This time of year is HARD! I’m canceling meetings because I have so many meetings scheduled that they are overlapping. This is on top of report cards, testing, conferences, IEP’s, and the list could just keep going on! If you’re a teacher, I know you’re right there with me!
In the harried craziness of it all, someone at my site put a genius yet amazingly simple plan into action. We have a yard supervisor that wheels around a boom box
….”Up town funk it up, Up town funk it up”…I can’t even type the titles without bopping along and just feeling happier.
It’s the end school. Kids and teachers alike are dancing on their way home. It’s not the usual dancing because we want to get out of here, but because we’re HAPPY. Happy to be together at the end of the year! We all know how music affects our moods. In retrospect, I can’t believe that all schools don’t do this on a regular basis.
The following is from: Teacher and Child: A Book for Parents and Teachers
“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration; I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming. “ –Haim G. Ginott
To curb burnout we need to make a conscious decision to “choose happiness.” Providing a sound track makes it just that much easier! So, Let’s create a rockin’ playlist beyond the few titles listed above! Leave your ideas in the comments below. I’ll start with :
- “In the Jungle the Mighty Jungle” by the Beach Boys
- ….
I’d also love to hear about any other tricks that help pull you up out of the overload.
I’ve never heard of a school doing this before, but I LOVE it!
Actually one of the teachers at my high school plays music every Friday morning in her classroom as loud as she can between class changes. The kids love it and the teachers love it. It is a fun reminder that it is FRIDAY!
I’m glad to hear it! I always had it in my head that I would have “dance party Fridays” when I became a teacher. Well, it’s been 11 years. I’ve never done it…until now!
**I also wanted to post that I personally wouldn’t play “Uptown Funk”. It has a lyric with the word liquor. However, since I’m not liable for the song choices in my situation…..I’m glad they play it because it’s such an upbeat song. 😉
I’d love to hear everyone’s upbeat, yet appropriate, song suggestions!
On the last day of school, after the students are gone, all teachers get out their rolling chairs and we go a few laps through the halls!! Everyone laughs and has fun!!
I LOVE it! What a great way to celebrate!
Great idea. Music is a morale booster, that’s for sure. Our P.E. teachers have a cart with a sound system, so it’s a regular thing to hear music on campus. However, leaving campus with music playing is a fabulous idea. I love the rolling chairs in the hallways. I may have to start a new tradition at my school.
My AP has a Hallway Huddle every Friday morning. He plays music over the loud speaker and we all dance in the hallway before the kids arrive.
What a great way to start the day! I’d join in…as long as I had a big cup of coffee in my hand. 😉
I love the idea, and have been trying to add music to my whole day – instrumental of course during class time. But I really like the idea of having a “Dance Day” time, especially since teachers are responsible for 10 minutes per week of addition PE time.
Me too. During independent work time, especially during art projects, I like to play Enya. I have a little inside joke that I’m hypnotizing them into “calm workers”. But, it’s true! Music impacts our moods greatly!
Of course the song “Happy” I think it is called by Pharrell Williams
Yes! Thank you Pharrell!