Use Music to Enhance Your Classroom!

Children love music. It makes them laugh. It makes them dance. And it makes them think. The lessons that students learn from music teachers and programs have an ongoing effect on educational development. Think you have the worst musical ear to ever listen? No problem. You can still deliver a first-rate musical education to your students, not matter your training or experience. If you worry that you don’t have time to squeeze musical elements into your busy day, don’t – it’s easy to incorporate music into existing lesson plans and activities.

Why should you include music in your classroom? There are many answers, most with a common theme, and the evidence supporting them is convincing – music will enhance your student’s educational experience. Studies have shown that children who participate in music education score higher on academic tests. Research indicates that musical learning engages both sides of the brain, a vital element of education and development. Music also impacts a child on multiple levels, including the physical, emotional, and spiritual. Music can quite literally change a child’s life. And don’t forget – music is fun!

How can you bring music into your classroom? Here are some easy ideas to get you started:

• Use music to get students thinking creatively. Play some music CDs for your students. Have them respond in some way. You might encourage younger students to move to the music. You could ask them to draw a picture from the music. Or, simply ask children how the music makes them feel, or what it makes them think about. Older students could write a short story or poem from the music, or try writing their own lyrics based on a current topic of study.
• Listening skills developed and reinforced through music education are particularly important for early learners. These skills are an important foundation for communication and understanding. Communication is vital in building strong, healthy communities both in and out of the classroom. Listening to music can even improve your learning space by creating an atmosphere of learning and positive attitudes.
• Develop language arts or public speaking skills while exploring music. Allow students to select a favorite instrument. Have them research the history of the instrument, as well as how it works, and prepare a short written or oral presentation about their findings. Or, let music boost your math lessons. Have younger students count the number of instruments in a band or orchestra. Music elements like rhythm can develop key concepts like number patterns.
• Music has impacted society for centuries. Develop a lesson about the impact of music on history, culture, and entertainment. For example, how did popular music protest or react to certain historical events, like slavery, war, or natural disasters?
• Add music to a classroom celebration. Music is fun, and can upgrade any morning or afternoon. Children will have a blast with popular sing-along songs. Learning and repeating the lyrics will reinforce listening and memorization skills. If you’re up to it, let children play a simple-to-master instrument like the recorder or rhythm instruments. They can create their own unique tunes, or follow the beat of a popular song together.

It doesn't matter how you do it, but bringing music into your classroom will have positive, dramatic, and lasting effects on your students’ education. What do you think about music education? How do you use music with your students or children? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below!