Hello All. I’m happy to be a guest blogger this month. If you like your blogs laid back and passionate about education, you might dig what I’ve got for this month. Enjoy and thanks for reading!
While Forrest Gump’s momma might have told him that life is like a box of chocolates, my momma told me, “There’s no such thing as I can’t”. All the time, I hear people say “I can’t spell,” I can’t use technology,” “I can’t do math,” “I can’t sing.” We say it like it’s something to be proud of, but would be frustrated as all get out if we heard our students say it. The same care and encouragement that we give our students should also be taken for ourselves. Just as we crawl, stumble, fall and play as infants, we must take the same steps as adults to learn, become confident and proficient.
Does your tech department, in all of their excitement, introduce the latest and greatest thing to you while you sit back overwhelmed wondering how the heck you’re going to incorporate something more on top of all the other “stuff”? Before you say I can’t, remember that it’s okay to PLAY with all the resources available and discover it for yourself before you even attempt use it in the classroom.
Has your music teacher told you it’s Music in our Schools Month? Is he/she eager to give you resources, songs and CDs you can use in the classroom? Don’t say you can’t sing! Even if you never sing a single note in your classroom you can STILL incorporate music. Always know that any music is better than no music.
- Reading aloud together (choral reading) reinforces rhythm in words and helps with fluency of spoken word.
- Rhyme and meter in poetry build skills neccessary for recognizing form. With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, Limericks would be super!
- Piggyback songs are a great way to learn content using a song you already know. One of my favorites is the Nations of the World set to The Mexican Hat Dance from Animaniacs.
Play around with anything you try to incorporate into your classroom. Go out and see it happening in other classrooms or in the community. Learning is exciting “stuff”, so don’t say I can’t. I might accept I can’t yet.
Looking for a music outing?
