Frequently Asked Questions

To register, view the spreadsheet and contact the hosting institution directly for enrollment information. Interested in attending but don’t have the resources? Read more about advocating for attending an AOSA Teacher Education Course.

There are three levels in the AOSA Teacher Education courses. Participants must take each level in sequential order over a minimum of three years. The skills and curricula from each Level build upon each other. Each participant needs to experience the Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education Curriculum sequentially in order for learning and mastery to occur.

Each Level of an AOSA Teacher Education Course is a minimum of 60 clock hours. The traditional model is 10 days, over two weeks in the summer; however, there are other models that offer different scheduling options. Check the AOSA Course Listing for more information. There are currently no online options for taking AOSA Teacher Education Level Courses due to the participatory nature of the curriculum.

Many institutions who are approved to offer an AOSA Teacher Education Course also offer an option for graduate or workshop credits. AOSA courses are graduate level courses in music education and usually are acceptable for graduate degree programs. Check with the university instructor,  the course director, or the institutional contact for specific information. Courses run by local chapters or other entities may offer credit through Ashland University. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Participants in AOSA Teacher Education courses may only attend one Level per summer or school year. The amount of learning and assimilation of knowledge that is expected during a Level course is extensive. Participants need time to process the new skills and concepts that have been taught. Additionally, participants need to work with their own students during the school year to gain a full understanding of implementing these skills and concepts.

Orff Schulwerk is for learners of all ages! The AOSA Teacher Education Curriculum takes participants through a full spectrum of the Orff Schulwerk approach, with each level building on content and concepts learned in the previous. In addition, there is an emphasis on pedagogy and strategies for applying what you have learned into your student instruction, no matter what ages you teach.

Yes! Music education undergraduate students are encouraged to take Level I after their Junior year of study and prior to their student teaching or final clinical internship as an excellent way to support success in the classroom. A Level I course taken after the Junior year of collegiate study counts towards the AOSA Certificate of Completion. A Level I course taken prior to the completion of the Junior year will be considered an Introductory Course and the student would not be approved to move on to Level II until Level I is retaken.

It is strongly recommended that participants complete all three levels within a 7-year span to experience continuity within the AOSA Teacher Education Curriculum. If an extended time has passed since attending an approved course, participants are encouraged to repeat a level, especially if they have not been implementing Orff Schulwerk in their teaching or are taking that level at a different course site than the first time they attended.

The AOSA Certificate of Completion and Digital Badge are available to all who have successfully completed an AOSA approved Level III teacher education course. The application for the certificate and digital badge is located on the AOSA website. Participants in Level I and II will receive a letter or local certificate from the host institution documenting attendance and participation. You are not certified in Orff Schulwerk until after successful completion of Level III. A Level III Digital Badge is also available for anyone who has completed Level III of the AOSA Teacher Education Levels Course Curriculum. See details on the AOSA Certificate of Completion webpage.

Teacher Education Courses may be repeated at any time, even after completing the AOSA certification process. Retaking a level often brings a deeper understanding of the material or can serve as a great refresher if it has been some time since taking that level previously.

Members of AOSA for one full year prior to application may be eligible for Professional Development scholarships or grants to purchase instruments/equipment. See the AOSA website’s Grants and Scholarships page for more information.

Each course has a required list of texts and resources required for each level. Many of the resources are used for all three levels. The Murray Editions of Music For Children, Volumes I-V by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman are frequently utilized. At some courses, the required materials are made available for purchase at the course site. In addition to required texts, it is often helpful to have collections of children’s poetry, folk songs, world music, manuscript paper or notation software, pens, pencils, sticky notes, and highlighters. A soprano recorder is required for Level I, and an alto recorder is required for Level II. Some courses will require a specific brand and model of recorder for participants to purchase. For movement classes, participants may need to have footwear appropriate for dance floors. Check with your instructors prior to the courses for specific details.

Each level has a minimum required time amount for each portion of the AOSA Teacher Education Curriculum.

Basic:           3 hours per day / 30 hours total

Movement: 1 ¼ hours per day / 12 ½ hours total

Recorder:    1 ¼ hours per day/ 12 ½ hours total

Many courses will be a total of 60-65 clock hours over 10-days. Here is an example of a daily schedule at a two-week, 10-day course; however, schedules will vary depending on the course:

Courses that do not run on a two-week, 10-day model have the same minimum required minutes but may adapt the schedule to accommodate the model being utilized.

AOSA membership offers exclusive access to the AOSA Resource Library, which includes lesson plans and ideas, videos, articles and more! Connect with your classmates and other colleagues using AOSA’s social media outlets including Facebook and Instagram. There are local chapters of Orff Schulwerk Educators across the country where you can attend workshops and collaborate with other music educators in your area. The annual AOSA Professional Development Conference offers sessions that enrich what you’ve learned at your Levels course and connects you with a larger network of Orff Schulwerk educators. AOSA members receive a significant discount on conference registration.

In addition, AOSA offers a digital mentorship program, online Professional Learning Network series, and Independent Study Units for which you can receive graduate credit. AOSA members may apply for scholarships and grants that can provide financial assistance for continued professional development, such as a Level II course, Orff instruments for your classroom, and creative or research projects. Membership also means you’ll receive AOSA’s journal, The Orff Echo, as well as digital newsletters containing the latest news, ideas, and teaching tips!