My name is Suzanne Newrick, and I am the specialist music teacher at Te
Totara Primary School. I began my teaching career 42 years ago in Auckland and have specialised in teaching music for the last 20 years. Since joining the Te Totara staff, I have enjoyed working part-time as a music specialist and a classroom support teacher.
I use the Orff Approach to teach music and have completed my Level one, two
and three Orff courses. Carl Orff, the creator of this approach, was a firm
believer in the power of children’s minds and their ability to learn while playing.
The Orff approach teaches children many aspects of music and engages their minds and bodies through singing, moving, and playing percussion instruments.
The Orff method uses instruments such as xylophones, metallophones,
marimbas and glockenspiels but I also like to introduce children to the ukulele and the recorder.