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You know how classroom teachers will often ask for musical reinforcement for objectives they are teaching? Turnabout is fair play! Ask them to use music more in their classroom, whether it's playing quiet music during reading time, using jingles to learn multiplication tables, or "rapping" their poems. Some of the teachers with whom I work (especially primary) use little jingles for lining up, use music elements in their sound units, or using cultural music in their world history units. At one school where I taught, the P.E. teacher and I worked together on a square dance unit, then presented an assembly where one grade demonstrated their skills. It was nice timing, because we also watched the World's Largest Concert!
Keep the advocacy going all year long. I offer short hand-outs to parents at the beginning of the year which describe music and its benefits in education. Make sure, (if your community is fairly small enough) to submit school music activities to the local paper, such as concerts, special music recognition the students receive, and other activities, especially if you've received special grant money or other community-support funds. Let the area see what you're up to! Put in your teachers' mailboxes ideas on how they can use music to enhance their classrooms.
For more Music In Our Schools Month ideas, check out the Music Educators National Conference website.
February is Black History Month, of course. Next week, I'll be writing about some ideas for playground and "jumprope" chants so popular in the African-American culture. If anyone has anything they'd like to share, come visit me in the discussions area!
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