First thing, today was a better day. Now on to what I want to write about.
Some of my students want to listen to music in class.
That's great. Sort of. Maybe. I mean it seems like something I could do. But I'm having trouble figuring out what to listen to.
They like hip-hop. me, not so much. Never did get into that.l And the songs they like, even when there aren't swear words, are way too sexual for me to be playing in my class.
Part of me is tempted to do classical music. But I don't really have any. And am not sure where I'd want to begin. Or how they'd react to it. I like classical. But really, I like watching it more than listening to it. It has to be that entire experience. I got so spoiled in college. Going to the concerts with AMAZING performers (free with tuition) and sitting wherever I wanted. I can listen to a concert by Joshua Bell, but I can't be fascinated by his hair over streaming audio. (He has really amazing hair.) I can't see the performers and imagine their grandchildren. I can't giggle throughout at how a friend's demeanor shifts while playing.
More later on my students already mocking me for being old before my time with taste in music. Not that they even know that I listen to Taize during my prep and that the other math teacher asks me if I listen to anything else.
And I do. But I find myself agreeing with today's Slate article that the indie music I listen to may be a bit snobby. So do I play that for them? (That seems more odd than letting them play their music.) My feeling is no.
Is there some good world music to listen to (a different country each week!)? Do I see about more local music? What helps focus? What just distracts?
What do you listen to when you study?
3 comments:
sarah mclachlan...but that will date me.
maybe try some mika...or feist. those are more mellow. or ashley tisdale if you're looking for high school-y stuff for the kids.
it's hard. you can't go wrong with coldplay!
try snow patrol, lifehouse, or red hot chili peppers. hope this helps!
hmmmm...we'll see.
I ended up playing some electronic music for some kids. It seems like a decent middle ground between hip-hop and indie. (Though that may mean that none of us REALLY like it.)
One of the kids who requested it, is all for classical. Maybe we can go with that. Though I also floated the idea of trying music from a different culture, world area each week (few weeks). The trick for me is finding music from all the different locations. (And not paying a ton.)
Hrm, for the kids, eh?
Sam Cooke
Nina Simone
The Avett Bros.
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