Every month, I introduce my students to a new composer or genre and for that month, we listen to the music of that composer or genre everyday during snack. Last month, our focus was on Chopin.
Undoubtedly, there are students that make a connection with the music or composers that we listen to, be it Beethoven for his power and popularity or jazz for its emotional drive. Sometimes students make connections with the music they are exposed to in other parts in their life. And sometimes parent-musicians come out of the woodwork.
That’s what happened yesterday when one of my 4th grade boys came to me upon arrival and showed me several piano books his mother shared with him the night before from when she took lessons. He was excited to fan through the books: Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier, a collection of Rachmaninoff and Chopin’s Nocturnes. I, catching his enthusiasm, looked with him for a moment, opening a page in the book of Chopin’s works looking for a familiar theme to sing with an operatic air. The kids laughed.
But it wasn’t until later that day, when the kids were cleaning up from snack that I saw the coolest thing: 4th grade boys excited about Chopin’s scores.
“Dude look at these notes. There’s notes on top of other notes. There’s big ones and little ones and this thing… I mean, how do you PLAY that?” Flipping through the pages of a Chopin book of Nocturnes, one boy exclaimed to another and then another one stopped by his desk. I stopped and stared at the scene and smiled… This was awesome! Pure delight, pure amazement!
They were making connections and getting excited!
Then, as if playing air guitar, the boy who brought in the books started followed the notes with his fingers singing the runs of notes.
(That’s when I whipped out my camera!) Seeing this made me certain that bringing musical experiences into the classroom benefits my students.
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Elizabeth Peterson has devoted her life to education and to reaching out to other teachers who want to remain inspired. Mrs. Peterson teaches fourth grade in Amesbury, Massachusetts and is the host of www.theinspiredclassroom.com. She holds an M.Ed. in Education, “Arts and Learning” and is currently enrolled in a C.A.G.S. program through Plymouth State University with a focus in “Arts Leadership and Learning.” Elizabeth is author of Inspired by Listening, a teacher resource book that includes a method of music integration she has developed and implemented into her own teaching. She teaches workshops and courses on the integration of the arts into the curriculum, leads an arts integration PLC (PLaiC) and is adjunct faculty for PSU. Mrs. Peterson believes there is a love of active, integrated learning in all children and from their enthusiasm, teachers can shape great opportunities to learn. 
Thank You for taking delight in our son’s love of music…..and quoting him perfectly…lol! “I mean,how do you play that”?
You’re welcome!! It was a pleasure to witness!
Great blog and super ideas!!
In our school, this year, we started Music Works! in conjunction with the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra.
Every morning, after the Pledge and announcements, we play a classical piece over the PA system. It’s the same piece all week, and each day students learn a little more about the composer and that particular piece. In my class, we have music journals where we record the titles & composers, and draw or write about the way each piece “moves us”.
It’s been awesome — and I believe there is grant funding available… check out their site!!
http://www.capesymphony.org/cape-symphony-orchestra-musicworks.asp
Take care,
Suzy Brooks
Falmouth, MA