Using Music in the Classroom- Part 5

As someone who absolutely LOVES music, I just naturally brought it into the classroom with me. Through trial and error, I figured out a couple of fun ways that music could play a big role in making my classroom successful. I'll be sharing 8 of those ways over the next few weeks. Feel free to subscribe to my feed or follow by email (in the sidebar) so you don't miss any of them!

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#5: To keep the room quiet.

One little constant voice asking you questions can eventually be enough to get under anybody's skin (trust me, I have an almost 3 year old that won't. stop. talking. ever.) Multiply that by 20 and you've got a room that needs a 'noise break' every once in a while. Music is a great solution for that.

One way it can help quiet a room is when you use it as an incentive: "I will turn on Christmas music in ten minutes if we can work quietly until then." 

The other way is to put soft, background music on. Make sure the volume is set on low. Often, when kids are trying to hear something that is hard to hear, they will get very still and quiet. Think about the times when you've walked into a very quiet library. You tend to naturally become subdued and quiet as well. It's the same principle.

Bonus tip: Instead of yelling for your kid's attention when they start to get fidgety during a lesson, try just lowering your voice. You may be surprised at how quickly they become still as they strain to hear what you are saying next.

Check out the rest of the series 8 ways to use music in your classroom:
#1: Start the day off in a calm way
#2: Clean your room in 3 minutes
#3: As a free and easy reward
#4: To lower your stress
#5: To keep the room quiet
#6: To Teach a set of facts
#7: Create smooth transitions
#8: Grab students' attention without yelling

How do you use music in your classroom?