Many teachers in the state have completed Orff certification in Kansas and across the
United States. The Kansas Orff Chapter began sponsoring certification courses in 1997 with
the first Level 1 course at Kansas State University taught by Marilyn Wood and Greg
Gooden. Since 1999, Level 1 and Level 2 courses have been taught at Baker University as
part of their summer session continuing education program. Instructors have included
Marilyn Wood, Susan Ramsey, Carla Cose Giallella, Deana Stark, Dena Byers, Rob
Amchin, and Jennifer Donovan. This summer, Baker University held the first Level 3 course
in Kansas. It was the first summer that two levels courses were held at the same time in
our state, and fifty-three teachers successfully completed the Orff Schulwerk certification
courses. The courses include two weeks of intensive instruction in Orff pedagogy, recorder,
and movement training, encouraging teachers to use a "hands-on" approach to teaching
music based on the philosophies of the German composer, Carl Orff.
Locally, the KOC members work in their own school districts to provide in-service opportunities for their staff. Many school districts, including Geary County, Shawnee Mission, and Topeka, have brought in national presenters for workshops. The KOC also provides scholarship opportunities for its members to attend the national Orff conference and the certification program at Baker University each summer. One such scholarship is named after Sue McCormick who was a music educator in Hays and Western Kansas for many years before becoming an elementary principal in Parsons and Salina. As an administrator, she was a strong advocate for Orff training in local schools and served as KOC President and on the National Board of the American Orff Schulwerk Association (AOSA).
The Kansas Orff Chapter supports numerous opportunities for training in the Orff process. Several of our own members have traveled across the state to present workshops in local school districts and some have presented nationally as well. Members of KOC have presented at the KMEA In-Service Workshop in Wichita and at the Parsons, Kansas, Suzuki Festival. The KOC also supports KMEA by providing funding for nationally recognized Orff clinicians at the state In-service Workshop. We are currently working with the Kodály Music Educators of Kansas (KMEK) to provide a joint workshop. Finally, teachers may learn more about the Orff process by attending workshops with nationally known clinicians each October and January. Teachers may even earn graduate credit for attending. A two-day workshop is also offered each summer in the Kansas City area. Please check the KOC website at www.kansasorff.org or visit our Facebook page for more information.
Kansas is represented well at the national level, as we have had several members participate on the AOSA Board. Corbin Trimble and Jennifer Donovan have served as National Treasurer, and Susan Liotta and Sue McCormick have served as Regional Representatives. Presenters at national conferences include Jennifer Donovan, Cynthia Colwell, Matt McCoy, and Greg Gooden. We are also fortunate to have nationally known presenter and Levels instructor, Matt McCoy, who is an instructor of Music Education at Kansas State University, as well as Cynthia Colwell, head of Music Therapy at the University of Kansas and a national presenter of Orff process used in working with special needs children. Several KOC members have been given AOSA grants to purchase instruments and grants to attend training courses. We are so proud of them all!
The AOSA national conference has been very close to us for the past two years. It was in St. Louis last year and will be held in Denver this November 14-16, 2013. If you have never been to a national conference, you should go. You will not regret it! Check out the AOSA webpage for more information: www.aosa.org.
Upcoming workshops:
- Jan. 25, 2014 at Lawrence High School - "Playing With The Arts" Dena Byers, presenter
- Jul. 7-18, 2014 at Baker University - Level 2 Orff Certification Course
- Aug. 1-2, 2014 in Kansas City - Artie Almeida, presenter (10 hour workshop)