Tyler

By ASHLIE OSBURN
Staff Writer

Teachers took the role of students at Birdwell Elementary School on Wednesday, when more than a dozen elementary school music teachers stomped randomly around the music room, and stood as statues with the changing rhythm of a song.

Music teachers in the Tyler Independent School District are learning the Kodaly instruction method, thanks to instructor Rhona Brink, a member of the Organization of American Kodaly Educators.

“If you want to find something that will really touch students’ souls and the teachers’ souls, this is the method,” Mrs. Brink said.

Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967) created this unique style, which introduces children to music by encouraging singing, motion, improvisation and transcribing notations and rhythms.

Kodaly believed the following regarding his teaching method: “No other subject can serve a child’s welfare — physical and spiritual — as well as music.”

In between learning the technical aspects of the Kodaly method, Mrs. Brink spontaneously involved exercises that explained rhythm lessons in tangible form by mimicking household items, such as a clock.

“It will benefit students because it’s so well structured that students can not only follow, but can predict what’s coming next,” said Laura Swartz, Birdwell Elementary music instructor.

Teachers mirrored each hand movement and pose Mrs. Brink made during “listening lessons,” which focus on learning the beat and rhythm of a song through motion.

“It’s an approach to music that’s oral, audible and visual,” Mrs. Brink said.

She said this form of instruction focuses on the development of children. It improves their memory and increases their absorption of other literary subjects.

“Music is absolutely necessary for the development of the total person,” Mrs. Brink said.

Teachers interactively participated in multiple exercises concentrating on active learning and listening, as they sang to musical notes Mrs. Brink indicated through hand signals and notations.

“We have 17 great elementary music teachers at different schools and this is just the beginning,” said George Faber, TISD director of visual and performing arts. “This way if a child transfers to a different school, they will all be speaking the same language.”

TISD music teacher Steve Young goes through the movements to a selection by Mozart using the Kodaly method of music.
(Staff Photo By Jaime R. Carrero)