Music and Comprehension

Music... and Comprehension.... What!?!?

So here's the deal.   I'm a big fan of several things.   I love music.  Love it!   I've been around music my entire life and it helps me be me!    A problem I encounter though is students hitting a road block as they try to be themselves in classes and their need to concentrate while working independently.   We're living in different times.   Digital times.   A lot of my students, especially those with ADD/ADHD really do benefit from being able to listen to music while working.   I'm serious.   I see it on the daily.

This is a battle I do not fight in my classroom.   This is something I embrace.   We talk about appropriate uses of their devices, we talk about the social skills involved with listening to music in "public."   For example, having an ear bud in your ear while instruction is going on = no buenos.

A reading comprehension strategy I teach is QAR.   I love this strategy because it's universal.   Students use this strategy in all of their classes and even for the dreaded state assessments.   If you're not familiar with QAR (Question Answer Relationships) I'll be happy to enlighten you!   Comment/Tweet me and let me know your needs.   For now... I'm going to give you the Cliffs Notes version.

Basically, according to the research that backs up QAR - there are four types of questions.   Right There, Think and Search, Author and Me and On My Own.   Right There questions are crazy easy to answer.   These are questions where the answer is RIGHT THERE in your face, in the text.    Think and Search questions are questions where you need to think and search for the answer, the answer can be in several places in the text.    Author and Me questions are the toughest.   These questions are based on prior knowledge (sometimes a struggle) and making inferences.    The answer is implied a bit in the text, but not directly stated.   A lot of what you rely on to answer Author and Me questions is your prior knowledge and experiences.  On My Own questions are just as they sound.   You answer them completely on your own and you don't even need to read the text to do so.

After we tackle QAR, students then take their love of music and create a music project.   Here's some pictures of the assignment:

The top two images are the planning sheet.   Students will use this to plan their presentation.   Some students really love technology and will make a Prezi or Powerpoint.   Other students will email me a link to the video and lyrics and will use index cards to help them present.   Their choice.

Students must get permission to present the song from me, and we need to have the clean version.   No naughty words.    Students then present the song to the class and tell us the title of the song, who sang it, why they chose it and what they feel the meaning of the song is.   As a class, we read the lyrics (handout) and then watch the video.    Student then asks one of each question to the class.   Now, if you're doing math... you will see that this project is worth 100 points.   However, the presentation aspect is only worth 35 points.   I do give students the option to not present.   They are aware there is a "hit" to their grade.   I've done this project a few times and I've only had one student not want to present (they still need to make the presentation).

I enjoy this assignment and my students do as well.   I look forward to "tweaking" it a bit and having students dive in.

It's my personal belief that you need to meet your students where they are.   It's incredibly important to me that I know my students.   I like knowing their likes, dislikes, passions, etc... and because it is important to me, what I teach then becomes more important to them.

Seriously... meet your kids where they are and build on it.    Below is an email from one of my students.   I didn't ask her to send it to me.   She just got to know me and what I like.    And I've been listening to the music she sent me the entire time I wrote this post.   Bam.