Reverberations: Teachers Teaching Teachers is a weekly, online publication available to members that publishes models of best practice from Orff Schulwerk classrooms in the form of lesson ideas, student-tested teaching strategies, articles related to classroom applications, and more.
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List of Reverberations Articles
Pass the Tators: A Rhythmic Thanksgiving Feast
This lesson focuses on components of rhythm and form including eighth and sixteenth note combinations, syncopation, and first and second endings. It also includes a simple body percussion and text composition task designed for cooperative learning groups.
RÜ Ready For Body Percussion
Rhythmische Übung invites opportunities to combine speech and body percussion.
Peace Round
This lovely canon has a message of peace. Teaching suggestions include partner songs and performance possibilities.
What’s In Those Little Yellow Books?
Three writers offer insights that will help people new to the “Volumes” find an entry point into these gems by Orff and Keetman as well as remind those who have used the material for years that there are always new discoveries to be found the those little yellow books.
Making the Most of the Minor Third
The blues is a highly effective way to engage students and ‘la’ pentatonic functions as an overlay for the hexatonic blues scale. The author discusses how the minor third, with its feeling of melancholy, combines with swing to produce an authentic sound that can be said to convey a sense of “soul” even on two notes.
Chrome Music Lab
Technology is a classroom tool that can reinforce music concepts and offer students an opportunity for individual practice with ideas that have previously been experienced in guided exploration.
Schulwerk and STEAM: A Most Natural Integration
The author explains how STEAM has impelled her school to include authentic arts integration in the curriculum. Includes links to model lesson ideas.
My Kids Can’t Play This! Easier Accompaniments for Growing Mallet Skills
Erstes Spiel am Xylophon provides kinesthetic practice before playing pieces from Music for Children. Includes specific examples from Erstes that correlate to Music for Children, Vol. 1.
Music Teacher Self-Care
Advice for how to avoid the cycle of stress that often accompanies the job of a music teacher.
Canciones Mexicanas
The author shares Mexican children’s songs from his childhood. Includes game songs, songs to tell a story, songs to sing, and dichos (saying or rhymes). Sound files support learning the material from a primary source.
Getting To Know You: Activities To Start the School Year
Favorite, student-tested name games, mixers, children’s literature, a Chinese friendship game, and movement activities to get the academic year off to a creative, interactive start.
From Levels to the Classroom
How do you translate the experiences of learning with adults into classroom experiences with children? Two AOSA Teacher Educators share thoughts on how to begin making changes in curriculum as well as ways to articulate a new style of teaching within the school community.