Robert Young

Tired of the same old writing prompts? Try a furry one!

Earlier this week I took our one-year-old dachshund/chihuahua/Jack Russell mix dog – Toby – into the local kindergarten class. It was hard to tell who was more excited, Toby or the kids. After things calmed down, we focused on observation, with a special emphasis on details (color, size, ears, tongue). The kids then worked in their journals. Some chose to draw first; others wrote first.

Toby circulated around the room as the kids worked, providing them with an up-close opportunity to add additional details. Some added how soft his ears felt, others mentioned his sharp claws. Reading their finished pieces to Toby was a powerful motivator. So was having their picture taken with him.

Of course, description is only one of the many ways to direct this lesson. Kids could have created stories in which Toby was the main character. They could have written about their own pets, or they could have given their opinions about dogs and provided reasons. So many options, so little time!

Yes, this caused excitement and exuberance. But, isn’t that what we want writing to be about?

Three Questions is a periodic feature of this blog. The focus is on three questions asked of everyday people involved in curious pursuits.

The subject of this Three Questions post is Bryan Reed of Eugene, Oregon. Bryan is a multi-talented guy, both in education as well as music. He is a creative and enthusiastic English Language Learner teacher at Riverbend Elementary School in the Springfield (OR) School District. After hours, Bryan plies his musical talents with his band, The Killer B’s, at a variety of local venues.

Fortunately for his students, Bryan integrates music into his classroom to help make learning engaging. For teachers, he presents practical workshops and develops useful materials. Check out these links:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEqo9mfkn_QUY8-Jdn74Mdg

http://learningrocks.bandcamp.com/track/the-six-traits-of-writing-rap

1. What role does music play in your life (outside of education)?

From an early age, I’ve been enchanted by music so much that I couldn’t just listen, I’ve had to be a part of it. My parents would ask the three-year-old me to sing for family and friends when we got together, which I happily did. Not long after, I got into harmonicas, as a teenager, guitar, as a young man, electronic music and recording equipment. Most recently, I’ve taken up the fiddle, in part to join my daughter in her studies, but more so because I love old time music and bluegrass, and when I go out to jam with other musicians, which I do at least once a week, it’s good to have an instrument other the ubiquitous guitar. Though I regularly perform with my band, The Killer B’s, I prefer jamming because to skillfully jump into new songs requires great spontaneity, deference and responsiveness. I love to play in that!

2. How does music enhance learning?

Finish this sentence, “Humpty Dumpty sat on…” Why should that meaningless bit of fluff be in our heads? It’s because someone put it into a rhyme with a singsong pattern. Marketers exploit music as a means of transmitting their messages, and such is the power of this media that we cannot stop their slogans and theme songs from resounding in our heads. Educators who use music for the purpose of teaching academic content are no doubt weaving that content into their students’ memory. I put this song together for a workshop I often present to fellow educators called, Learning Rocks! Using Music to Teach Academic Content:

Kids Respond to Rhythm and Rhyme

To the tune of When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again

Kids respond to rhythm and rhyme. Hurrah! Hurrah!

Kids respond to rhythm and rhyme. Hurrah! Hurrah!

Just plug your content into a verse

And kids’ll beg for a chance to rehearse

And we’ll all go marching to success in the content we teach

3. What advice would you give non-musical teachers on how to add music to their classrooms?

A teacher’s lack of musical aptitude does not diminish the power of music to reach and teach their students. Chanting or rapping a verse without melody still has the magic! Teachers who think their students are too old for this approach should think again; some of the goofiest songs I’ve learned are from wildly enthusiastic teenagers at sleep away camp. Confidently bring the beat and your students will join you. Teachers who are not comfortable with music should, nonetheless, use it, just as teachers who are uncomfortable with technology should learn to use computers, and I, who am uncomfortable with spelling, must continue to just do my best.

Another piece from Learning Rocks:

Five great reasons to use music specifically to teach and learn academic content:

• Music is fun and contributes to an atmosphere of low anxiety, which is crucial for academic learning.
• Music, particularly when integrated with movement, activates a variety of intelligences and accesses the learning styles of many children.
• Music, even just chanting in rhythm, imprints lyrics into memory.
• Music engages and integrates both sides of the brain.
• Repeated readings of poetry or lyrics build reading fluency as well as comprehension.

Five great ways to use music to teach and learn academics:

• Highlight key vocabulary, sometimes letting the students seek and identify key words. Ask, “Which words sound interesting or important?”
• Sketch or add photographs by lyrics to edify meaning.
• Use and make up motions, or use sign language to go along with the words.
• In classrooms, using an overhead projector or document camera to see and work with a song is okay. Students can also have their own photocopied lyrics pages. On chart paper though, songs can stay up and the text and graphics can be a resource for students.
• With beginning readers, focus on sound symbol correspondence in addition to word meaning.

What an enjoyable time working during the last two weeks with the K-5 teachers at Trillium Charter School in Portland, Oregon. Several questions at the end of our session involved classroom management, and it inspired me to reflect on my experience managing a classroom.

For the first several years of teaching, I was very confused and uncertain when it came to classroom management. I was working in an elementary school (K-8) and was able to observe a variety of approaches, from the physical to the laissez faire. Like hats, I “tried on” several methods but none seemed to fit me. This left me very unsettled and, as a result, I left teaching and did not plan to return.

“Never say never” is a good saying, and I returned to education. When I did return, it was in a fairly structured environment where I learned about “Assertive Discipline” developed by Lee Cantor in the 1970s. What I liked about this approach is that it included clear expectations and consequences, things I hadn’t worked out to my satisfaction previously.

Over time, I also learned about the work of Rudolph Dreikurs, which I added to my system, especially the “logical consequences” part and the idea of children making choices. I also incorporated some ideas promoted by Alfie Kohn.

What worked for me was a system in which there were clear expectations as well as reasonable and timely consequences that lowered the likelihood of constant reminding (=nagging). The foundation for my system was “Everyone has the right to learn, and no one has the right to keep others from learning.” It was my mantra, and the basis for how I approached student behavior.

A few basic rules were created, often with input from students. These rules were clearly posted, and they generally included three things: “Hands and feet to yourself; Listen and follow directions; Show respect for the rights of others.” Yes, these overlap but I found that using the concrete (Hands and feet to yourself) as well as the abstract (Respect the rights of others) covered the bases. I used these with a variety of grade levels, from second through eighth.

Also clearly posted were consequences for not following the rules. As with the rules, these were often developed with students help. Typically, the first step was a warning. After that, a brief time-out and an associated conference with me (during recess or choice time). Following that was a time-out (sometimes in another classroom) with a parent contact.

Administrators’ lives are action-packed so I saved their use for emergencies only. They appreciated that, and I learned that I could count on strong support in the rare cases when I needed to involve them.

Many things change over time, but some things don’t, like the need for a well-managed classroom, where each child is able to pursue his or her learning in a safe and supportive environment. If I were teaching today, I would still have expectations as well as consequences, and all would be clearly communicated and posted. I’d do my best to be fair as well as consistent in carrying out this program. I would also include a reward (sorry Alfie, rewards aren’t always bad!) to support and encourage positive behavior. This can be done reasonably, and I prefer the group type in which the class works together to earn special activities.

I would also explore the work of Marshall Rosenberg (Nonviolent Communication, but I prefer the term Compassionate Communication). His work has been very helpful to me on an interpersonal level, and I think there are some exciting possibilities for classroom use.

Good luck as you work to find an approach that works for your students as well as you. It’s a challenge, but a challenge well worth the effort.