Junior Choir today rocked! We sang, moved, played recorder and played pitched percussion to the song, “Four White Horses.” No easy feat with so many kids!

The following is an article I wrote for the Ontario Chapter of Carl Orff Canada. Enjoy the read if you didn’t see it in that journal.

I’m not going to lie. The evening before the Mentorship Program was about to begin I stood on the platform of the St. Catharines train station shaking in my boots. The train pulled in. I turned to my husband and said, “I can’t do this.” Being the supportive husband he is, he responded in all the usual ways, none of which was comforting. The feeling of, “What in the world have I got myself into?” pervaded every thought.

It wasn’t as if I didn’t know what to expect. I chose this professional learning: the chance to be mentored by some amazing teachers, hone my teaching skills, and become a certified Orff instructor. Having passed through all three levels at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, I already knew the way the courses were structured. I knew most of the teaching staff. I had been to a meeting already with the two women who mentored me through the course: Joy Reeve and Catherine West – a meeting during which I smiled and nodded, readily accepting any task they asked me to perform and having no clue how I would actually achieve it all. Catherine’s parting words to me were, “You’re going to be great.” I wasn’t so sure.

The next morning I found myself standing on a loading dock and quickly plunged into the chaos that is the Monday morning set up! While lugging instruments here, there and everywhere, and directing students to their classrooms, I had no time at all to process the fact that I was supposed to be nervous. Instead, I found myself enveloped by the Orff community: students eager to learn and teachers equally excited to teach. Before I knew it, there I was, in front of all those Level I students teaching The Grand Old Duke of York. It went fine, well even and it was in that moment that the confidence that had eluded me suddenly appeared. Sometimes you just have to take the plunge before you truly believe that you can swim.

The rest of the course was a whirlwind learning experience. Teaching an Orff course is vastly different from giving an after school workshop. I had to learn how to go deep with students and not just cover surface material. I learned how the course all came together and just how fast you have to teach to cover the enormous amount of material. I marked and marked and marked and quite possibly drove colleagues crazy with endless body percussion patterns. I loved the challenge of teaching how to create using the Orff approach. I loved answering students’ questions and watching their eyes light up with understanding. I loved those gorgeous musical moments that we all need to feed our souls. I loved the creativity the students brought to all their assignments.

Working with Joy was great fun. I discovered a friend during those two weeks: a warm, caring spirit who not only took me under her wing professionally but welcomed me into her life. I am most grateful. Catherine’s seemingly unending knowledge of all things Orff was tremendously helpful throughout the two week course. Her meticulous notes about my teaching were at the same time constructive and encouraging. She is a true treasure without whom I would not be where I am today. I am also very thankful for the Ontario Chapter of Carl Orff Canada who provided a scholarship for the course fees. The chapter’s support of my studies was most appreciated!

I returned home the same way I got to Toronto, on the train. Standing there at Union Station with my luggage in hand, I was exhausted. But I went home changed, stretched and challenged. I now anticipate with excitement the chance to do it again. The difference is that I now know what I got myself into and I like it. I like it a lot.