Teacher Track

We are pleased to announce the return of the popular Teacher Track program from Zimfest 2005 in Bellingham, Washington. The goal of the program is to provide teachers direct access to Zimbabwean master musicians so that they can gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical contexts of the music. Just as importantly, we hope that by coming to a festival with concerts, dancing, workshops for musicians as well as teachers, marimba jams, a youth concert series, and much more, music teachers will experience and feel what this music is and carry that energy back to their classrooms. School teachers will also participate in workshops led by experienced North American instructors who have successfully integrated marimbas into their music classes or have established multiple performing bands over the years.

The program is open to K-12 music teachers as well as those marimba teachers who wish to expand their repertoire for their own classes. We hope that marimba teachers will participate in Teacher Track classes as a way to build on their material without taking space away from other participants in Zimfest workshops offered for beginning or advanced beginning students. Classes for the Teacher Track program will include arrangements of marimba songs, singing, storytelling for K-12 teachers, and cultural presentations to augment teachers’ knowledge of Zimbabwean music and culture.

Participants in the Teacher Track program will be able to earn up to 34 clock hours through the Washington Music Educators Association. In addition, academic credit will be offered through an upper division 2 credit course through Fairhaven College at Western Washington University, Zimbabwean Music: Culture and Context, for those who wish to pursue that option. For more details, see Fairhaven College Summer Courses.

Teacher Track Registration Information

The Teacher Track program is designed for public, private, or independent school music teachers who are:

  • currently teaching Zimbabwean or Zimbabwean-inspired marimba music in their schools
  • currently teaching Orff instruments within their schools and would like to explore Zimbabwean marimba repertoire for their programs
  • interested in establishing a marimba program within their schools
CLOCK HOURS/ACADEMIC CREDIT

Zimfest will offer registered Teacher Track participants up to 34 clock hours through the Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA). In lieu of clock hours, academic credit will be offered through an upper division 2 credit course through Fairhaven College at Western Washington University, Zimbabwean Music: Culture and Context, for those who wish to pursue that option. For more details, see Fairhaven College Summer Courses.

There will be options for variable clock hours to allow teachers to choose workshops and concerts within both the Teacher Track and the general Zimfest workshop selection so that they can find the best fit for their interests and classroom needs.

Required elements for all Teacher Track participants include participation in workshops, attendance at concerts, as well as some pre-reading (mailed to participants) and listening assignments to set the cultural context for this music. The Friday morning workshop Cultural and Teaching Context is required for all teachers seeking either credits or clock hours. Those applying for academic credit will also be required to write a short reflective paper or lesson plan addressing how they might use what they learn at Zimfest 2008 in their classrooms.

PLEASE NOTE: If you choose to enroll into the Teacher Track program for clock hours, you will receive an information packet on how to get your clock hours from WMEA at the festival. Check this (Teacher Track) web page for updates. For additional questions, contact our Teacher Track Coordinator at teachertrack [at] zimfest {dot} org.

Teacher Track Registration Instructions

  • To register for Teacher Track workshops by mail, print the Registration Forms PDF and fill out Teacher Track Registration Form A1 instead of Workshop Registration Form A. To register online, follow the Online Registration Instructions.
  • All participants in the Teacher Track program must register for the Session #1 Teacher Track workshop on Friday morning. For all other sessions, you may pick a Teacher Track or a regular Zimfest workshop.
  • To determine program requirements and register for clock hours or academic credit, follow the links in online registration.
  • To complete the registration process (housing, meals, volunteer sign-up, concert tickets, and registration payments), follow the Online Registration Instructions and Mailed-In Registration Instructions.
  • NOTE: All Teacher Track participants must pay a $25 Materials fee to Zimfest 2008 (included on Registration Payments Form D).

Updates

Any new information about the Teacher Track will be posted on this web page; with the exception of any changes to the Teacher Track workshops themselves, which will be posted on the Teacher Track Workshop Descriptions page.

Further Information