Some logic statements for the teachers out there:
- Your kids love music.
- You love your kids.
- Therefore, you love music.
Even though this conclusion isn’t sound logically, it couldn’t be more accurate. Kids are obsessed with music, as are most people. Put a good song in front of them and they’ll have it memorized by the next morning. Put a great song in front of them and they’ll be texting you about its importance in their lives many years later. It took me a while to learn this lesson. When I started teaching I never thought to play and discuss music with my kids. Now, I can’t think of a better way to build culture and connect with kids on another level, to create the mood in my classroom, to talk about current events, to inspire while being inspired and to have fun.
My proposal
- Find a song you love soon/tonight/right now. I put some suggestions below!
- Print out the lyrics and give them to your kids. (Major key alert as DJ Khaled likes to say.)
- Play the song for/with them. Feel free to do this twice.
- Share what you love about the song. Make sure kids share what they love, too! I’d even have them share first.
- Repeat as regularly as you can. Also, ask kids which songs they want to hear to see if they have any good suggestions. They will.
Here is an example of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmXHFOJjbD8 Below are 12 legit songs that you could try. One for each month in no particular order. I’ve included my favorite lines, too, which I think get to the heart of each song.
1. "The Show Goes On" by Lupe Fiasco
So no matter what you been through No matter what you into No matter what you see when you look outside your window Brown grass or green grass Picket fence or barbed wire Never ever put them down You just lift your arms higher
2. "One Man Can Change The World" by Big Sean, featuring Kanye West and John Legend
Used to look up at the stars and be like ain’t too much that’s different I be shinin’, they be shinin’, get your one shot don’t you miss it What you know ‘bout wakin’ up everyday like you on a mission?
3. "Wednesday Morning" by Macklemore
Greatest gift I ever learned is helpin’ someone else You feel fully fulfilled ’cause you forget about yourself
4. "My Shot" by Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Cast of "Hamilton"
Hey yo, I’m just like my country I’m young, scrappy and hungry And I’m not throwing away my shot
5. "Battle Cry" by Angel Haze, featuring Sia
Sometimes you have to hurt for the cause to be reached But one day you’ll be stronger than all that you beat … Money cannot buy All the love that’s here tonight
6. "Hall of Fame" by the Script, featuring will.i.am
Do it for your people Do it for your pride How you ever gonna know if you never even try?
7. "Blessings (Reprise)" by Chance the Rapper, featuring Ty Dolla Sign, Raury, BJ the Chicago Kid and Anderson Paak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j8frgmdvgc
I speak of wondrous unfamiliar lessons from childhood Make you remember how to smile good
8. "Glory" by Common and John Legend
Selma’s now for every man, woman and child Even Jesus got his crown in front of a crowd They marched with the torch, we gon’ run with it now
9. "Good Life (Remix)" by One Republic, featuring. B.o.B
They say the best is yet to come But I swear it’s already here Just open up your eyelids
10. "Rise Up" by Andra Day
All we need, all we need is hope And for that we have each other
11. "1-800-273-8255" by Logic, featuring Alessia Cara and DJ Khalid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb24RrHIbFk
But you gotta live right now You got everything to give right now
12. "How Far I’ll Go" by Auli'i Cravalho
I can lead with pride, I can make us strong I’ll be satisfied if I play along But the voice inside sings a different song
–––––––– And a few bonus songs because you’ve read this far.
"Where Is The Love?" by the Black Eyed Peas
Yo, whatever happened to the values of humanity Whatever happened to the fairness and equality Instead of spreading love we’re spreading animosity Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity
"#WHERESTHELOVE" by the Black Eyed Peas, featuring the World
Love is the key Love is the answer Love is the solution They don’t want us to love
"I Can" by Nas
Read more, learn more, change the globe
"Praying" by Kesha
I’m proud of who I am No more monsters, I can breathe again And you said that I was done Well, you were wrong and now the best is yet to come
"Waving Through a Window" by Ben Platt and the Cast of "Dear Evan Hansen"
On the outside, always looking in Will I ever be more than I’ve always been?
There are going to be other great songs that you play, too. Share them in the comments section below! I’m always looking for good music. I’ll leave you with these three final thoughts. All from kids I taught in fifth grade who are now in their last years of high school. In March I put up a picture of “The Show Goes On”
on Instagram and they had this to say: Tahliyah: “I was just bumping this yesterday lol I’ll never forget this song.” Makeda: “The Anthem!!” Quamir: “Was motivation back then still is now.” Word. To slightly remix Shakespeare: If music be the food of students, play on.