Utah State University is making waves in the world of music education with its Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education Course. According to USU Today, this two-week intensive is no ordinary training. It’s a dive into an approach where teachers learn to engage students in music through a process that's focused more on participation than just hitting the right notes.
Led by the seasoned Leslie Timmons, who brings a wealth of experience, including a Fulbright year at the Orff Institute in Austria, the course has a reputation for creativity and community. "This isn’t about playing the right notes," Timmons told USU Today. "It’s about making music together, listening, moving and creating. And that’s transformative. Not just for the students, but for the teachers as well." Interestingly, it is the recorder, often sidelined, that gains a new lease of life in Timmons's hands.
As of this year, Karen Petty, hailing from Colorado with her background in elementary music education, will bring her expertise to the table alongside Timmons. Together, they are set to steer participants through a Level I certification, which is part of a three-level national training structure leading to certification in the Orff Schulwerk methodology.
