Four strands of methodology will be offered on this year’s Summer School: Early Childhood, Primary 1, Primary 2, and Secondary/Instrumental (see descriptions below).

What is methodology?

This is the Oxford Dictionary definition: “a set of methods and principles used to perform a particular activity”. It sounds a bit dry.

Absorbing and understanding Kodály’s ideas and philosophy and infusing them into your own teaching can be a long journey, but it’s an exciting one to undertake; full of discovery and ultimately rewarding and enriching for both you and your pupils…..it’s anything but dry.

What is the most important quality for a music teacher to have?

Katalin Körtvési: ” Have a well-trained heart. Teach with your personality and with your passion!”

Kodály himself never wanted his principles enshrined in a single ‘method’ or ‘tutor’ to be religiously followed, but there’s a strong consensus on Kodály principles.

Judith Brindle: ‘When I use the word I mean a singing- based curriculum, progressing from the simplest to the most advanced musicianship, building up a carefully-selected repertoire of songs, through which you teach pulse, rhythm, pitch, expressive elements, musical structure and, ultimately, harmony.’

“Often a single experience will open the young soul to music for a whole lifetime:

2020

Early Childhood (Tutor: Ben Lawrence). This course will focus on children’s first experiences of music through simple songs, games and story-telling.

Primary 1 (Tutor: Sally Leeming): the first steps. This will be a programme for those beginning to teach according to Kodály principles. It will look mainly at repertoire and activities suitable for ages 5-7 but will also consider starting with older Primary-age beginners. This course is for those following the General Course timetable and is a requirement for the Certificate Course Level 1.

Primary 2 (Tutor: Bori Szirányi): a continuation programme. This programme is for those with experience of teaching according to Kodály principles and will focus on the next steps for ages 7+. The course is for experienced practitioners following the General Course timetable and is a requirement for the Certificate Course, Level 2. NB. Please note that there will be two sessions each day (Sessions 1 and 3 in the afternoon): please do not choose other options for Session 3.

Secondary/Instrumental (Tutor: James Cuskelly). This course will look at ways of integrating Kodaly’s philosophy into a Secondary School music curriculum.  There will be opportunities to explore the sequences and elements of musicianship, to develop aural skills and awareness and apply these in listening, performing (including whole class instrumental work) and composing.

 

For further reading click this link: “your questions answered“