Music as a Classroom Modifier
It’s easier than you think!
Nearly everyone listens to music! Most people do so because it brings joy and other benefits. Music in the classroom can have benefits too. Here’s the key question–
If music means so much to us–and does so much for us–
Why would we go to school or work and turn it off?
The Good News is that you don’t have to turn music off at school or work! To use it for benefit you just have to think about your personal use–when and why you listen to it to it at home—and translate these uses to the classroom!
Read on–and then check out the How-To pages of this site to begin gaining these same benefits at school.
Note: If you listen to only one or two styles of music, or only to the radio or online music, you may not have experienced some of the benefits. This is because some styles of music simply aren’t likely to elicit certain effects and we can easily get focused on listening to only certain music styles. Consider doing some ‘ear-cleaning’ by expanding your musical repertoire and see if that also expands the ways music can provide you with benefits.
If you have never tried using music in these ways at home or in the classroom–please do!
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Take a moment to think about how you already use music to enhance your own life. Have you ever used it in any of the following ways? You will see below how to apply the same musical effects to the classroom.
Do you ever play music at home because it makes you feel happy and more eager to do what you need to do?
♪ Try playing music to set a positive mood at the start of the school day or at the beginning of a class. Play music throughout the day during breaks and transitions to maintain a positive attitude.
Do you play music to energize yourself when you first wake up or feel tired?
♪ Raise student energy levels with upbeat music as needed throughout the day.
Have you found that music can calm and soothe you or your family members?
♪ Play music at school to reduce stress levels, relieve frustration, and create a peaceful classroom environment.
Does music sometimes help you focus on the task at hand?
♪ Use music to help sustain student attention and concentration.
Do you find that music can inspire you, motivate you, and build your enthusiasm?
♪ Play music to motivate and inspire your students to learn.
Do you use music to help get things done more quickly and easily?
♪ Play music during independent work and group activities.
Does music stimulate your creativity?
♪ Use music during writing, arts projects, and reflective activities.
Does certain music bring back memories and the emotional experience of something important to you?
♪ During learning activities, play music that will create an appropriate emotional connection to the information and provide a trigger for recall.
Does music help you relax and reflect on issues and ideas?
♪ Play slow, quiet music while your calmly review lesson information for students.
Does music help you connect with others?
♪ Play music to encourage interaction and build classroom community.
Do you play music for fun?
♪ Use music in the classroom to increase the joy of learning.
Give it a try!