How to use a Blog with my students

I think that in order to use a blog in my music class I will do one of two things.

1). First, I would like to create a weekly blog that has a piece of music and it's composer. I would have a link to a song and ask students to tell me what they think about the piece. I would give them a criteria that they would have to follow, or different questions that I would like answered or even ask them to discuss what about this song makes it part of the genre that we are studying.

2). Secondly, I think that I would like to create a blog in which every week I would put information up about either a composer, a group, a vocalist, or a performer and ask the students to do research on that person and tell me what they feel about the person. Did they hear anything from the person that they enjoyed? Was there something about that person that interested them?

I am not sure which one of these ideas would be best. Ideas???

Some beautiful background music for learning

Studies have shown that when there is soft non-percussive music playing in the background, students perform better on the assignments that they are working on and have more on task performance. My goal is to share some beautiful and soothing music to help students do better in class.

Here is a link to an hour of beautiful instrumental music put together by  dragosdys on their youtube channel. Enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6__jk7T2sYI

Reference:

Levy, Y. (n.d.). The Effects of Background Music on Learning: A Review of Recent Literature. San Diego, CA.

 

How can music change a child's life?

When I was asked last year to move into the Music teacher position, I was so scared and excited all at the same time. I was sure that I was going to have a good time, but the thought entered my mind as to how I was going to make a difference in the lives of the children that I was teaching. I always seemed to have the one student that other teachers had labeled as the trouble-maker that I was able to help and control. My principal even told me once that I had that "gift" of making those students feel loved, supported, and comfortable. Could I do that in the music room?
Turns out that I have been able to do that with many of my students. I hope to be able to make this blog about how music can help children learn, but for my first post, I think I just want you all to see that we can make a difference in the lives of these children even if they are not our homeroom class. The kids that come to us once or twice a week seem to shine with us because, as specials teachers, we get to see the side of the children that makes them children. In our classes they get to talk, draw, sing, dance, and play. We are their outlet. We are the place where the "troubled" kids can come and show that they too have talents...the non-academic ones. It's a beautiful thing!!!! Isn't it???