierra, y Cajón, is a unique opportunity to learn traditional rhythms and techniques of the Afro Peruvian cajón while exploring ways to integrate them into our music classroom practices. Participants are guided by experienced cajón player and trained Orff Schulwerk educator, Sebastian Guerrero. Sebastian will share his intimate knowledge of the zapateo (tap dance) tradition and delve into how the cajon is an extension of that form of movement. He will offer practical applications and lots of inspiring ideas to get you and your students excited about the magical box drum from Perú!

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

In this workshop teachers will learn how to embed social and emotional learning into their instruction through musical activities that affirm the brilliance of our students. Come and learn creative teaching strategies and lessons that use the Orff process while promoting the five core components of Social Emotional Learning (CASEL): self awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills and social awareness. Teachers will learn a new dance, songs, book recommendations, and a rhythm stick routine. Finish the school year strong with meaningful lessons that teach so much more than MUSIC. 

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Welcome the spring as we use children’s literature to inspire and invigorate your music class.  Whether you are teaching in-person, virtually, or hybrid, Shoshanah will share ideas you can use by taking elemental music ideas such as using rhythmic building bricks, elemental forms, improvisation, rhythmic movement, and more to enhance stories and engage students.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Música es Vida! From education to social gatherings to celebrations, music and dance play an active role in the Dominican Republic. Whatever the current “new normal” may be, students still depend on their teachers to create conditions to engage in joyful learning experiences. This session seeks to provide music teachers with brief, engaging activities you can adapt in your music classroom, virtually or in-person. Bring your WEPA and get caught up in the rhythms, melodies, and flavor of the rich and diverse island of the Dominican Republic.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Technology has become a necessity in our classrooms. Despite the bewildering array of apps available to us, all that may be required are just one or two purposefully selected apps to create engaging lessons for joyful music making, to stay connected with our students and to maintain our relationships with them.  Students can continue to explore, create, improvise, compose and collaborate while staying connected through digital devices.

In this webinar, Kate Bright and and Manju Durairaj demonstrate a few applications for engaging music making for teaching in a pandemic, be it remote, in- person or hybrid. They showcase various lessons and activities that they are using in their programs to continue process teaching in these difficult times.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Brent Geyer and BethAnn Hepburn will explore engaging lessons for elemental music-making with a new virtual blues scale xylophone created by Brent. We will keep the rhythm swinging with improvisation using the book, Rap a Tap Tap, by Leo and Diane Dillon. Each lesson will explore how rhymes can be used as the inspiration for melodic and rhythmic compositions and improvisation suitable for grades 1-5.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

Connect your students’ home and school musical traditions and encourage family involvement by conducting a folk song collection in your own music classroom!

Christa Jones shares her experience with conducting a school-wide folk song collection and creating a school songbook that celebrates her students’ various backgrounds and musical traditions. Students and music educators alike benefit from a culturally responsive classroom environment that affirms students’ backgrounds and links students’ home and school communities. Learn how to conduct a song collection at your own school, explore issues of cultural responsiveness, and discuss how to respectfully integrate music of student cultures into the Orff Schulwerk music classroom.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more.

No singing, no shared instruments, no teaching in the music classroom.

Do you find yourself frustrated by the negatives of teaching music in a pandemic? Are you struggling to fulfill state and national standards without singing or playing instruments? Are you exhausted and looking for new ideas?

Dr. Phil Wilson and Dr. Rob Lyda developed standards-based lessons that have worked in their classrooms and kept students safe during COVID-19. They will share ideas that are both low and high tech and can be accomplished in a variety of instructional situations. Join us as we explore teaching music during a world of COVID “NOs”.

In addition to the materials, all registrants will be provided access to a recording of the workshop so that you can watch live or as your schedule allows.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

This workshop will explore ways to utilize storytelling with musical elements to support learning in the music classroom and in the general elementary music classroom. In this lively webinar, you’ll experience the joy of storytelling first hand as Jocelyn & Robert Dabney and Roger Sams share stories from diverse cultures with musical elements embedded in them and coach you on the basic principles of storytelling.

In addition to the materials, all registrants will be provided access to a recording of the workshop so that you can watch live or as your schedule allows.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more

This series focuses on culturally responsive teaching, multiculturalism and social justice education in the general music classroom. Students can collaborate and create together, using protocols defined for culturally responsive classrooms. Through movement, body percussion, songs, chants, and games, Manju models culturally responsive teaching as best practice, especially in virtual, in-person, or hybrid teaching situations.

In addition to the materials, all registrants will be provided access to a recording of the workshop so that you can watch live or as your schedule allows.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more.

Every year in his classroom Franklin Willis looked forward to producing a Black History Month Program that highlighted music, poetry, art, books, and culture of African Americans. In this session he will share some of those classroom activities and ideas to encourage you to teach the rich cultural heritage of African Americans. Music teachers will leave this session with an enlightened perspective on how to plan, produce, and perform a Black History Month Program.

In addition to the materials, all registrants will be provided access to a recording of the workshop so that you can watch live or as your schedule allows.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more.

This timely, pre-recorded webinar features Kanisha Howard, Roger Sams, Gerard Stokes, and David Thaxton. Includes right-now lessons for supporting teachers and students in musical co-creation within a diversity of settings. Together we use the folk song Michael Finnegan as a springboard for music and movement learning activities that explore possibilities for active music making and creating today.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more.

Educators will learn how to use Rap and Hip-Hop techniques to facilitate a positive classroom culture and empower youth to express themselves through Hip-Hop in a respectful and culturally appropriate way. Participants will experience four ready-to-use lessons with customizable Google Slides and resources that can be used for online, hybrid or in person learning.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more.

During this season of love and gratitude, we are so excited for this online workshop with Bev Willms Best and Roger Sams. They are including oodles of materials so that you’ll have everything you need to teach beautiful lessons for the next few weeks!

Bev’s original songs are based on three picture books that explore themes of love and gratitude. Her corresponding activities include art, movement, chanting, and percussion that all lend themselves to learning in person and online. She and Roger also discuss ways to support social emotional learning whether you’re in person or teaching from afar.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more.

Roger Sams shares tried and true picture books that enhance music and movement learning and create a playful environment in your classroom, be it socially distanced in person or remote. He models lessons that include singing, chanting, movement accompanied by piano, rhythmic activities, and basic music literacy. Detailed lesson plans are included as well as ideas for how to modify the activities for diverse learning situations and contemporary challenges.

After watching the recording, a certificate of completion can be provided to participants who request one for 1.5 professional development hours.

Click here to learn more.

The post Online Workshops first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

We are so excited to bring you this online retreat, which is being led by some of our favorite humans. Each of them brings unique perspectives, experiences, and modalities to this project. Together they are collaborating to co-create a unifying and nourishing experience meant to support you in preparation for the coming year. You use music, art & movement every day to nourish your students – let our team guide you on a journey to do the same for yourself. We invite you to set aside four days for spiritual refreshment through music, movement, and community.

Click here to learn more about this unique opportunity for personal and professional development.

You can also click the links below to hear from our instructors as they share their excitement about our upcoming retreat.

A personal message from Roger Sams

Aloha from K. Michelle Lewis

Garden greetings from David Thaxton

An invitation from Judy Barthwell

Greetings from Drue Bullington

An invitation from Beth Nelson

We hope you choose to join us July 27 – 30, 2020 to care for yourself so you are better prepared to care for your students and handle the uncertainties of the coming school year.

The post Elemental Soul: An Online Music & Movement Retreat first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

The end is near and it is time to begin thinking about my summer professional reading list! As I have stated in previous years, I set aside time to read three teaching-related books each summer too get the wheels turning and learn something new. Here is my list for this summer.

Orff Schulwerk Today; Nurturing Musical Expression and Understanding by Jane Frazee, Schott

This is another one of those books that was recommended by my levels instructors and I could not fit into my book budget at the time. I recently purchased this used and I am excited to dig in. Sections include: 1. Your Heritage, 2. Your Approach 3. Your Work 4. Your Commitment 5. Your Rewards. There are more than one hundred lesson suggestions using American songs and rhymes. I am looking forward to integrating these ideas into my lesson planning for next year.

Classroom Instruction that Works with English Language Learners second edition by Jane D. Hill and Kirsten B. Miller, ASCD

I work with a large number of students who are English language learners. Despite serving many students who are new to the English language, I have had little training on the best ways to meet their needs. I will be looking for instructional strategies to make music class an even more valuable time to acquire language while joyfully making music.

Empower: What Happens When Students Own Their Learning by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani, Impress

Student engagement is a hot topic in education, and is an area where Orff-Inspired teaching can shine! In this book the authors offer strategies to guide students past compliance to engagement in and out of the classroom. I am eager to find new tools and design strategies to enrich preparations for next year. The authors acknowledge the everyday challenges and provide practical solutions to overcome the barriers we may not be able to control.

What does your summer professional reading list include?  Please share titles you plan to read or re-read in the comments below. Have you read a book from our list and found it helpful? Please let us know about that in the comments as well. It may be just the inspiration someone else is looking for to make his or her summer reading list work.

For even more ideas, check out our lists from summers past!

Summer Reading List 2018

Summer Reading List 2017

Summer Reading List 2016

The post Making It Work: Summer Reading 2019 first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

In this self-paced course you’ll observe six lessons for young musicians in workshop format from Book 1 of Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music Educator, along with related commentary. Author Roger Sams models how to cultivate early skills in music literacy, composition, improvisation, and dance making through an integration of Orff Schulwerk, Kodály, and eurhythmics.

Roger Sams has helped music teachers around the world to discover their potential and become better educators by using tools and techniques he curated over 31 years of teaching music in public and private schools. Now you can access Roger’s training on your own schedule and learn what educators around the world have been raving about for years. He truly makes professional development personal.

We invite you to consider this as part of your professional development. Upon successful completion of this course, you may request a certificate for 21 hours of professional development contact time. In addition, you have the option to receive graduate credit through Ashland University for an additional fee.

Click here to learn more about this online course!

Our team is always happy to help! Drop us a note at hello@teachingwithorff.com if you have any questions.

The post Purposeful Pathways Course One: Composition and Improvisation first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

Title Photo Credit: Jennifer Mishra, University of Missouri St. Louis

What is about Level III?

Congratulations! You have completed two levels of Orff training! It is time to start thinking about Level III!  Don’t be frightened, you will love every minute.  But wait, you may ask! Are you ready to take the plunge? Is Level III too hard? Will I be able to understand all of those new ideas when I am just beginning to figure out what I learned in Levels I and II. Yes you are ready! For most, Level III brings together many ideas and skills you have experience sin previous classes. You have had the fun experience of Level I with drone/borduns, ostinati, speech pieces and the like. You have explored meters and modes in Level II while reviewing and deepening your understanding of Orff pedagogy. It is time to put it together….or at least continue the journey.

About Level III

To many who have taken it, Level three is all about musicianship challenges and putting all of the elements of Orff pedagogy and media together to build a deeper understanding of the Schulwerk. Most of my students have said that they finally are connecting ideas together in level III that they hadn’t had the chance to do before. They see the progression from duple meter to triple to odd and changing meters. They see the progression from elemental bordun/drone arrangements to shifting harmonies and then to I-IV-V harmonies. They are asked to analyze and demonstrate the teaching models they have seen by their mentors for level I and II. Pedagogy is an important part of Level III. You will have at least one practicum where you will demonstrate some of the teaching/process skills you’ve learned and experienced in class. In movement and basic/pedagogy, you will probably be teaching your peers as well applying the skills and models you have experienced in your level training. Your movement experiences will deepen your appreciation of the importance, value and potential of movement education. Recorder classes will also extend your skills, repertoire, and pedagogical understanding through the Orff lens.

Time Commitment

By now you should know that a two-week Level course demands your full attention. Level III has a chance for you to really explore all of the concepts you touched on in other courses.  You need time to reflect but also to learn many new skills. There are assignments for arrangements, rhythm pieces and the like and each experience leads to a deeper appreciation and understanding of the Orff process. As with other Level course, you will have 60 hours to sing, dance, play and grow. Three of those hours will be in “Basic/Pedagogy” where you will hone your skills in arranging and pedagogy.  The rest of the day is divided between recorder and movement training with special topics at the end of the day on certain days. You will review and get better on your recorders and play more advanced pieces (practice your F-pipe fingerings!).

Don’t Delay! Register Today!

Don’t be shy. You’ll be fine. It is certainly possible to give yourself a break between each level or to do them in sequence over three summers. Some people will even retake a level just to be sure that they fully grasped the content of levels I and II before they take the plunge into Level III. It is equally common for people to most from one level to the next. If you have completed your other levels, don’t worry, you will start with a review of what you experienced in other summer courses.  Even if you have waited a few years between levels courses, Level III instructors know that review is always a good thing. If you have studied with one instructor, you will learn new tricks and models of teaching from your Level III instructors.

New Materials

Depending on your Level II experience, you will have some degree of training in the modes and meters. This is reviewed along with everything you experienced in Level I when you were just starting your Orff journey. Among the most exciting things you will explore in Level III will be elemental writing using I-IV-V harmony! All of those songs and pieces you have been dying to arrange are a core part of the Level III curriculum. In addition, depending on the instructor, you will probably have time to explore all five volumes of the Orff Schulwerk and all of the great pieces and processes that those volumes offer to the Orff teacher.  You will delve more deeply in the modes, meters, and more advanced pieces and concepts in the Schulwerk.

What to Pack?

As with every Orff course, you should now know that coming with an open mind and a spirit of music adventure are central to any Orff experience. You will have many new assignments and challenges. Plan on a full two weeks. Bring all of your recorders (practice your F-fingerings!). I often tell people to have a good support system for the two weeks so you can devote your time and energy to your studies.  You will be working on harder recorder pieces and process. You will explore more advanced movement concepts (so be ready to move every day). You will be teaching your peers. You will have fun composing and arranging in the elemental style every day or so.

The most important thing to look forward to is exploring Orff Schulwerk with new colleagues who are equally passionate about being great teachers. That is perhaps the most anyone could hope for… being part of the Orff community of like-minded educators all searching to find ways of being active music makers and teachers.

Photo credit: Robert Amchin

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

Educators have the opportunity and responsibility to join various professional organizations. However, as educators, available funds to join the most appropriate ones are not always easy to come by. How can an educator decide which memberships are the best fit for them? Which organizations are going to provide the greatest benefits to their members in exchange for their annual dues? A strong argument can be made for joining the American Orff Schulwerk Association. For teachers who are seeking resources in active and creative music making for their students and schools, AOSA offers many benefits. 

National Conference 

The AOSA national conference can’t be beat. At state music conferences, teachers need to filter through to find the general music sessions, which represent only a fraction of the entire conference. At the national AOSA conference, nearly every session caters to general music. Participants often struggle to decide which sessions they would like to attend. AOSA membership cuts the price of registration in half, and the online membership portal allows attendees to find colleagues to room and carpool with from the airport, being more cost effective.  

Scholarships and Grants 

Speaking of saving funds, after a year of membership, opportunities are available to apply for multiple AOSA sponsored scholarships and grants. Funds can be used to sponsor professional development, like an Orff levels course, of attending national conference. They can also be used to study Orff Schulwerk internationally, as well as for various instruments for the classroom. There is even a fund available to specifically support Title I, low income campuses. 

Digital Mentor Program 

Recently, AOSA has introduced the Digital Mentor Program. Teachers with at least one Orff level can apply to work with a mentor teacher who has multiple years of experience in the Orff approach. The vast amount of technology today makes this program incredibly easy to access. Teachers can even record themselves teaching to get valuable feedback that often cannot be provided if they are the only music teacher on their campus. 

Publications 

AOSA members receive both The Orff Echo and Reverberations. The Orff Echo is a quarterly journal that members receive a hard copy of. This journal is full of high quality articles that offer information directly applicable in the classroom. This resource truly invaluable. 

Reverberations is a monthly online publication that is directly emailed to teachers. Various lesson plans, melodies, technology ideas, and even classroom management tips are shared. Additionally, Reverberation articles are categorized for members to easily search through for more specific ideas. 

Online Resources 

Today, so many teacher resources are available online, and AOSA is keeping up with those expectations. In addition to the Reverberations articles that are available online, there is an entire section of “Teacher Tools.” 

-Lessons- Features past lessons from Reverberations. 

-Tech Spot- Articles based on the use of technology. 

-Canon Corner- Features both traditional and newly composed canons. 

-Speaking Volumes- Features lessons based on various pieces from the Music for Children five volume set (required source material when taking an Orff levels course) 

-Video Library- Access to hundreds of videos from past conference sessions, interviews with master teachers, historical videos, and so much more. All videos are tagged with key words, making them easy to search and filter.  

-Listening Booth- A valuable list of musical examples that can be used to teach different concepts in the classroom. 

-Rubrics and Assessment Tools- Sample rubrics for different music topics and concepts are provided. 

-Diversity Matters- Explore lesson plans, book reviews, glossary of terms, and world music references related to diversity. 

-Children’s Book Reviews- Archived reviews from The Orff Echo of children’s books are provided. 

The American Orff Schulwerk Association offers so many benefits and services to their members for a very reasonable annual membership fee of $85. Interested in joining? Visit the website and sign up today by clicking HERE. 

The post What Is AOSA and Why Should I Join? first appeared on Teaching With Orff.

As you anticipate returning to the classroom this fall, do you find yourself  wondering how to better manage student behavior? Are you asking yourself  how to get your students to stay engaged with your lessons and stop all of that  talking and goofing around? Harry Wong states in his book, ​The First Days of  School,​ “the number one problem in the classrooms is not discipline; it is the  lack of procedures and routines.” Positive procedures can transform your classroom and the way you feel as a teacher.

When you teach procedures to your students, you are teaching them how things are to be done, not announcing rules. Procedures need to be taught and practiced. And practiced and practiced. Teaching procedures is an investment in time, not time wasted. As Fred Jones shares in his book ​Tools for Teaching, “Investing time in teaching classroom rules, standards and procedures is a  classic example of proactive versus reactive management. Prevention is cheaper than remediation. But prevention is not free. You must invest ‘up front’ if you want to reap the dividends for the rest of the semester.”

I spend most of the first two weeks of school teaching procedures and establishing expectations. I don’t spend time lecturing about the procedures, my lesson content is purposefully designed to include the procedures that need to be practiced. I’m sneaky like that.

Design your procedures by first visualizing the end result. Work backward and break the procedure into steps. Go through these steps yourself or with a colleague, following your instructions as if you were a student. You may want to establish routines and procedures for the following:

● Entering the classroom
● Exiting the classroom
● Transitioning to/from different areas of the room
● Waiting times (when the teacher needs to talk to a student or there is an emergency)
● Getting into groups
● Getting tissues
● A visitor in the room
● The teacher needs your attention
● Passing out/collecting

A common procedure in my general music classroom is distributing bell sets. When it is time to get bell sets the first row is invited to stand, follow the leader to the windows, walk along the windows, take the first available bell set, walk along the back of the room, continue along the far side of the room and back to their place in their row. The subsequent rows are trained to be ready  when it is their turn. Students may open their bells sets, but I make it very clear that if they choose to play their bells before they are invited, they will close their case and not be allowed to play. This routine may seem strict and a little mean, but it actually ​keeps ​me from having a teacher freak out! After this procedure is learned and practiced (many times) it allows the distribution of  instruments to go very quickly, avoids student tantrums about who cut somebody in line, who took someone else’s bells and little Sally crying because nobody ever gave her an instrument! And we can all live happily ever after and get on with the good stuff – making music!

I use Love and Logic as my classroom management philosophy. Love and Logic has taught me to use positive techniques to establish a calm and effective classroom in which I strive to prevent behavior problems instead of react to  them. I try to offer students choices that are within limits that are OK with me.  I model problem solving and if a student causes a problem I give them a chance to fix it before I step in (if I have to intervene they are guaranteed to not like  the outcome!) These strategies take careful training and consistency – on the  part of the​ teacher. ​If your expectations, procedures, and systems are  consistent students will feel safe, respected, calm and motivated. That may  require hard work on your part.

My mom used to tell me that you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. There are times when swift consequences for unacceptable behavior  are called for. However, using routines and procedures often allows us to stop  the continual discipline struggle and have the freedom to compliment and enjoy our students and their music making. Students themselves are more  comfortable with predictability and routine. In his book ​Tools for Teaching​, Fred Jones says “The teachers with the best run classrooms spend most of the first two weeks . . . teaching procedures and routines . . . ​do it right or do it all year long.​”

Holly Walton
Fort Island Primary School
Copley-Fairlawn City Schools

Holly shared her ideas for teaching procedures, please share yours in the comments below. Your ideas might be just the thing someone needs to Make it Work in their classroom.

The post Making It Work: Positive Procedures (updated) first appeared on Teaching With Orff.