Playing With the Schulwerk
The Berkshire-Hudson Valley chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association (BHVAOSA) is celebrating 50 years of providing high-quality professional development workshops for music educators. They serve the greater capital region of New York, as well as southern Vermont and western Massachusetts, and celebrate the approach of Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman and their belief that music education should be an active, joyful, and creative experience.
We all want our students to be confident enough in themselves and comfortable enough with the classroom culture to be able to just play. How a child sees themselves in your music classroom is an important aspect of achieving that kind of student success. In this workshop, participants will explore playful use of children's literature as the basis for games, movement, singing, and instrumental exploration in which students can find out more about themselves and connect as a classroom community. This is a workshop for students and teachers from all different backgrounds, so come join us and Play the Schulwerk!
Please feel free to bring a recorder and a ukulele if you have them.
Gerard Stokes
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Gerard Stokes teaches grades 4-8 general music in Lincoln, Massachusetts. He earned his B.S. in Music Education from South Carolina State University and his M.Ed. in Administration & Supervision from Southern Wesleyan University. Gerard is an Orff-Certified Educator who attends supplemental courses in Orff-Schulwerk. He has served on AOSA’s DEIA subcommittee and as president of the Lowcountry Chapter. He continues to serve as the President of the New England Chapter and on AOSA’s Virtual Programming subcommittee. Mr. Stokes has presented for AOSA at the 2023 National Conference, the Professional Learning Network, and Teaching with Orff, along with numerous AOSA chapters.
FORMAT: In-person learning opportunity
DATE: Saturday, 9/20/25
TIME: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Skano Elementary School, Shenendehowa CSD
FACILITATOR: Gerard Stokes
CONTACT: BHVAOSA
FEE: This workshop is free for BHVAOSA 2025-2026 members. The non-member educator fee is $45.00. The college student fee is $10.00.
CTLE HOURS: 4
REGISTRATION: https://tinyurl.com/vu57x32r