Compendium Digest
Off the Beatin’ Path: All City History and Benefits for Students and Teachers
by Bethany Mayahi, Orff Music Advisor
History
In 1968, a federally funded music program under the supervision of Nancy Ferguson and Konnie Saliba was piloted in six Memphis elementary schools. As a result of the success of this project, there are now music specialists teaching grades K-5 in all Memphis-Shelby County Elementary Schools. The Memphis Chapter of the American Orff Schulwerk Association and the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis provide training in the Orff approach for music specialists around the world.
The Orff Schulwerk approach to teaching music provides multicultural experiences for students who develop musical awareness through speaking, singing, playing, moving, listening, and creating. The Orff approach nurtures all students and encourages their growth as performers, creators, and listeners.
All-City for student development:
There are few opportunities that truly challenge the very top students in each school, but they are entitled to that differentiation like any other student is! The All-City Concert is a goal - a core memory - for those who participate. It is a way to recognize, honor, and reward years of hard work in music. It is an opportunity for students to represent their school in a larger setting, and students take it very seriously. Through this experience, they rise higher than they otherwise would.
The All-City experience makes stronger musicians out of the performers. It lets the performers know that they are a special member of an elite set of young musicians throughout the city of Memphis. For a lot of students, the experience is a turning point in their development when they decide to always have music in their lives going forward.
Students from across the Memphis-Shelby County schools district work for months to prepare for the concert. In the end, they come together in an intensive rehearsal spanning two days at the concert venue in order to create the final product. Bridges are created that span economic, racial and cultural differences as students learn to create a massive performance with singing, dance, and drama in a world-class venue with other students across multiple zip codes. Concert attendees learn that "the sky is the limit" for these students!
All-City for teacher development:
All-City provides challenging work for teachers with appropriate scaffolds to help them rise to the occasion. The concert gives teachers an opportunity to collaborate with their peers as they work together to accomplish a larger goal. It also provides leadership opportunities that do not exist in home/base school settings. Teachers take these experiences back to their schools and apply the strategies they learn to their own teaching and school-based programs.
Congratulations to our Campus School students, and Mrs. Erin Johnson (Music Teacher at Campus School) for participating in All-City!
Memphis Jewish Federation Holocaust Art Contest
Congratulations to Olive Stevens, 8th grader at UMS, for winning 2nd place in the Memphis Jewish Federation's Holocaust Art Contest! Olive was also recognized at the Yom HaShoah Commemoration (Holocaust Remembrance Day) on May 5th at the Memphis Jewish Community Center. We are so proud of our Tiger!
Thank you Ms. Coleman!
After over 40 years of service to Campus School, serving as the Physical Education Teacher, Ms. Diane Coleman is retiring. Ms. Coleman has been instrumental in building the P.E. department at Campus School, and has trained and mentored many teachers across Memphis and Shelby County.
Thank you for your service, Ms. Coleman! Please join us to celebrate Ms. Coleman for a Retirement Celebration at Campus School!
Please consider making a gift in Ms. Coleman’s honor. You may designate your gift to Campus School, and include “Diane Coleman” in the “in honor of” section of the donation form. All gifts will be used to support 5th grade camp scholarships, PE equipment, and future PE teacher training.
