Copy of Music in the K-12 Classroom
Teachers can use music to enhance their behavior management system and transform their classroom culture. This presentation is all about making classroom management shortcuts using music. Teachers can use music to facilitate smooth transitions, partner sharing, clean up, and independent work. Teachers first model to students the expected behavior, students practice the behavior or cue; lastly, students know exactly what to do once the teacher plays the song. Teachers talk all day long. It is crucial that every word is meaningful. This presentation will show you how to save your voice for teaching, instead of just managing students. The presentations previews how to use Rick Morris' app, Class Cues, as well as how to implement independent and collaborative work music in your classroom. Remember, these are only strategies and tips; it is ultimately up to the teacher to lead their class and engage their students!
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
MUSIC
TRANSFORMING K-12 CLASSROOMS
This presentation will show you how to incorporate music into the K-12 classroom to enhance classroom culture and diminish behavior challenges.
Photo by Brandon Giesbrecht
OBJECTIVE
USE MUSIC TO ENHANCE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
The goal is to use music to enhance classroom management. Let the music keep students under control.
FOR K-12 TEACHERS
This presentation is for K-12 teachers. I am an elementary school teacher, so many examples will relate to the elementary environment. However, I do believe that middle and high school students would greatly benefit from music as well.
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EVER FELT LIKE THIS?
It is great when everything is going well. Students are listening, smiling, and having fun. Many teachers have an amazing class, and there are very few behavior challenges. Music can still be used to engage the students in the class.
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OR LIKE THIS?
However, sometimes we get that class. The class. The class with students that try your patience daily. The class that other teachers hope they don't get next year. And sometimes, it is just one student. That one student that makes every school day extra long. This presentation is here to provide classroom management strategies through music.
Photo by M I T C H Æ L L
TEACHERS SHOULD...
COMMUNICATE USING MUSIC
Use music to communicate. Teachers talk all day. It is time that we have something else do the talking for us. Now remember, we communicate through both verbal and nonverbal communication. Therefore, when communicating with music, pick songs that you like and enjoy. The students will know when it is music that you like.
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SAVE YOUR VOICE...
FOR WHEN IT MATTERS
Use your words wisely. Create a classroom that lets the music control the students. Then, you don't have to spend all day saying, "Don't do this!" or "Don't do that!" Students will know that when you are speaking, you are saying something important, and it is essential that they are listening.
Photo by Jason Rosewell
Model expected behavior
The first part of any classroom management program is modeling the students' expected behavior. For all the examples to follow, as the teacher, you need to model to the students exactly what you want them to do. Then, you need to practice, practice and practice more until the students do it perfect. You are the classroom leader. Show your students how you expect them to act and behave. Once the students are trained, everything becomes much easier.
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LET GO
GIVE STUDENTS FREEDOM TO CONTROL THEIR LEARNING
Make sure you give students the freedom to learn and have fun. If they want to dance while a song is playing, and they are on task, then that is great. Provide the students with the necessary skills to work together and collaborate.
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GETTING STUDENTS' ATTENTION
DON'T USE YOUR VOICE
Never get students attention using your voice. For example, if all the students are working in groups of four and you need to tell them something... What do you do? This is a crucial question. You have three options: (1) shout for the students' attention, (2) use some type of hand signal/motion, (3) make a noise. I use a dog toy in my class called, "Mr. Squeeks." The students know that the second they hear him to stop talking and put their eyes on me.
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TIME KILLERS
Transitions in class can waste vital classroom minutes. Set up your music routines at the beginning of the year. Don't forget to model the expected behavior!
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MATERIALS
- Apple TV
- Projector
- Sound System
- iPad/Computer
I suggest that you have an Apple TV, projector, sound system, and iPad/computer to truly be able to immerse your classroom in music.
Photo by Daniela Hartmann (alles-schlumpf)
RICK MORRIS APP
ADD FROM APP STORE
Go to the app store and add Richard L. Morris' app called, "Class Cues." The app will facilitate all transitions, partner sharing, and class clean ups.
TIMED SONGS
This is an example of the transitions that I have in my classroom. All of these "class cues" have specific songs and lengths that the students come to memorize. I simply play the cue and the class already knows what to do, becuase I have modeled the expected behavior. You can use songs from the app or your music library. The app is very user friendly and easy to set up.
QUIET MUSIC
CREATE AN ENGAGING LEARNING ATMOSPHERE
I work with first grade students that will work quietly and independently for over 45 minutes. I play classical music, and the students know it is time to focus on their own independent learning. If the students talk, they know that they will have to clip down and lose ClassDojo points. The key is to be very consistent with your rewards and consequences.
There was a handful of times that I would forget to put it on, and the students would raise their hands to prompt me to start playing it.
There was a handful of times that I would forget to put it on, and the students would raise their hands to prompt me to start playing it.
Photo by Kristina Flour
Classical Music
Rainforest Music
Relaxing Music
Choose quiet work music that relaxes you! I like classical music. Another teacher that visited my class went with rainforest music. I suggest finding something that will make you happy, because the students will be able to tell if you like it or not.
Photo by Manuel Nägeli
Collaboration MUSIC
If you have students working quietly for 45 minutes... Then you better have other music for students to work together. Therefore, my students know that if the "collaboration music" is playing they are allowed to talk, work together, and solve problems with those around them. Once again, don't forget to model to students how to collaborate on assignments. You want this time to not just be about "talking," but you want it to be meaningful to their learning.
Photo by ChrisL_AK
NO WORDS
JAZZ MUSIC - HIP HOP MUSIC - ROCK MUSIC
Find collaboration music that is an instrumental and has no words. I suggest jazz, hip hop, or rock music. Find something that is upbeat and fun. You want the only words in the class to be students talking and working together. Make sure there are NO words!
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PARTNER SHARING
TIMED 1 MINUTE SONG
Create a song for partner sharing. I used the jeopardy song. I had it timed for one minute, so each partner usually got 30 seconds to talk. Make sure that once the music is off students eyes are on you and ready to listen.
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FOLLOW THROUGH
REWARDS AND CONSEQUENCES
As a teacher, it is critical that you follow through with rewards and consequences. Praise your class and students that follow the music cues correctly. The students that have trouble you need to make sure to correct ASAP. It is just like any classroom behavior problems, the longer it lasts, the harder it is to get rid of. The music will make the classroom fun, but it is ultimately up to the teacher to engage the students!
Photo by Benjamin Davies
MAKE IT YOUR OWN
HAVE FUN
Pick songs that you like and enjoy! Try to find just one thing to use in your classroom. Once students know the song and the expected behavior, it is like magic. If my first-graders can do it, I am confident that your students can as well.
Photo by Billy Wilson Photography
RESOURCES
Check out Rick Morris' website for additional classroom management ideas.
http://www.newmanagement.com/index.html
http://www.newmanagement.com/index.html
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EXAMPLE
DESK TO CARPET
Here is an example of how to teach a class cue. Show the students how you are going to play a song, and the students need to walk back to their desks from the carpet by the time the song is over. As the teacher, model to the students as you dance over to your desk while the music is playing, and make sure your hands are folded and you are sitting straight up by the time the song is up. After you can let the students practice walking from the carpet to their desk, and from the desk to the carpet. Encourage students to dance and have fun! Once the students get really good you won't need to say anything, and you can just play the song and they will know what to do!
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