Professional Development Courses: Spring 2026
ONLINE COURSE
January 20- March 10, 2026
First Steps in Music with Orff Schulwerk: Tuesdays, 6-7pm Eastern
Conversational Solfege with Orff Schulwerk: Tuesdays, 7-8pm Eastern
Six 1-hour online classes: Jan. 20, Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10, Mar. 3, and Mar. 10, 2026
* these are not Feierabend Certificate courses
Each course can be taken separately for 1.5 credits each, or taken concurrently for a total of 3 credits.
Registration costs vary:
Single course (1.5 graduate credits) = $890
Single course (22.5 Workshop hours) = $675
Both courses (3 graduate credits) = $1,780
Both courses (45 Workshop hours) = $1,350
"First Steps" Course Description:
Begin by learning classroom-ready activities which follow the eight part workout from First Steps in Music and integrate the Orff approach while gaining a better understanding of how to integrate these two approaches. Next, learn how to lesson plan using First Steps in Music with Orff Schulwerk and to develop your own integrated activities to use in your teaching. Prior First Steps in Music and/or Orff Schulwerk experience is recommended but not required.
FS Syllabus HERE *Please see syllabus for the required text.
"Conversational Solfege" Course Description:
Discover ways to thoughtfully develop the musicianship of your students with activities that use a high level of engagement with creativity and student input. A close look and experience with the Feierabend Approach (Conversational Solfege) and the Orff Approach or Orff Schulwerk will be the focus for study as well as how to integrate them meaningfully into your teaching. This course will help you to reflect on your own teaching in a way that will encourage you to prioritize best practices regardless of the method(s) you use. Topics will include culturally responsive music teaching and student-centered learning. Prior experience with Conversational Solfege and/or Orff Schulwerk is/are highly recommended but not required.
CS Syllabus HERE *Please see syllabus for the required text.
Faculty: Betsy Greene
Betsy Greene teaches K-5 general music in Burlington, VT. She also started and managed a First Steps in Music program for birth to 4 year olds and their parents at her school from 2000-2014. Betsy holds a B.M.Ed. from the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam and a M.M.Ed from the Hartt School, University of Hartford. She is both Orff-Schulwerk and Kodaly certified (all three levels).
In addition to teaching children, Betsy is a frequent clinician for general music and music literacy workshops in Vermont School Districts and local music education conferences as well as a teacher of graduate courses for music educators in the summer (Conversational Solfege and First Steps in Music). She is a FAME-endorsed teacher trainer.
In 1998, Betsy was awarded Outstanding Arts Advocate by the Vermont Alliance for Education and the Burlington City Schools. She received the honor of Vermont Music Teacher of the Year by the Vermont Music Educators Association on 2008. Betsy is a member of the Vermont Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the American Orff-Schulwerk Association as well as a founding member and is the immediate Past President of FAME.
Graduate Course Info:
Three credits are offered through Castleton University under a professional development contract with Music-COMP. All fees are paid to Music-COMP. See payment details in form.