This summer, I had the privilege of earning my Level 1 certification in Orff Schulwerk instruction through the Cobb County chapter of the American Orff Schulwerk Association (AOSA). When I shared my plans to attend this intensive two-week training with family and friends, they envisioned a traditional conference experience: panels, lectures, and keynote speakers. However, when asked about my daily activities, my responses were delightfully different: we played with streamers, I piloted my own “spaceship” (a hula hoop), explored the sounds a ghost might make on the recorder and engaged in folk dancing with sixty fellow participants. In essence, I relearned how to be a child.
This experience encapsulates the heart of the Orff Schulwerk approach and aligns closely with AOSA’s mission “to inspire and advocate for the creative potential of all learners.” Orff Schulwerk nurtures children’s innate love of play and fosters musical development through singing, instrument play, speech, and movement. It encourages students to become active learners, exploring musical concepts in a hands-on, immersive way.
The training was structured around three core classes: Pedagogy, Recorder and Movement. Each class offered a dual perspective, both as a teacher and as a student, providing diverse strategies to convey musical concepts effectively.
The pedagogy class emphasized music theory through engaging games and activities. It encouraged us to be resourceful, using everyday materials (such as rhythm sticks or descriptive words) to create music. Nightly assignments challenged us to find children’s poetry and set it to music, fostering creativity while deepening our understanding of the musical concepts at hand.
In the recorder class, we gained a valuable instructional tool to teach music concepts in an interactive way. The recorder's immediate sound feedback allowed us to assess students' comprehension in real time. The class also addressed differentiation strategies for students who may struggle with the instrument and encouraged improvisation, promoting confidence and creative expression.
Movement was my favorite component. We embodied musical concepts through physical expression and learned "folk dance Friday," a tradition that introduces students to diverse global cultures. Though the dances involved simple steps, the final performances were intricate and impressive, demonstrating the power of collective participation.
Orff’s group-centered approach offers benefits beyond musical skills. By working collaboratively, students develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities while cultivating a positive, inclusive environment where all voices are valued. This collaborative spirit fosters leadership qualities as well. We experienced this firsthand by creating a "final share" project: together, we composed music, movement and instrumentation inspired by Kobi Yamada’s story "What Do You Do With an Idea?"
The story, about nurturing an idea despite fear and uncertainty, resonated deeply with many of us. It mirrors the Orff philosophy; starting with a natural, instinctive spark that, with care and creativity, grows into something extraordinary.
Completing Level 1 has been an invaluable experience that has strengthened my confidence as an educator. I now have a rich toolbox of games, music and creative approaches to bring into my classroom. Most importantly, I am reminded to fully engage alongside my students, embracing creativity together as we learn.
Professional growth and development are high priorities for Darlington. Each year, faculty and staff members participate in a professional growth cycle that includes professional learning communities, professional development days, and the ability to apply for professional development grants which fund conferences, travel, workshops, instructional supplies, outside speakers, and more. This blog series will highlight some of the opportunities that faculty and staff have participated in since they were awarded 2025-2026 Thatcher Grants last spring.
