A Personal Journey

By Don Dupont and Brian Hiller

Looking back at our early careers as music educators it is evident that Orff Schulwerk was a turning point in our work with children. Prior to our early experiences with this multi-faceted approach we struggled with ways to provide a classroom experience that was hands-on, creative, exciting and always developing.

It was our early work with the ideas presented by Carl Orff and his colleague, Gunild Keetman that brought us the inspiration we were so desperately seeking. Orff Schulwerk (literally meaning, School Work in German) encourages the students to be the music makers. They are the vehicles through which classrooms become creative and inviting places to be. The melding of natural activities which include chanting, singing, movement, recorder and instrument playing provides a multitude of opportunities for learning and expression.

One of the most influential experiences with Orff Schulwerk came when we were students in the certification program at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York. It was there under the expertise of Carol Huffman and Bob deFrece that we developed the tools and ideas of Orff Schulwerk. Our professors inspired us to expand our thinking and we were eager to bring their wonderful, creative ideas back to our schools.

Our classroom climate changed as our students picked up on our enthusiasm and became excited with the prospect of participating fully in the music making process in an active, rather than passive way.

We now had a grasp of the “Art” of teaching. We were learning how to instill in our students an excitement toward the creative possibilities in Music. They were developing ownership and we were growing as facilitators in the music making process. But we still struggled with the age-old question of “What to teach when?” We were still concerned about the “nuts and bolts” of curriculum development. It was the “Science” of teaching that we were lacking. Since Orff and Keetman did not offer a curriculum per se, we set out to design a scope and sequence for our K-4 music program based on National and New York State standards using the elements of Rhythm, Melody, Form, Texture, Timbre and Harmony. It was our goal to present skills and concepts in a developmentally appropriate step-by-step sequence that taught the children skills that we valued without impacting the creativity the students craved. We wanted them to have fun, be engaged but also articulate to others what exactly they were learning in Music!

In the paragraphs that follow, we share our philosophy and curricular goals which were presented at a recent Board of Education meeting around the time when severe cuts were being made in our programs.

At the elementary schools students develop musical skills through singing, listening, movement and instrument playing. In our classrooms, these are often incorporated during the same learning activity. For example, children may learn a traditional folk song, listen to the rhythms, form and text, develop body movements to accompany the text and create instrumental accompaniment as well. By participating in the music-making process, children learn through a hands-on approach. As a result, self-discovery through experimenting, improvising, creating and performing is the key to skill development and a positive attitude toward music.

Every elementary student in our district attends Music once a week. As in any other discipline, music has its own tools, materials, concepts and skills which are developed with increasing understanding over time. For each concept or skill taught, the student must pass through a learning sequence to assimilate and build understanding. Children experience skills and concepts through an eclectic hands-on approach which incorporates singing, chant and poetry, instrument playing, and movement as well as improvisation. The major approaches to teaching music skills and concepts, Orff Schulwerk, Dalcroze and Kodaly, are integrated to create a well-rounded music program.

In kindergarten, children participate in a variety of singing games, movement activities and dances to develop a feeling of steady beat. Students learn to differentiate between speaking and singing voice. They learn many songs and begin to develop the ability to sing in tune. Many call and response activities foster good listening skills.

In first grade, students begin linking words and music. Beginning experiences with text are aided by repetition, rhyme, rhythm, pattern and predictability. Students learn to differentiate between steady beat and rhythm. The rhythms of quarter note and two eighth notes are introduced along with the quarter note rest. Students manipulate these rhythms with a variety of poems, nursery rhymes, and story songs. They transfer rhythms to percussion instruments and begin to experience improvisation. They match pitches with hand signs to aid in pitch recognition and in-tune singing.

In second grade, students continue to make connections between sound and symbol. Previously learned rhythms are played, sung, moved to and improvised through a variety of songs and dances. The students learn the half note and its rest. Experiences with instrumental accompaniment begin on the barred instruments and students begin to create contrasting sections in compositions.

In third grade students begin integrating a music vocabulary to learn about spatial awareness, dynamics and form. Rhythmic reading incorporates the quarter note, eighth notes, half note and whole note. Accompaniments at the xylophones and other instruments become more complex. Students are asked to sing in tune using the full pentatonic (5 note) scale as well as singing in two part canon. The recorder is introduced as a tool to foster instrumental playing and note reading. Singing in major and minor keys is introduced. Students begin to create and notate their own original compositions.

In fourth grade students sing three and four part canons in tune. Additional tones are added to complete the major diatonic scale. Note reading is enhanced through recorder playing and barred instrument playing. The division of the beat into four equal parts (sixteenth notes) is introduced. Students are asked to perform rhythms and improvise using question/answer phrases. Listening and musicianship is emphasized as students perform as an orchestra on the instruments.

Students at each grade level participate in a musical performance each year. These plays are often based on literature or a unit of study in Social Studies and often incorporate singing, movement and instrument playing. All students attend these performances to develop audience participation skills.

Although most of our students will not make music their professional careers we can provide them with a sound education that is thoughtful, engaging and meaningful.

Mastering both the Art and Science of teaching takes many years to develop. As teachers we are growing and learning along with our students. Even with a total of 50 years of teaching between us we are still energetic and eager to learn both as teachers and musicians. Orff Schulwerk is what you bring to it. We have given the children much of the power in creative decisions in the classroom and the results have been rewarding to observe. So much of what we bring to the students is our love and enthusiasm for learning. We hope this will always be a part of their lives.