Music in Classroom Management

Many teachers have found that music is an effective classroom management tool. Music can serve several purposes in the classroom including background music that can help during seat work, transition times and calming students down.

Music Sets the Mood in the Classroom

Music can be an effective tool to set the mood in the classroom. Teachers can calm students after an exciting activity (recess, a game, etc.) or excite students for a specific task. Music can also help to make students feel better about themselves and encourage them to do their best.

When trying to use music to calm students, it is best to use slow, quiet music that has no words. Choose songs that are simple in nature as well. This music can help students calm after recess or a particularly rowdy game when paired with a simple activity. Teachers can even play this music as students come into class and sit at their desks and prepare for class.

When using music to excite students, teachers should choose songs that are faster upbeat and louder. Music should not have words unless teachers wish to teach a particular lesson or convey a particular message. Usually words with lyrics are saved for times of transition.

Using Music for Times of Transition

There are many times of transition during the school day that teachers could match with music. Music can help make these transitions smoother, quicker and more effective, thereby increasing instructional time. Preschool teachers have used song for transitions for years, often having students pick their toys up to a clean-up song, for example. Teachers should choose a specific song for a specific transition. This tradition will help cue students into what they should be doing each day.

Some times that teachers might consider using music include:

• the beginning of the day
• transitions between small groups
• lunchtime
• lining up
• the end of the day

Other Uses for Music in the Classroom

Teachers can find music to be a useful classroom management tool during seat work and group work as well as during times of transition. Using a medium paced instrumental song that students are not familiar with can be very helpful during individual seat work when concentration is important. This music should be simple and repetitive if possible and payed at a very low volume. Some students may be distracted by this music and if so should be seated as far from the music as possible.

When using music for background noise during small group activities or discussions, it should be played just loud enough to cover some of the conversations from other groups to help each group focus. This music should be medium-fast paced, instrumental and unfamiliar to the students. This will help prevent students from being distracted by the music.

Additional Tips for Using Music in the Classroom

Pay attention to each student as some teachers may have to discontinue the use of music if it becomes too distracting. Music should only be used as a tool, and as such it can be abused and overused, so it is important to be careful. If a fight or loss of control happens during a time when music is used, it is vital that teachers not use that song again as it will bring back memories of the event and provoke the wrong mental energy in the students. Music can be an effective classroom management tool when used effectively.