The Rock and Roll Classroom

The Rock ‘N’ Roll Classroom:Using Music to Manage Mood, Energy, and Learning

Presented by Rich Allen and W. W. Wood

Feel Good Music

Feel Good Music

• No specific bpm, but usually peppy

• Individual tastes vary

• Allow choice when possible

• Medium Volume

• Brain chemical: dopamine

“One good thing about music—when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

-Bob Marley

Arousal

Medium Arousal Level is Best

Entrainment

Pump-Up Music

Pump-Up Music

• 120 to 160 bpm• Exciting Emotional Tone• Strong Beat• Medium-loud Volume• Brain Chemical: Adrenaline

Calming Music

Calming Music

• At or below 60 bpm

• Less instrumentation and less pronounced beat

• Calm emotional tone

• Low to medium volume

• Brain Chemical: Serotonin

“Better Attention Always Equals Better Learning.” -John Medina

Stimulus Driven Attention

Controlled Attention

Background Music

Background Music: Behind Individual Work

• 60 to 80 beats per minute• Instrumental only• Repetitive• Unfamiliar• Very low volume• Genre not important

Background Music: Behind Small Group Discussions

• 80 to 100 beats per minute

• Instrumental only• Major Mode• Medium volume• Genre not important

Music for Learning

Music for Learning• Important Content Embedded in the Lyrics• “Poetic” Text• A Slower Rate of Presentation• A Familiar Tune

Music for Classroom Management

Music for Classroom Management

• “Time to Start” Signal• Signal Songs• Timer Songs• Songs with Embedded Directions• Distributing Materials• Beginning and Ending Songs

Other Management Issues

• “Quality Control”

• Radio and Internet Radio

• Equipment Security

• Overusing Music

• Start Slowly!

“If something is worth doing,

it is worth doing badly.”-G. K. Chesterton

“Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.” -Mae West

Thank you for your kind attention!

To Contact Us

Rich: [email protected]

Willy:[email protected]