“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
– Nelson Mandela
PHILOSOPHY
Students should be exposed to music:
• From a wide variety of times, places, and genres.
• By Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian musicians.
• From different races, ethnicities, and cultures.
• By people with different abilities.
• By LGBTQIA+ musicians.
• By women.
• That reflects their lived experiences.
• That helps broaden and challenge their perspective of the world.
• Featuring a wide variety of voices and instruments.
Music can help students:
• Name and process a multitude of different emotions.
• Express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
• Create the social change that they want to see in the world.
• Address trauma and adversity.
• Repair harm in their relationships with others.
• Build relationships and create community.
• Share their ideas with others.
In the classroom, students learn to:
• Create music of their own.
• Take a musical idea, develop it, and capture it.
• Make music alone and with others.
• Sing music in a variety of styles.
• Sing and play music games from around the world.
• Play a variety of different instruments.
• Read and write music.
• Listen and respond to music.
• Reflect on their own performances and the performances of others.
• Dance and move creatively to music.
• Practice their improvisation skills.
To see some of the resources that I have created for my classroom,
check out my store at my Teachers Pay Teachers:
What’s on our classroom playlist these days?
Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
Tinkuna – Eddie Navia, Pachamama & Sukay
Zapateado En Re – Sabicas
Chan Chan – Buena Vista Social Club
Las Mañanitas – Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán
Cali Pachanguero – Grupo Niche
Mundo Bizarro (feat. Jimena Famá) – Electro Dub Tango
Danse Macabre, Op. 40 – Camille Saint-Saëns
Toccata & Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 – Johann Sebastian Bach
Put a Spell on You – Nina Simone
Don’t Worry, Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin
Lakota Lullaby – Robert Tree Cody
Come and Get Your Love – Redbone
Peace and Power – Joanne Shenandoah
Lion – Kodō
Shchedryk (Carol of the Bells) – Eileen
Kōkōrangi – IA
Anta Oumri – Umm Kulthum
Á Rauðum Sandi – Ylja
Uyangithanda Na? – Amaviyo
L-O-V-E – Nat “King” Cole
Yaro (feat. Demba Camara) – Ballaké Sissoko
Brighter Days (feat. Soweto Gospel Choir) – Sauti Sol
Nice Work if You Can Get It – The Ladies
High Mountain Flowing Water (古筝-高山流水) – Sound of China
Svatba (The Wedding) – Bulgarian State Radio & Television
Female Vocal Choir
Russian Woman – Manizha
What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Fading Flower – Yuna
Friar Park – Ravi Shankar
Pua Hone – Dennis Kamakahi
Libertango (Astor Piazzolla) – Marici Saxes
Kukupu – Sambasunda
We Are the Champions – Queen
Concierto De Aranjuez: 2. Adagio – Joaquín Rodrigo
Attraction for Marimba, Vibraphone, Percussion & Tape (Emmanuel Sejourne) – Christoph Sietzen
Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
Vals Op. 8 No. 3 – Manuel Espinás