Play to Learn and Grow: Carl Orff once explained, “Musical instruction does not begin in the music lesson. Playtime is the starting point. One should not come to music– it should arise itself. What is important is that the child be allowed to play, undisturbed.” Play is an innate part of the human experience, and children are masters of it. Orff-inspired educators are especially well suited to identify the ways in which play benefits students and utilize it to support the growth of the whole child. In this workshop, attendees will explore the greater functions of play and take part in processes that use various modes of play to support curricular goals and intrinsically motivated creativity in the music classroom.
About Austin Cooper: Austin is a PreK-Grade 5 music educator and Orff Schulwerk practitioner. He completed his bachelor’s in music education at West Virginia University and his Masters in music education from the University of Kentucky. His teaching practices include a foundation shaped by song, movement, creativity, and play. He has completed AOSA Teacher Education Levels I-III and has served on the leadership board of his local chapter of AOSA. He is presently serving on the editorial board of The Orff Echo, a quarterly music educators journal. Check out his article, “Free Play in the Music Classroom.” found in the Winter 2023 issue of The Orff Echo.
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Concordia University, Irvine
BMC – Music Building #29
1530 Concordia West / Irvine, CA 92612
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American Orff-Schulwerk Association 