Teacher Education Courses

GENERAL INFORMATION

Based on the ideas of Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman, Orff Schulwerk has taken root around the world, inspiring teachers globally. This child-centered approach to music and movement education encourages creativity and play, where the enjoyment of group music making, improvisation, and composition are the focus. Using speech, movement, singing, and child-accessible instruments Orff Schulwerk advocates teaching that relies on the creativity, imagination and musicianship of the teacher.

Orff Teacher Education is available through workshops, Introductory Courses, Level Courses, and Post Level III Courses. Understanding and implementing the Orff philosophy of creative education is a lifetime pursuit, requiring the experience of teaching children while taking the courses to understand and implement the ideas.

The BC Orff Chapter is committed to providing these opportunities for teachers.

ORFF SCHULWERK TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM

Registration is NOW OPEN! 

Contact Pam Hetrick levels@bcorff.ca with any questions

The Introductory Course is highly recommended for everyone interested in an in-depth understanding of Orff Schulwerk. In the one-week program students are introduced to the Orff philosophy of music and movement, and experience many tools for implementing these ideas. Students will be able to take the inspiration from this course into their classroom, preparing them for the Certified Levels Courses. There is no prerequisite for this course although knowledge of music notation is helpful.

Certified Levels Courses are the primary way to receive in-depth training in Orff Schulwerk in Canada, following the guidelines of Carl Orff Canada. They are offered in two-week sessions during the summer, usually running from 8:30 – 5, Monday through Friday. Each Level includes 3 hours of Basic Orff instruction, 1 1/2 hours of Movement, 1 hour of Recorder and 1 hour of Special Topics daily. Please refer to categories under “Courses” for content specific to each Level.

Summer 2024 will introduce Carl Orff Canada’s newly revised Level II and III
Courses. If you have taken Level II before 2022 you may take the “new Level II” to complete Level III for your Orff certification. Because the Basic Orff content
significantly overlaps in the “new Level II” and the “old Level III” it is possible to
combine the two. Supplementary experiences for Level III students will enable the
emphasis on leadership and pedagogy. This will not require any additional hours for Level III students, but scheduled times when Level II and III students meet separately. Please make sure to register for either Level II or Level III.

Contact Course Director Pam Hetrick if you have any questions.

Orff Level Courses are available every summer at Vancouver Community College. Summer 2024 the courses will be held again at the VCC Broadway Campus, 1155 E
Broadway, next to the VCC-Clark SkyTrain Station. Each Level (I, II, and III) is 4
credits and accepted by the Teacher Qualification Service. Introduction to Orff
Schulwerk is a non-credit course.

It is expected that students will take at least a year between each Level in order to begin to absorb and implement training through their teaching during the year. After successful completion of Levels I, II, and III teachers are awarded Orff Schulwerk Certification.

These Courses are endorsed by Carl Orff Canada.

Student comments from past Level Training Courses at VCC:

This course has literally blown me away; I have had a whole paradigm shift in how to approach my teaching.

This course has come nothing short of revolutionizing my approach to music and children.

The goals I set were exceeded by day two in this course!

There is NOTHING like divine revelation, and it wouldn’t be an overstatement to suggest that this experience has been a revelation for me.

For the past 2 weeks I have been in the trenches of learning the most amazing musical process I could have ever imagined.

The Faculty 

Introduction to Orff – Cathy Bayley 

Level I – Pam Hetrick (Basic Orff and Recorder) & Mary-Lynn Berti (Movement)

Level II/Level III – Amanda Ciavarelli, Mary-Lynn Berti (Movement) & Karen Epp (Recorder),