"Tell me, I forget...show me, I remember...involve me, I understand." Carl Orff
Carl Orff (d. 1982) was a 20th Century German composer who taught early childhood music by involving the children in the learning process. Philosophically, "Orff-Schulwerk is a way to teach and learn music. It is based on things children like to do: sing, chant rhymes, clap, dance and keep a beat on anything near or at hand. These instincts are directed into learning music by hearing and making music first, then reading and writing it later. This is the same way we all learned our language." (American Orff Schulwerk Association).
For the past two weeks, I have spent my days in class studying melody, harmony, rhythm, bordun accompaniments, movement/dance - and my nights composing Orff arrangements using various compositional techniques that are accessible for young children. I have spent countless hours practicing the alto recorder which has different fingerings than the soprano recorder. I have had aesthetic experiences in class that I have never before experienced. I have created music, dance, movement and song. I am completely exhausted, but extremely fulfilled. It was a wonderful opportunity to grow as a musician and as an educator. Each of the music teachers at Chets Creek shared this experience with me and we will be better music educators because of it.
Lorraine Roettges, Dee Dee Tamburrino, Samantha Lambros and Jane Plank
This summer's professional development opportunity was a gift to each of the forty-eight music educators from Duval County Public Schools that attended. In June, several of our teachers traveled to Stetson to take Level 1 so they could be part of Level 2 at the University of North Florida in July. I greatly admire their tenacity!!
Two years ago, Patsy Butterbrodt wrote a $1,000,000.00 grant that was funded by the Federal Government for teacher training in Orff 1, 2 and 3. Last summer, Orff 1 was offered. Next summer, Orff 3 will be offered - free of charge - to any DCPS elementary music teacher who has completed Level 2. Thank you, Patsy, for having the courage to take that step to enhance teacher training in our district. We appreciate you! And a big 'thank you" to Mary Jeanette Howle for administrating the grant on our behalf! Without your faithful assistance, this professional development opportunity would not have been possible. "Well-done, good and faithful servant."
Orff Pedagogy Instructors: Gretchen Wahlberg and Sandy Lantz
Recorder and Movement Instructor: Linda O'Donnell
Orff 2 Alumni
Recorder Class (Dee Dee and Samantha)
Movement Class
Rhythm Class
Orff instruments stacked in the back of my station wagon
Transporting instruments back to Atlantic Beach Elementary at the conclusion of the workshop
Unloading the instruments
A huge 'thank-you' to Lorraine Roettges for allowing us to use her classroom instruments. You're the best!!
Until next time...
