The Magic of Stories: Lessons for the Orff Classroom

WEBINAR RECORDING

Discover how children's literature can spark creativity, foster self-discovery, and empower your students through music and movement in Growing Through the Magic of Children's Literature. In this engaging session, presenters Jeaneau Julian, Kate Bright, and Liban Gómez will guide you through meaningful ways to use books, melodies, and Orff-inspired activities that encourage your students to explore who they are and who they can become. You'll experience adaptable lessons that connect music, literacy, social-emotional learning, and movement, leaving you inspired to bring the magic of storytelling into your own classroom. Whether you're new to using children's books in music or looking to deepen your approach, you'll walk away with practical, creative ideas you can use right away.

Highlights:

Explore the power of The Magical Yet, The Me I Choose to Be, We Are Growing, and After the Fall to inspire growth mindsets.
Experience student-centered activities like speech pieces, body percussion, and pentatonic melodies.
Learn how to build creative Rondo structures using student-generated ideas.
Discover adaptable lessons for multiple grade levels, from Pre-K to upper elementary.
Incorporate movement, improvisation, and social-emotional learning through story-driven music making.
Access printable visuals, rhythm building blocks, and supporting resources for easy classroom integration.
Celebrate student identity and foster a sense of belonging through diverse and inclusive literature.
Bonus: Get ideas for integrating languages, nursery rhymes, and cultural connections into your music lessons.

After registering, you will be able to access the webinar recording and downloadable materials from your online library.

Upon completion, you may request a certificate of completion for 1.5 hours of professional development by emailing our team at [email protected]

PURCHASE WEBINAR RECORDING

Kate Bright is a music teacher at Lincoln Charter School in York, PA, where she teaches approximately 600 students from kindergarten through fifth grade. She is president of the Greater Baltimore Area Orff Chapter, past-president of the Philadelphia Area Orff Chapter, and has presented workshops for many chapters of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. In 2015 she received the Spotlight Award from the American Center for Elemental Music and Movement. She currently serves on the board of both ACEMM, Harrisburg Folk Dancers, and the Harrisburg Area Contra Dance Association. During the pandemic, Kate has kept busy by helping to moderate the MACAOSA Chapter's DEI book study and running the Elemental Musical Adventures Facebook group where members are challenged daily to experiment with music in many different ways.

Jeaneau Julian is in her 21st year of teaching music, with the last 9 years being the Music Specialist at Terry Elementary School in Little Rock, Arkansas. She completed her undergraduate degree in Instrumental Music Education from the University of Oklahoma and earned a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Arkansas Tech University. She has completed Two Levels of Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education and has previously served as Treasurer for the Central Arkansas Orff chapter. In 2022, Jeaneau received ACEMM's Winter Spotlight Award and now serves as a collaborative board member of that organization. In addition to teaching music, she is the ESOL coordinator and records the daily morning announcements for her school. Outside of school, she provides professional development at the district level for elementary music teachers, organizes the zoom meetings for the Central Arkansas Orff chapter, and attends as many professional music meetings as she can.

Liban O. Gómez was born in the Dominican Republic and has been teaching for 13 years at The School of Higher Expectations P.S. 66 in the Bronx, New York City. Liban previously taught grades 2 and 5 working particularly with the English Language Learners. He has been teaching General Music and Music Through Literacy to students from Pre-K - 5th for over 10 years. In addition to that, he also teaches violin after school at the same school. At The City College of New York, he received his Bachelors’ Degree in Childhood Education, Italian Literature and Language, and Mathematics followed by a Master’s in Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL). He completed his Orff Levels I and II in New York City and obtained his Orff Certification at George Mason University. He is the current president of the New York City Chapter of AOSA. Liban frequently and actively attends workshops offered from different parts of the world.