Weekly Message-Music

Weekly Message- Music


For weeks now, I have had the lyrics of the same extremely annoying song on my mind. It has become a joke with my family and friends because I am constantly singing the song.I am not talented musically, nor do I necessarily decipher the words of some songs well. Therefore, consider it a miracle, but I know the lyrics to all kinds of TV shows, jingles for products from 20 years ago, and of course most of the words to hundreds or thousands of songs. I am willing to bet that most of you have the same information stored away.

Many of our teachers have capitalized on the ability we have to retain information set to music. I was recently drawn to the sounds of music emanating from Tomeca Graves’ classroom at Longview. As it turns out, she and Anna Braverman, both 2nd grade teachers, have set several concepts to music. I was so impressed with the song describing science tools that I asked if they had any more songs they could sing. The students in Ms. Graves’ class regaled me with song after song about plurals, the water cycle, parts of a book, money, and more. The two teachers utilize this process frequently to help their students remember. Most of the songs are originals, but others are borrowed from colleagues. The students were adorable as they not only sang the lyrics, but also applied the motions as well.

You could tell the students were proud to show off their musical talent (and for some, dancing ability) for their classroom guest. The musical students certainly benefit from the fact that the information was set to a rhythm, and the kinesthetic students seemed to enjoy the physical nature of the motions. What a wonderful strategy for students who may not necessarily learn in a traditional fashion.

This example shows the importance of delivering curricula in a variety of ways to increase the chances that our students will find success. Yes, in an ideal world we could tell them once and they would “get it.” In reality, teachers work hard to find creative, enticing ways to engage students. The bonus for this group of students was that not only were they learning important material, but they were also having a lot of fun.

The lyrics for one song about money:

Money
Penny, penny easily spent
Copper, brown, worth one cent
Nickel, nickel, thick and fat
Worth five cents, I know that
Dime, dime, little, thin
I remember you're worth ten
Quarter, quarter, big and bold
You're twenty-five, I am told


I encourage you to visit the link below to listen to the students as they sing and to read the lyrics. Special thanks to Donna Murray for recording the students and storing the lyrics and music for us.

http://hpsnavigate.pbwiki.com/Showcase

And a huge thank you to Tomeca, Anna and all of you who go above and beyond to help students find success!

A Fresh New Year

Weekly Message: A Fresh New Year


With a new year comes the promise of a fresh start for many of us. We pledge to eat right, exercise, renounce our vices, or start something new.

For our students the new year can be a fresh start as well. After two weeks off, many of our students are coming back with renewed enthusiasm and commitment of their own.

I have heard it said that it is easy to love the lovely. How can we support the students who have been challenges in our classrooms the first half of the year?

1. Remind students of the rules.

This is a good time to pause and review rules and procedures with our students. When rules were discussed the first of the year, many students were overwhelmed or missed part of what was said. Reviewing the rules at this point allows students to frame them within their experiences from the first half of the school year.

2. Give students the benefit of the doubt.
Many of our students mature and grow by leaps and bounds from first semester to the end of the second. Give them a chance to show how much they have grown.



3. Utilize student strengths to motivate and inspire them.

At this point, you know your students well enough to capitalize on their affinities. Use their interests as a springboard for success.

4. Try something totally out of the box

Our students are digital natives. They are used to immediate feedback/gratification with video games, the internet, and text messaging. Our challenge is to step out of our traditional mode to reach our students and make our lessons relevant.

5. Encourage Creative Thinking

In the age of accountability, our bubble tests leave little room for truly creative thinking. Encourage students to use their imaginations and consider possibilities outside of the “bubble.”




A new year is a fresh start for us and a fresh start for our students. Welcome back and happy 2009!