Cobb Schools Strikes Up Training for Music Educators from Cobb and Beyond

For decades, the Cobb County School District has been ranked as one of the best places in the nation for music education.

This summer, music educators from across Georgia and the nation gathered at Kell High School for a two-week-long training hosted by Cobb Schools.

The professional development event focused on the Orff-Schulwerk Methodology, a popular music education approach named for the famous 20th-century composer and music educator Carl Orff. The methodology is a student-centered approach to music education that emphasizes imitation, exploration, improvisation and creation through a combination of singing, speaking, dancing and playing instruments. The Cobb-hosted training is one of the country's largest and is recognized by the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.

"The Orff Schulwerk approach to music education is a fascinating and effective method that emphasizes active participation and creativity. By starting with play, children engage with music in a way that feels natural to them,” explained Dr. Michele Sampson, Addison Elementary School music teacher and Cobb Schools’ Orff Certification Course Director.

Educators who attended the event pointed out how the training will help their students strengthen their musical skills and problem-solving abilities, enhance their creativity and develop a greater understanding and appreciation for music.

About 100 educators stepped away from their summer break to enhance their teaching skills through the hands-on experience with Orff Instruments (xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels), singing, movement and recorder. In addition to Cobb teachers, educators traveled to Kell from 15 other Georgia school systems, three Georgia colleges and universities and six states. Attendees came from as far away as Idaho.

Three levels of Orff-Schulwerk were offered during the training workshop.

Teachers begin by obtaining Level I certification and progress through subsequent levels via additional workshops. One unique feature of the Cobb workshop is the inclusion of an “Introduction to Orff Schulwerk and Masterclass” for teachers seeking their first experiences with the Orff approach.

Faculty for the workshop included the AOSA Executive Director Tiffany English and AOSA President Joshua Southard. Two additional faculty members studied Orff Schulwerk with Jos Wuytack, a student of Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman. Orff and Keetman developed The Schulwerk in Germany and picked outstanding music educators and students from across the world to share the approach in their home countries. Wuytack was one of those educators.

“Teachers who undergo Orff Schulwerk certification gain valuable skills to create dynamic and engaging learning environments where every student can develop their musicianship,” Dr. Sampson added.

This is the 12th year Cobb Schools has hosted the Orff-Schulwerk Levels Workshop, which aims to increase student engagement and create lifelong musicians.