W
hen I first started teaching, I understood that music could be a highly effective way to teach language, but I couldn’t figure out how to introduce it in a way that wouldn’t repel the students. Sure, there were a few classes that enjoyed singing, but most were annoyed by it.
I still remember my first year of teaching when I tried to get 8th graders to sing one of Barbara MacArthur’s Taco songs. I passed out the lyrics, popped on the music and yelled, “Clase, ¡Canten!”
One problem — They had never heard the song before.
They didn’t know the melody, words or rhythm. Of course, some students attempted to appease me by moving their lips, and others looked desperately at their paper, hoping to avoid eye contact with me, but most would just look at their peers and laugh.
Seeing this lack of interest, I changed tactics. Thinking that the missing ingredient was a good role model, I ratcheted up my own enthusiasm, singing extra loud and getting in students’ faces, attempting to intimidate them into a fun learning experience. This basically solidified their view of me as a complete and total loony. When my enthusiasm failed to ignite the class, I resorted to threats. I said, “Ok, class, I better hear everyone sing this song with energy, or else we’re going to have to sing it five more times!! And remember, have fun with it!”
Well, you can imagine how it went from there. I never got that class to learn the song. In fact, that class lost interest in music for the rest of the year.
So, how do you expose students to music without letting them make a communal decision that it’s stupid, embarrassing and a waste of time?
In this article, I’ll give you a few tips, tricks, and activities that often work for me.
DISCLAIMER: There is no magic remedy. A small minority of classes will always be negative towards music. However, I find that these techniques are great for putting the swing classes into the right frame of mind.
As you read this article, I encourage you to leave your own comments. Do you have a trick that works for you? To comment, you must be logged in.
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