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Feb
2
The Music in the Classroom Debate Continues
Filed Under "At-risk" students, Behaviour Management, Special Education, music in the classroom
Earlier here I wrote about the value of having kids listen to music in class. Today, once again we had that discussion at school. I don’t know why it is such a contentious issue. People argue that there should be no music in the classroom because it’s against school rules. (What kind of reason is that- because it’s a rule.) Well I say, read the studies about the effect of music on performance and change the rule. Then, people can permit kids to listen and won’t be breaking the rule. Honestly, I get the sense that it’s just because it’ s a rule that people are anti music. Have it as an option. Some people work better when listening to music, others don’t. What’s the big deal!
Over the last twenty years, I have written a lot of Individual Education Plans for learning disabled kids saying that listening to music while working is an appropriate accommodation for that learning disabled student. It helps the student focus on the task at hand because it’s only one thing the student hears instead of several that will distract him. Now, if it is an accepted practice that helps learning disabled kids who can’t concentrate enough to be able to focus on the task at hand be more productive in the classroom, it doesn’t make sense not to allow other students to use music to help them focus.
I was thinking about the whole issue while booting up my laptop to check my e-mail and was pleasantly surprised to see Michelle’s comment about my earlier post. I was pleased to hear that she recognized the benefit of having her students listen to music while while they work. Listening to music with headphones is like sitting in one of those carrels that teachers put kids in so they are away from the other students. When a kid listens to his music he isolates himself from others and is not distracted by them and does not distract other.
I have outlined some guidelines for listening to music in the classroom and have found that kids are cool with the rules. The rules make sense so the kids buy into them. I believe that if you give a little, you get a lot. At least that’s been my experience with working with at-risk kids.
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12 Responses to “The Music in the Classroom Debate Continues”
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I agree completely with you Elonea, except when they have the earphones on and it so loud the person next to them cannot concentrate. To me this is no different than the gum chewing issue or other issues where we limit kids ability to do their work, despite what we know, because it is a rule. I’ve watched too many students have to sit in desks because teachers don’t want them standing at their desks or walking around it or whatever and then I have to deal with them because they won’t sit still. Well, I can’t sit still for more than 10 - no - 5 minutes. I have been able to get where I am because I’ve found different ways to help myself - like listening to music while I type this - having my brain focus on two different things at the same time keeps me focused!
Kelly
Kelly, I couldn’t agree with you more. Hey I teach at-risk kids. Need I say more. I provide structure within my classroom but there’s lots of room for movement and negotiation. It’s important to remember that not all students can sit still and be quiet while learning just like not all students can move around making noise and learn. It’s an individual thing. In an ideal world, students would be matched with teachers who had similar styles. But because we don’t live in an ideal world, schools have resources centres where kids can come.
I am a student in high school. I decided to do a report on music in the classroom and came across this. My teacher decided to phrase it,”Find why music is bad in the classroom.” Or something to that extent. I know how focused I can be while i listen to music and was recently sent out of school for working with one headphone in my ear, even though I was working hard and was up to date. Now I know some kids just listen to music and daydream and I see it happen. It is common but some do work harder and more efficient while listening to music. Its simple if the music is too loud to ask them to turn it down. They can still hear it and it shouldent disturb others. Im not sure if this is a teachers only privledge to read or comment but I wanted to say I like your debate on the matter and im going to use some parts of it in my report if I may. Thank you for seeing the student side.
Thank you for commenting. Please use whatever you want to make your point. Part of me thinks that some teachers don’t like their students to listen to music because its fun. Heaven forbid we have fun in the classroom!
Teachers at our school are all usually cool but they have a tendency to over react when it comes to simple things. Though I can’t realy discuss it I dont always know every angle and usually cannot get a word in at all when its not what they want to hear. Fun in the classroom is fine but the teachers sometimes seem to see it as defiance.
Alex, I guess it’s a matter of perspective. I have a sink in my classroom and last Friday some of my grade nine students decided to have a water fight while I was helping some other students. Nice. They told me that they were just having fun. Now, did I think that was fun? No! I was trying to do my job-to teach a lesson and the water fight interrupted that. Well, actually it stopped the lesson. I know that’s an extreme example, but I’m sure you get the point. Sometimes students and teachers have different agendas. My students just wanted a moment of fun and really didn’t think what they’re having fun meant to me. It was a good opportunity for a discussion. See, Alex sometimes a simple thing for one person is not a simple thing for another person. I try to remember that.
Exactly a water fight is something for a break in class not during. In my school we have 95 minute classes for 50 minutes then a 5 minute break then 45 minutes. So five minutes to have a bit of fun in the middle of class or leave the class and visit friends reduces stuff like water fights or a bit of wresling. When I said simple things I meant a teacher assuming a student cant read when their head is bobbing slightly to music or if they are tapping their pen against their hand. Your idea of how people view simple things does make a lot of sense, students probably think you are uptight and I think teachers and students need to communicate more. Though it must be hard for teachers they are at work not at school and have more to do than a lot of students think. If there was more time to talk than just class, afterschool and a once a month parent teacher conference they may be able to better understand eachother. I feel sorry it must not be easy taking care of multiple kids and or classes.
Alex, what you say is true. Teachers and students should communicate more. I think that there could be time in class to talk about things. Sometimes teachers get so worried that they won’t cover all the stuff they need to and their students won’t be prepared they feel pressured to just teach teach and teach. I had this conversation with some math teachers today and they said that they have to get the kids ready for the provincial math test in grade nine and they have little time to have “fun” in class. that’s too bad. Some people are by nature very task orientated others are not. Remember, teachers are just people who teach. They are people first and teachers second. They are not perfect, but trying to do their best. Students and teachers are in this together. They have to work as a team and respect each other.
Some students dont put too much thought into the teachers side and don’t see the the people first teachers second part. Students that make friends with teachers can think the teacher betrayed them or is hurt if the teacher gives them a detention. When its all said and done students and teachers can be stubborn and it just causes friction between the two.
Alex, I can understand what you say about feeling betrayed or hurt when a teacher gives a student a detention. I’ve had that very conversation with some of my students after I’ve given them a detention for something or other. Did you know that when teachers and students are at school, teachers are supposed to act like parents (it’s the law) and take care of students just like a good parent would. So you see sometimes teachers have to do the tough thing, the parent thing and cannot be like a friend that excuses everything because they are your friend. I’ve had to do the parent thing myself and then try to explain it to my students. They don’t necessarily like what I tell them, but I tell them that I did whatever because I care about them and want them to make better choices. And don’t forget , sometimes teachers feel betrayed by their students because of what students have done after all that the teacher has done for the student. Alec, it works both ways. The important thing is that the teacher and student talk about whatever so that the teacher understands the student and the student understand the teacher.
I think the one thing thats a problem with the law of teachers acting like parents is a bit problematic. Seeing as parents all raise their kids differently and the fact that parents are allowed to listen and make acceptions and change the rules. Unlike teachers who may be told to treat the kids like your own kids will only reject such new rules easyer than if they had grown up with them. Teachers cant break or change the rules like a parent could. So maybe the school board or whoever came up with the law could look into it though I see no direct changes that can be done im somewhat scared schools dont have much room to improve. No offense of course. Our school is fairly small with never over 80 students and the teachers work on communication more than other schools, this school is a vast improvement of my old school of 1500.
Hi Elona,
We were debating the headphone issue here (again). I notice that you make reference to studies on the effect of headphone use on student performance. Can you tell me where to find these?
Thanks,
Peter Clifford
Canada’s National Ballet School