Reflections on Lesson 6

At my university, all students took their tests at the dreaded Testing Center.  Above the main testing room was a smaller, sound-proof room where students could take their test while listening to classical music.  I always thought this seemed odd as I am one who requires absolute silence in order to focus.  I have always loved music, studied both piano and organ as a child, and sang in every choir my schools offered.  I currently lead the music for my church’s congregational meeting each week and sing in the church’s choir.  But when it comes to learning and testing, silence has always been golden for me.  For this reason, I have never incorporated music in my classroom.  However, after studying the material in this lesson, I feel I may be overlooking a powerful tool that can help my students, if used properly. 

At the beginning of each class, my students practice their typing skills as part of their Bellwork.  They work through lesson on a computer program and seek to improve both their speed and accuracy while employing proper fingering and typing technique.  If I had some fun, upbeat music playing in the background, would my students’ fingers naturally begin to fall in step with the beat?   Can I encourage a positive mood and help my students feel more comfortable and excited to learn?  Can I lower test-taking anxiety with the right background music played before a test?  Each individual student is unique and some might find music distracting, as I did, but others may excel with the addition of the right musical atmosphere?  It may just be worth an experiment.