Music instructors throughout the US and Canada spent part of their summer vacation at the University’s Kodaly Institute, working to improve the way they teach as well as earning a certification that could advance their careers.
“Kodaly-based music education helps teachers organize and sequence music instruction so that their students become independent musicians who are able to read music, and who are educated in the folk and art music of their country,” said Dr. Lee Harris, Music Department Head.
Though some Kodaly training has been offered at UTC since the 1980s, additional levels were added for Kodaly Institute certification in 2000. The program was endorsed by the Organization of American Kodaly Educators in 2005.
“We are the only Kodaly program in the southeast United States with OAKE endorsement,” Harris said.
The Kodaly approach is named after Hungarian composer and teacher Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967) who was instrumental in establishing systematic music education in his native country.
“Kodaly-certified teachers are leaders in the field of music and education, sharing what they have learned with other music teachers and advancing to greater career opportunities,” said Harris.
Though all three levels of training and certification are offered during the three week workshop, participants can spread out their training over as many summers as they wish.
To become Kodaly certified a teacher has to complete 225 hours of training. The teacher must demonstrate an ability to use this training in a music classroom through a video-recorded lesson, finish a folk song collection of 250 songs, and perform as a soloist and conductor on the concluding concert of the Level III (and final) course. The ending result is for the teacher to be able to provide for their students the best music instruction possible, Harris said.
Participants must register with the University and pay a $450 workshop fee in addition to University fees. A limited number of scholarships are available through the University, however, participants can get funding for the courses through the Foundation for the Kodaly Institute, International Kodaly Society, and the Hungarian Scholarship Board.
—By Tia Tappan, UTC intern
