More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education.
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Studies have shown that reading aloud, especially from picture books, to students from the littlest ones right up to the graduating seniors improves academic achievement, focus, and reduces stress! Sometimes they just need a few minutes to decompress before the learning activity and then they work harder and better! I was disappointed our school library had so few books - especially picture books.
There are countless picture books about music history, biographies of musicians and composers, illustrated lyrics, and books to learn new instruments (I am teaching guitar to our Middle School general music classes for the first time this year, so we don't have a lot of materials yet.) These books will create a library for our classroom where students can come and just relax with a book, as well as set the stage for classroom learning. For example, I plan to use the Dolly Parton biography, along with a book from my home with the illustrated lyrics to her song, Coat of Many Colors, to introduce students to songwriting. Including these books will impact our view of role music plays in our lives and will enhance the experience and learning in the music classroom. Books help bring a visual perception to a mostly auditory learning environment and are a gateway to new ideas, people, places and experiences, help teach kindness, and foster tolerance in our future: our kids.
About my class
Studies have shown that reading aloud, especially from picture books, to students from the littlest ones right up to the graduating seniors improves academic achievement, focus, and reduces stress! Sometimes they just need a few minutes to decompress before the learning activity and then they work harder and better! I was disappointed our school library had so few books - especially picture books.
There are countless picture books about music history, biographies of musicians and composers, illustrated lyrics, and books to learn new instruments (I am teaching guitar to our Middle School general music classes for the first time this year, so we don't have a lot of materials yet.) These books will create a library for our classroom where students can come and just relax with a book, as well as set the stage for classroom learning. For example, I plan to use the Dolly Parton biography, along with a book from my home with the illustrated lyrics to her song, Coat of Many Colors, to introduce students to songwriting. Including these books will impact our view of role music plays in our lives and will enhance the experience and learning in the music classroom. Books help bring a visual perception to a mostly auditory learning environment and are a gateway to new ideas, people, places and experiences, help teach kindness, and foster tolerance in our future: our kids.