One of the best parts about being a veteran schoolteacher is that it is temptingly fun to throw caution to the wind. Playing music in my classroom--sometimes LOUD music--is an example of such behavior.(I suspect that if my principal walked past my room and heard the Black-Eye Peas singing "One Tribe" he might ask to see my credentials.)
This semester my 21 Sixth Grade munchkins receive a state quarter when they can answer three questions correctly about the Song of the Day. The questions run from simple matters such as name the artist or guess the song's title, but sometimes I challenge their young minds with the deep stuff: "What is an Okie from Muskogee?"
Music is that language they all speak--trust me, they don't enjoy speaking English grammar all that much as is evidenced by that last test we took on prepositions. But, when I give them the lyrics to Johnny's Cash's ballad "Give My Love to Rose" they can spot the adjectives and adverbs a mile away. Go figure.
They have listened to downloads on my I-Phone of new young artists such as Frances Battistelli. But, they have also been exposed to a REAL record....an LP of the Dukes of Dixieland (one young man knew the answers to the questions on that one because his granddad had the same album.) Classical, Michael Jackson, New Age Enya, movie soundtracks, classic country--and next week I'll play some Charlie Gore. That's my cousin's son who writes and sings his own material.
Kids relate to music. Certainly they have their tastes, but I'm a firm believer that their tastes can be broadened. It's all about presentation. So, at 11:20 a.m. each day, right before we start our study hall and AR reading time, we either put on the CD, pop in the I-Phone to the music adapter, or open up the turntable and dust off the records. They mark their answers and await the results.
My favorite moment comes when I hear them ask to play the song again or when I hear them ask to listen to music while they work the remainder of the period.
That's music to my ears.
