What Song Will They Open With?

Remember the time(s) you scored tickets to see your favorite music group in concert?  Did you heart race a little faster? Were you really looking forward to it?   Did the feeling of anticipation just overwhelm you?  Side note = what was the first concert that you saw? (it’s okay if it was The Backstreet Boys…if you are the ages of our daughters – 24 and 28). My first concert was The Doobie Brothers at the old Chicago Stadium with this really pretty girl that I am now married to. Picture yourself in your seat, or mosh pit, waiting for your favorite band or solo performer to begin.  Did you wonder what song would be the opening song? Imagine a group such as the Beatles beginning their concert with “Across the Universe” instead of “Get Back”. How about the Stones opening with “Fool to Cry”rather than “Start Me Up ”or Bob Seger beginning with “Shakedown” instead of “Old Time Rock & Roll” or “Nutbush City Limits”?  Billy Joel opening with “Cold Spring Harbor” rather than “Angry Young Man”? Bad Company not opening with “Bad Company”? Toby Keith opening with anything other than “Should’ve Been a Cowboy”?  No matter who your favorites are, you cannot help but feel a little disappointed if the opening song is not what you expected and kept you in your seat wondering why.  There’s a reason why music groups start their concerts with something upbeat, an easy sing-a-long or a big hit.  They do this to rev you up, to get you juiced, and to get you into the experience before they “sneak in” some new material.  You’ve been there, so you understand. They do it on purpose. The group wants to engage you and they do this intentionally.

It’s the same way in the classroom.  What does the start of your instructional period look like?  Do you have something that the kids are anticipating as being engaging or do they mosey into class with a look of boredom?  Are you capturing their attention right at the start or is it about as exciting as watching a haircut?  Do you employ bell ringers that get them engaged or do they request a nap?  Are they running to get to your class because they do not want to miss one second or do you regularly have multiple tardies?  Do you often use the time-honored Madeline Hunter’s “Anticipatory Set” or let the air out of the emotional tires?  Do your prompts have a direct tie-in to the essential understandings or is there no connection whatsoever.  While the old “Sage on the Stage” method of teaching is outdated, it does not dismiss us from getting kids excited about learning.  Talented teachers do this all the time.  Not sure how to do this?  Here’s a simple philosophy to remember:  the easiest way to get kids excited about learning is to be excited about it yourself!  You can make ANY topic come alive with a little creativity.  Start your classroom concert with one of “your best songs” and wait for the encore request from your students.  You have to do this intentionally.