It's now the twenty-first century and nearly every child, starting at the young age of twelve, seems to be carrying around a smartphone in their pockets. Go back ten years and you'd be lucky enough if you had an iPod that you were able to download your own music on, and not your mom's. Go back another ten years and well, who wants to go back to before we all had these nifty devices in our pockets. The thing is, because our students now have phones, it can be hard to keep their attention in the classroom without enforcing a strict phone policy. I know that in my high school, teachers were constantly asking students to take out their headphones and look up from their phones. So, what if teachers started to play music in the classrooms, instead of banishing it all together? Here is where things get interesting.
Whether you're teaching younger or older students, every age and grade will benefit greatly from hearing some music in the classroom. When children are young, they are learning a lot of new things. For example, sitting in a chair for a long period of time, learning about numbers, how to write sentences, and so on. Another thing that they are learning is transitioning between subjects and what that entails. In middle and high school, students are already aware of how to transition from one class to the next, all with the help of a bell system. However, students in younger grades do not have a bell system and usually wait for the cue from their teacher. Depending on the grade level, they are still learning how to read a clock and what time even means in relation to school. If a teacher starts to incorporate music into transition time, they will be able to associate a song with the transition and be able to move on. Sort of like Pavlov's famous experiment. Teachers can also look at it how Maria Algeria explains it in her article on Edutopia:
A song can improve transitions because it becomes a behavior cue: Students grow accustomed to the length of the song or part of a song and internalize the time they have to move on to the next task, which helps them begin to take responsibility for their own learning.
Music in the classroom is also something that our older students can benefit from. Incorporating music into the classroom is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. We all know that after a long day, it's always nice to play some music that will put us in a better mood. Therefore, we should do that for our students. Another great benefit is that it helps students regulate their emotions. Whether your students are eight or fifteen, there is a lot going on in their heads! Teachers tend to wear many caps throughout the day and one of them tends to be therapist. If we are able to help students learn how to regulate their own emotions, then we're teaching them a great life skill. This is similar to students taking responsibility for their learning; we also want them to take responsibility for their emotions. Even though the list of benefits goes on and on, a few others that I want to point out include the following: helps develop auditory and speech skills, creative thinking, better focus, more enthusiastic, and so on!
One way that I plan to integrate music in the classroom is through conducting a Starbucks Mode. This idea comes from the almighty, Pinterest, and the help of other brilliant teachers! How one teacher conducts Starbucks Mode is by having their students play their own music and do their work. Even though I would use Starbucks Mode as a time for students to do independent work, I would play the music aloud for everyone to hear. When you enter Starbucks, you're greeted with their soothing, coffee house music and their dim lighting. I find this to be the perfect setting to study and would use lamps and other lighting, other than the overhead lights, to set the mood. Luckily with the help of Spotify, there are plenty of classroom friendly playlists, at the palm of your hand. With a quick search, you'll be able to find playlists that are not just Kidz Bop songs (even though we allll love those). Students can even suggest songs and you could create a playlist based off those suggestions.
Courtesy of Pinterest and a very, neat teacherOf course at the end of the day, you want to be able to do what is best for you and your students. Even if you don't want to dedicate a whole period to coffee house music, you could use it as a brain break and a quick stretch. The options are endless!
So now the question is: will you be putting your records on?
Sources:
Alegria, Maria. “Music as a Teaching Tool.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 7 June 2017, www.edutopia.org/blog/music-teaching-tool-maria-alegria.
“How Does Music Benefit Your Classroom or School Community the MOST?” National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/voices-field/how-does-music-benefit-your-classroom-or-school-community-most.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this blog post! I love playing instrumental music for my students during independent work time. If no one is talking, I try to remember to put some music on. My students seem to like it. I use an instrumental music station on Pandora. I will check out the Spotify playlists as well.
From my own experience, playing music creates a more relaxing classroom environment. My students range from second to fifth graders, and I believe they are all quieter and more productive when music is playing. I hope that it has internal benefits as well, such as helping them feel more at ease as they work. I know that music helps me feel calmer and can put me in a better headspace for getting work done.
I have seen music used as a transition aid in preschools, but not in older grades. I think this is a great idea, especially for younger students and students who rely on routine. Giving students a quick bit of music to signal that it is time to pack away the materials from one lesson and prepare for the next might be less hectic and stressful than putting up a countdown timer, which I have seen and used. I would love to incorporate this into a regular classroom schedule.
Thank you again for your post!
Best,
Kate
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this post because music is such an important part of my life. My parents raised me on many different types of music which I am so grateful for. As a student in high school, as soon as the bell ran to switch classes, I put my headphones in. The short walk between classrooms was my time to reset and relax.
I am so interested in using music as transition method in my classroom. If there were certain songs associated with different parts of the day, I believe it could be effective. This would be more relaxing and less stressful when students are moving, cleaning up, and preparing for the next task.
I do play music during writing time and sometimes independent math work. Most of the time the music I play is instrumental but in the mornings when students come in and if we are having free choice, I put on Kids Bop which is their favorite. I try to avoid it during reading because I don't want their little brains to lose focus. I love hearing their interests in music, many of the artists and songs they share are most definitely ones they hear from their parents :)
Thank you for sharing these great sources and articles, the Starbucks Mode made me laugh but I bet it might work for older students who get the Starbucks vibes!
I really loved this idea! I know when I was in elementary school a big topic at the science fair one year was if music helps when you are doing school work. I was always told not to play music while I was working on something as it can be very distracting. I am so happy that I did not listen to anyone who told me that. I always had memories of my camp counselors playing music while we did arts and crafts to get our creative "juices" going.
ReplyDeleteThe shift to playing music for students is becoming a big deal in the district I am currently working at. We had a whole day dedicated to SEL. Which ironically was something mentioned in the literacy conference that we signed up for last week. Music helps to improve a students social-emotional-learning in so many ways. We had a section of our SEL day talking about how beneficial music is for students. One of the ways we were told to incorporate music into our lesson was to play it as soon as students entered our classroom or use it as a brain break!
Hi Emma,
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely behind the idea of using music in the classroom: to help with transitions, aid focus or as a brain break to get up and move when energy is lagging. The article from Edutopia about using music as a transition tool was very interesting - and a great tool for teaching. It allows for students to have more autonomy and is a calm way to announce a transition, versus approaches I have seen and used such as a countdown timer or the teacher counting aloud and naming the expectations i.e. "in 5 you are seated, in 4 you are clearing your desk.." etc. It ultimately achieves the same goal of having a ready-to-learn area and mindset, but sounds much more appealing to me both as a teacher, and when I put myself in a student's shoes.
One middle school teacher shared with me that when she was remote last year, she had students submit their favorite (school-appropriate) tunes, and she would have them playing as students entered the Zoom for their class. I thought that was an incredible idea to increase engagement and connect with the students! A way I enjoy using music is to teach and reinforce vocabulary words (I teach Spanish). I find if we are singing a song, it is so much easier to remember, and often it can lend to students using vocabulary in context without even thinking about it. Thank you for the playlists, and reminding me that music can be a great addition to every lesson!
What a creative post! I really enjoyed reading this and can relate to so much of what you said. I think sometimes we often overlook the benefits of music and how much music really does enhance our moods. Today, you are right most students are attached to their devices and many of them enjoy listening to music while doing their work. It has taken me awhile to fully understand this because when I was in high school, I didn't have a phone where I could play music and I was not allowed to bring my iPod to school. Today, students can literally listen to anything they want at the touch of a screen. I know one of the other English teachers on my floor usually plans soft, soothing music in the background when the students are working to eliminate the awkward silence. Occasionally, I do pretty much the same thing but there are moments where if a student has headphones that I allow them to listen to music quietly while doing their work. However, I do really like this idea of a Starbucks mode where you set up the environment and allow for students to listen to music. I also like the idea of creating a class playlist, I feel like this would be a cool activity to start the year off with and then you could incorporate multiple Starbucks mode sessions throughout the school year. This post definitely helped me to begin thinking of incorporating more music into my classroom!
ReplyDelete-Thanks for the insight!
Hi!
ReplyDeleteAs a huge music lover (and a big fan of the song "Put Your Records On") I loved this post! Music has always played a huge part in my life and songs hold so many memories that create a through line of experiences I've had throughout my life. I find it amazing how music has so much power not only in evoking emotion but in telling the stories of out lives. I feel like I constantly have background music going on whether it be while I clean my room or while I do my homework, its really hard for me to do things in silent. Whenever I substitute in classes I always want to put on a playlist while the kids work but I never really feel comfortable doing so because it's not my classroom. However, when I have my own class music will play a big role in that space as I believe it can be a helpful tool for many kids. I LOVE the starbucks mode idea and it's something I definitely want to try!
Nice job!
-Grace
Back when Iwas in high school, I remember how my english teacher used to put classical music on for us when we were working independently, and it was such a treat. The music really helped me feel relaxed and focused while working. Because of this experience, I have made an effort to play music for my elementary school students. However, I have only tried using it during independent work time. I love the idea of using it as a transition tool, as it would be a fun way to remind students of classroom procedures.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thank you for sharing the “Starbucks Mode” idea! While this may have originally been created for older students, I definitely think younger students would love it as well. It is challenging for anyone to complete work in an uncomfortable environment, and “Starbucks Mode” seems like an awesome way to make sure everyone is comfortable and promote creativity.
-Colleen K.
Great article, I love the subject matter. As an art teacher I find that I incorporate music into my classroom almost everyday. Music can do so many things in a class setting. From setting a mood to cueing transitions and even introducing or reinforcing content. I often play jazz music while my class is working. I guess this is our version of "Starbucks Mode". It definitely helps them focus and creates a very mellow atmosphere where students can work uninterrupted from the normal class distractions. When we transition from teacher demo to student working time the music comes on. The class knows to settle in and focus on their projects. There is a certain song that comes on when we need to clean up and the students start to recognize that music and connect it with the end of our working time, prompting them to clean up their materials. I often use songs with the younger students to introduce or reinforce concepts. My kindergarteners know every word to the primary colors song and request it often. I think music has a place in every classroom.
ReplyDelete-Bob
This was an excellent post! Music is one of the most important aspects in my opinion in the classroom. Music can not only create a comfortable classroom environment for the students to learn but also will stimulate and increase productivity as well. While my students are working, I play instrumental hip hop music which has been very popular for my students. It keeps the classroom controlled and puts the students in a great mood which will make them more eager to work and learn. Music is important in my classroom and I could not imagine not incorporating music in any way in a classroom given the benefits and how readily accessible music is with modern day technology.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this excellent blog post. I agree that music can be a powerful tool to relieve anxiety/stress, as well as help students focus during independent work times. I often use classroom-friendly music. The students I sub for are particularly fond of Lofi Hip Hop Beats to Study/Relax too (Youtube). The soft, calming beats of these songs mirror the "Starbucks Mode" that you wrote about. I've always found that music helps me personally, so it was great to read your blog post to see the proven benefits of integrating music into a classroom. Thank you!
-Shawna Zeisner
Hi Emma,
ReplyDeleteI love this blog post. I am currently interning at an elementary school and some of the teachers in grades 3-5 have been incorporating music into their lessons. For example, "what songs have an underlying theme of environment preservation?". I have found in the younger grades, music is mainly used during quiet time, or used as background noise while students are silently working. I feel that music is another outlet to show students that you are like them and it is a great way to connect (as long as the music is school appropriate). I have never heard of Starbucks Mode, but I love the idea. I feel this is a great way to disguise silent work as something fun and can be used a classroom management strategy. I will definitely have to try this when I am student teaching in 4th grade.
~Chaisen
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved reading this post. This is definitely a topic that is not talked about enough. As a teacher in a first grade classroom, I play music for my students daily. I have found that during reading time when I have a quiet calming song playing from YouTube, the students read longer and stronger. Since the noise level becomes overwhelming when students begin to chat, they notice to take it upon themselves to redirect their conversations into "jots" to put into their books. This has significantly reduced the amount of chatting going on during reading time. Music in the classroom is something that engages students. I observed a second grade teacher who starts each day with a song that begins with the first letter of the day of the week. This immediately puts the student sin a good and excited mood. Music should be incorporated into every classroom. Even showing a Go Noodle for 5 minutes can allow students to sing and dance, with the idea in mind that they must calm their bodies and get back to work after!
Nice job on your post!
Ali Lombard