Officially, I teach math, SEL and English, but intertwined with those curricula is one important topic: MUSIC. One of my roles at school is being the emotional support teacher. Some of the students I support have a disability that impacts their social-emotional learning and/or academic learning. I also work with students who have complex mental health challenges including autism, mood-regulation disorders, and ADHD.
ALL of the students I work with are AWESOME and they all LOVE MUSIC!
Music is a critical component of each student's day. If Anderson’s room isn’t rocking out to Ozzy over the surround sound while solving equations, we're focused on reading with some Floyd or Petty in the background. Others in the room have in earbuds, listening to their favorite playlist on Amazon Music while taking their online classes.
It all started when I brought my old guitar to school to motivate one student to work. Who’d have thought a year later, we’d have a room full of budding musicians and that student is teaching the other kids to play?
This year we added, through my husband's hand-me-downs, a surround-sound, amp, electric guitar and keyboard.
We’ve almost got a band!!
My Project
It all started with an old, beat up, acoustic guitar, covered in stickers. Who’d have thought something so simple, so commonplace could have such an effect in school. Music, playing and listening, has become an integral part of every school day. Students explore instruments, learning melodies, harmonies and music theory, with a little help from YouTube. We even had the preschool class come to visit and sing with us. Yes, my high school boys sang Five Green & Speckled Frogs!!
In Mrs. Anderson’s room, if we aren’t playing music, we are listening to it.
Music helps us focus while we work. It can brighten the mood. It also gives us common ground and facilitates healthy interpersonal exchanges. Though, sometimes arguments over who is the best heavy metal band of all time can get pretty-heated! Basically, if a melody isn’t flowing through those Kenwoods, it isn’t Anderson’s room. Those melodies inspire my kids to head to the keyboard or guitar when they’re finished with work, intent on figuring out the lick or riff they heard.
Currently, I have shared from my family’s personal instrument collection: an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar and amp, and a keyboard. We use these every day.
We are in desperate need of an electronic drum kit. If the way these can tap a pencil the table or tap their feet, shaking the table is ANY indication of their ability to play drums, we’ve got some future Neil Pearts on our hands! Also, I just happen to be married to one of the best drummers in the world, who has said he will come in whenever he can to show the kids a thing or two.
What band is complete without a bass guitar? I know before long, someone will be thumping those bass lines!!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Anderson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
