Use Student Music to Build Rapport, Increase Engagement

August 30th, 2010 By: Diane Trim in Articles, Teachers' Corner

One of the things I love about National Public Radio is listening to the bumper music between segments. After the program, I often visit their online site to find out just what the music was and whether or not I can find a copy of it.

Music is universal. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like music or who doesn’t have a preference for a particular sound. For a teen, his music is synonymous with his group of friends and his clothing. It’s a part of his identity.

As a parent of a teen, I know that some of the music she listens to is painful to my ears. But the more I try to appreciate it, the more the gap between our generations decreases.

One of the most successful things I ever did in class had to do with music. Although it started as a part of my poetry unit, it developed into something much larger and with more benefits.

As a part of my poetry unit, I invited students to submit their favorite song (classroom appropriate) along with a printed copy of the lyrics for the class to listen to and analyze for poetic devices like similes and imagery. It was always a popular activity, but one semester, I received more CDs than I had class time.

 A student suggested that I play a song during the last five minutes of classroom work time. So I did.

The problem was that my CD pile didn’t diminish; it increased. Students started coming into the room way before the bell rang for class to start so they could play a CD while the rest of the class filed in and started work on the sponge activity. They lined up to have the honor to play the class out as they exited the room, too.

I had to develop rules for the stereo: no sound over #5 on the volume control and no unapproved CDs. The students made their own list to take turns for the honor of playing exit and entry bumper music and they policed the stereo, too. They loved the music privilege and wouldn’t allow unauthorized CDs to mess up the system. They knew that if I heard inappropriate lyrics, the whole music thing would come to an end.

Not only were the kids interested in coming to class on time, but we also developed a personal connection. I learned early on that I couldn’t say that I didn’t like Good Charlotte’s simple lyrics or that I found Eminem’s music grating. That kid would be crushed.  I had to find the good in each piece of music that I listened to. Compliment the music and you compliment the student.

Students who were hard to reach struck up conversations with me about their favorite bands and we formed a personal connection that I don’t think we would have had otherwise. I was able to leverage that connection to benefit their school work. I think these students worked more in my class than before because I had taken an interest in them and their music. When I approached them about plot diagrams and characterization, they were willing to listen to me because I had already listened to them.

Of course, playing music didn’t solve every classroom management issue. We had minor skirmishes over lost CDs (no one could bring in an original copy), what lyrics were really inappropriate (whatever I said was inappropriate was the standard), and skipping in line (how do you handle absences?). But the kids cared about the music and their ability to choose what to listen to in an adult-controlled environment. Ultimately, that won the day – and their trust.

Have you used music in your classroom to create a personal connection? I know teachers who play soft music during work time. Have you been successful with that technique? Do you use songs to teach? How have you used music to enhance learning in your classroom? Please share in the comments.

Photo credits:
Paramount Theatre – Wurlitzer Concert Organ: justj0000lie / Julie Vazquez on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Barber Shop Quartet: d4rr3ll / Darrell Taylor on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Jono on Accordian: DoNotLick / Jennifer Boriss on Flickr.com Creative Commons

Tags: behavior, classroom community, Classroom Management, morale