How to Increase Focus in Your Music Classroom
Aren’t you tired of the way your lessons are flowing? I sure am. Do you feel like you get interrupted every couple of minutes? It’s really hard to keep your lessons flowing smoothly, let alone feel like your kiddos are learning and growing as musicians. That’s one of the reasons I add storybooks into my curriculum. Storybook lessons increase engagement and help students focus better.
But what do you do when you’re teaching a song? Don’t you find that unless you’re teaching a pop song, focus and learning go right out the window? That’s why I like to add reading skills even when I’m teaching a song or piece. It’s great when students can connect their learning in your classroom to what they’re doing in their gen ed classroom, because this makes the learning seem more valid in their eyes. I know…it’s super frustrating that they think they’re only having fun in music class. That’s why you need to show them how many connections there are between their classroom subjects and the learning they’re doing in your room.
Today I’m going to teach you 4 ways to keep your students focused while you teach a song, using reading strategies.
- Use the elements of a story – You know that every song or piece tells a story. Our kiddos need to know what the story is, so they can sing or play it with expression. That’s where the elements come in. You can use them to focus your discussion about the lyrics or the mood of the piece. The first question you’re going to have is what ARE the elements of a story? Check it out:
- Setting – where and when the story takes place
- Characters – who is participating in the story
- Plot – the arrangement of events and actions that happen in a story
- Conflict – complications or problems that arise in the story
- Resolution – the conclusion of the story
- Point of View – who is telling the story
- Theme – the main idea of the story/what it’s about
- Use the sequence of the song – The sequence is the order of the events. This is an important reading skill, one that classroom teachers focus on. Your students will recognize this word and if not, they’ll be familiar with putting events in order. You can do the same when you’re teaching a piece or song. Here are some ways to do this:
- Discuss the beginning, middle, and end.
- Print out images, words, or phrases of the song, and instruct your students to put them in order.
- Discuss what happens to the story if part of it is out of order. How does it change the meaning?
- Relate the parts of your song or piece to the parts of a story. For example:
- The chorus tells the main idea or theme of the song
- The verses tell the story
- The bridge may reveal part of the plot, like a mystery or something new and exciting
- Use the lyrics of a song or the expression and emotion of a piece as a song study to ask comprehension questions and discuss the song as you would a story.
- Go over new vocabulary in the lyrics
- Ask good comprehension questions. Need some good questions? Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to download your copy of my best comprehension questions.
- Discuss what would happen if an event changed. How would that effect the story/song/piece?
Being a music teacher is tough. Your schedule is go, go, go. Like Rodney Dangerfield, you get no respect (did I just date myself?). Students and colleagues alike have NO IDEA how good music is both for the growing brain and for the social being. But you know. Don’t keep it a secret. Use every possible opportunity to share how wonderful music making is for the brain and the body. I’ll be sharing some ways I toot my own horn this week in my Facebook Group. Be sure to check it out for some good suggestions, as well as a supportive community.