Music Integration in the Classroom

Reflection #4
After reading the text, working with music in class, and preparing your group presentation (as well as the other groups), what are your thoughts about using music in the classroom and particularly, how do you want to use music in your classroom?

My favorite thing about music in the classroom is how it can help students remember things. And its not the same old blah blah boring, remembering with music is fun and energizing! I learned a song in elementary school about the continents and I still remember it to this day. I also learned how to spell words with clapping and slapping my knees so there was a rhythm to spelling and every time I spell the word, because, I hear the rhythm in my head.

I really liked the activity in class were we wrote our own words to the song, I would like to use that activity in my own classroom.

Dance Integration in the Classroom

Reflection #3:
Think about the reading and the activities we did in class, as well as your own experience with dance in elementary school. Think about how this approach to children's' creative dance might be different than studio dance (jazz, ballet, hip hop, etc.) or social dance - why do you think children's dance specialists might focus more on children's' creative dance for education? How do you think you might use dance in your own teaching?

I think that specialists might focus on children's creative dance for education because it helps children think outside of the box. Dance helps students become more focused, motivated. It also helps instill hard work and responsibility. Dance can boost children's self confidence and bring joy into their school day.

I liked the activities we did in the classroom. I would not have thought of these on my own but I can see myself doing them in my classroom. My favorite activity was the water dance, I loved how it brought the whole class together and had everyone be creative in choreographing their part and it was spiritual in a sense. I think that doing dance and geometry together is a great way to help students understand geometry in a different way.

Reflection #2

Reflect on any new perspectives you have gained about using drama in your future classroom. Why and how do you think you will use drama techniques and strategies? What specific activities do you think you will use most as you begin teaching? What are your thoughts on integrating drama with other curricular areas?

Seeing everyone present their drama lessons this week was a lot of fun! I had no idea that drama could be incorporated into so many subjects. I think that I will use drama in my classroom to spice things up a bit :) I think that drama helps kids with their self esteem and gets them involved in hands on ways in the classroom.

My favorite activity that was presented was the pioneer one. I liked that it took place over a couple of days and each day the students got to put a new entry into their journal and then act out their story at the end of the unit.

I think that integrating drama into other curriculum is a great idea. Drama makes content more memorable for the students which is really important.