Teaching with Music

I have a personal goal to add music to my classroom. As a writing teacher last year, a few times I played Classical Music during independent writing time. I found it soothing. As a homeroom teacher, my class last year loved playing Musical Chairs using my Showtunes CDs. I attended a PD session with Ron Nash in August who suggested ways to have a more active classroom and he reminded me of the benefits of music with children. That day I set my goal that day.

Today is the first day of school for me. It is extra special because I'm on the staff opening a new school in Arlington county, VA called Discovery ES. We were in the Washington Post yesterday and Channel 4 News is coming today. As our website and the news article point out, our school is built with sustainability in mind. It is arranged by theme, starting with the environment closest to us in Kindergarten - your backyard neighborhood. Then it moves out to Forest and Ocean in 1st and 2nd. To get to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, you move upstairs to the Atmosphere, Solar System and Galaxy.

I'm a 3rd grade Atmosphere Aviator Teacher!! My classroom sign is RAIN and my teammates include snow, sleet, hail and freeing rain (and after a closer look at the definitions, these terms are all different!)

Last night I reminded my daughter how I wanted to bring more music into the classroom and would she help me.

"How about "Singing in the RAIN?!" she exclaimed.

"Perfect!!"

"You can have raindrops and umbrellas on the birthday graph! And you can add SINGING Happy Birthday in the Rain to the birthday display," she further suggested and we laughed!

After another hour, she set me up with a spotify account and a RAIN playlist.
(Thanks, Anne!! You help me so much to look good as a teacher!)

Who knew there are so many great songs about RAIN?

This year, Room 212-Rain at Discovery ES will be rocking and rolling.

If you find yourself in my neighborhood, please stop by to dance along with us!
And if not, take time to add a little music to your day!!