Music Is Key
 Photo by -MONICA Idea by Karla, 3rd Grade Teacher, White Bear Lake, MN I like to tap into different areas of the brain and appeal to individual strengths through music. I use the book, Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2001). I find that music helps promote language skills, fluency, rhyme, class bonding, and peps everyone up —or calms them down—as needed. I locate selections on iTunes, then play them aloud as we sing along. By displaying lyrics on my electronic whiteboard, I can refer to them for many grammar lessons. As an added bonus, this musical approach helps my ELL students learn about some popular traditions as well as everyday language. This story was featured in the February edition of the Classroom Connection newsletter. Read more helpful tips and tricks from that edition below: Phonics “Tool Box” Holds Instant Appeal Here’s How You Spell Spelling Success Dancing with the Alphabet Stars File Folder Kits Make Word Building a Breeze An Old Game Offers New Possibilities Skits and Songs Foster Fluency Encourage Fluency the High Tech Way A Homey Approach to Comprehension Puppet Play Invites Student Involvement Passports to Language Skills & Abilities Simple Tools for Positive Writing Results |
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Commented On February 19th, 2012 3:02 pm
I teach 3rd grade in southern California, I use music as much as I can too. I keep my guitar in the classroom & always start off the year with Raffi’s Willoughby Wallaby Woo, the kids love the song and it helps me to put the names with the faces the first week of school. I also use music to reinforce other concepts – math, grammar etc — there’s a great CD called Singing the Standards that has quite a few songs for kids.
Commented On May 9th, 2012 8:31 pm
i love the idea of using music so motivating. I am going to have to check out “Singing the Standards”.
Commented On June 4th, 2012 10:16 am
I too use music in teaching / learning. I play instrumental, classical music during readers’ and writers’ workshop. It helps facilitate a quiet environment in which students can concentrate on their work / ideas. We play and sing songs that help us learn phonics and grammar concepts as well.