Organization of American Kodály Educators’ Conference 2019

As this was my first formal exhibit opportunity, I had spent a lot of time at home prepping my resources and trying to figure out how to set up the table attractively.   The day before I left, I came upon some sets of bumble bee erasers at my local dollar store.  If you are a Kodály teacher and know the same repertoire as I do, you will know that I could not leave the store without them.  As I did my final packing, I threw in enough erasers to create a certain musical phrase…just in case they came in handy.

 

With my exhibit table all set up, Teacher’s and Student’s books displayed clearly, lapboards sitting out prominently,  it soon became apparent that the most interesting item there were the dollar store bumble bee erasers!  Music teachers seemed to be in disagreement with my version of the first phrase of the Bee, Bee, Bumblebee song (so la soso mi) and I frequently found the ‘la’ bee moved to a ‘mi’ placement.  Soon, I was moving the bee back to a ‘la’ position more out of amusement and as a challenge for interaction than anything else!

 

Adorable (and not for sale!) as the bees were, they also allowed me to chat to teachers who had come from far and wide to attend the conference.  Once they had played with the bees, I was able to point out that they were sitting on a lapboard staff that was taken from my book of 25 dry-erase templates designed to assist young musicians learn about reading and writing music at the same time as cutting back on the use of paper and photocopying.

 

Reactions to the book and lapboards varied from non-committal passing glances to gasps of delight and cries of ‘why didn’t I think of that first!’ and ‘this is exactly what I have been trying to figure out!’.

 

By the middle of the second morning, my ‘magic’ hat was almost overflowing with draw entries, and Jeremy Davidson was delighted to win a copy of ‘Listen…Think…Write!’ (Teacher’s Book).  I am looking forward to hearing if it has been useful in his classroom yet … Jeremy?

 

As well as promoting ‘Listen…Think…Write!’, I had other duties to perform and workshops to attend.  Stay tuned!

“Refresh Books are a godsend! I plan to use them for teaching on-line this summer and will suggest your materials to all of my course participants. In addition, while leading schools in curriculum development, I’ll propose they adopt your dry-erase materials for the entire district – this is the fastest (and most fun) way to have students think and write musically.”

Georgia A Newlin, Past President OAKE, author 'One Accord: Developing Part-Singing Skills in School Age Musicians'

“Musical dictation examples can be attractively and easily notated, corrected, observed, photographed, erased and re-used.”

 

Connie Foss More, Kodály “pioneer” in USA and Canada, Past-President, Kodály Society of Canada

​“Bravo!  This is a must-have pedagogical tool for every music classroom.

This develops the much-needed skill of music literacy to complete a well-rounded music education!”

Dr. Adam Jonathan Con, Professor of Music Education, University of Victoria

​“This workbook offers at every level everything you need to develop a child’s musical dictation and composition skills – grade 1 – 6.

There are templates for all common meters and bar lengths.  There are also 1, 2, 3 and 5 line staves for developing melodic dictation skills.

A classroom set of these books will save thousands of pieces of paper!”

Kelly Foster Griffin, NBCT, Past President of the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE)

“Beginner, intermediate & advanced students can be accommodated with the same booklet, meaning that a single class set might serve an entire school. 

Dictation of both rhythm and melody is now FUNdaMENTAL!”

 

Connie Foss More, Kodály “pioneer” in USA and Canada, Past-President, Kodály Society of Canada

​“Well done!  This is great!  What a wonderful way for children to grasp musical literacy in a progressive and systematic approach!

A must for every music classroom!”

Elise Bradley, Artistic Director, Toronto Children’s Chorus

​“Every music teacher appreciates attractive, durable, re-usable materials that help stimulate their students’ best efforts.  

This multi-level booklet solves so many problems!”

Connie Foss More, Kodály “pioneer” in USA and Canada, Past-President, Kodály Society of Canada

“…what a FABULOUS idea!  This is soooo needed!  *Awards ‘Very Well Done!’ sticker*”

Cyrilla Rowsell, Co-Author, ‘Jolly Music – The Music Handbook; Teaching Music Skills to Children Through Singing’

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