The sounds of music are universal and powerful. Without music, the world can be a gloomy, unexciting dwelling place. Music can influence not only individuals but also music can persuade nations to rethink their value in the world.

If music has such vital impact on people in general, why not utilize the power of music to influence student performance more effectively in the classroom. According to studies, “Music stabilizes mental, physical and emotional rhythms to attain a state of deep concentration and focus in which large amounts of content information can be processed and learned.”

There is no doubt about it. A classroom in which music plays an influential role will certainly enhance classroom performance on a high level.

The appropriate music can create tremendous value in learning and academics.

Aids in achievement

If teachers desire to see their students reach levels of achievement that will impress parents as well as the administration, then music may be one of the tools that will get the job done.  Because music has the power to influence focus, students will be more productive. The appropriate music will inspire the calmness needed to stay on task.

Improves Attitudes

Many students enter the classroom with various emotional issues which either originate at home or while in school.  Sometimes no amount of redirection or incentives will do.  However, since music can affect moods and change atmospheres, the opportunity to improve students’ attitude toward school, classmates, and academic knowledge is significantly enhanced.

Increases Awareness

Many classroom teachers use the sound of music to create awareness of everything from transitioning to lining up for recess and lunch. The activity works wonders. For example, if teachers want their students to be in their seats and ready to learn at a certain time, he or she could use a certain type of music to implement this idea.

A teacher can train students to respond to a particular song or sound.  I utilized this technique when a full-time teacher in Milwaukee Wisconsin.  The results were magnificent.  The activity helped eliminate a pattern of constant reminders and redirections.

Heightens Creativity

Music and creativity go hand in hand. Music can inspire creative performance, especially soft classical music, such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach. Studies prove that such music can create alpha states of being.  In such states, creative and focus are heightened.

Enhances Overall Classroom Performance

The bottom line is that the sounds of music is incredibly powerful.  As teachers, we have a tremendous opportunity to change the dynamics of a classroom from a mediocre one where kids barely get along to an excellent one where students are united with a sense of academic and social oneness.

In music oriented classrooms, the atmosphere is always interesting, seldom boring.  Playing background music all day long improves the emotional intelligence of each student and establishes calmness in the atmosphere.

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In order to create inspirational classroom environment, a teacher must be full of passion, faith, and commitment. Without these qualities, the ups and downs of attempting to create such a unique classroom will most likely prove frustrating and unreachable.

The time it takes to create a positive and inspirational classroom depends on the level of acceptance and implementation of the approach.  For example, If 80% of your students buy into the inspirational challenge idea, then the reality of a dynamic classroom will be realized much sooner than later. However, if only 20% of the classroom population buy into the idea, the creation of an inspirational atmosphere will take much longer.

Once you have created an ideal classroom room environment, you as well as your students will actually look forward to getting up and coming to school.  You mental and emotional investment will certainly not be in vain. You will not be ashamed when the principle visits your classroom or when parents drop in un-expectantly. You will experience comfort in knowing that whoever comes to your classroom will have a dynamic experience.

Creating a classroom in which students prefer to stay inside rather than go to recess is a mark of a teacher with unlimited passion and belief in his or her students’ ability to achieve the impossible. Believe and you will achieve.

Inspirational Challenge: The Process

The Inspirational challenge program will make emotional demands on your students. In other words, students will have to come out of themselves and positively engage other students in ways that might be quite challenging to most.

As for you, teacher, patience is required because very few students will have the initial courage to come out of themselves in order to inspire and motivate their fellow classmates on a daily basis.

To effectively execute the requirements of the Inspirational Challenge Project, a student must compliment other students on a daily basis.  5 compliments a day are required to fulfill the expectations of the project. The compliments can occur throughout the day.

Tools You’ll Need

• Compliment Slips
• Recording Note Book
• Incentives

How the Project Works

Explain to students the goal of The Inspirational Challenge program and the dynamics of participation and the methodology of the activities. Students must have a clear understanding of their power to inspire one another to greatness.

Students should be given slips designed to record at least five compliments along with the names slots for recording those who gave compliments.

Teachers must keep records of every student who gives compliments. The five compliments must be given to five different students.

Students who fulfill the requirement should be rewarded with a small daily incentive. An outstanding character point, sticker or slip will satisfy the daily incentive requirement.

Bigger incentives should be rewarded at the end of a week (extra recess, free time, computer time, a small gift etc.)  The greatest incentives should come on a monthly basis and should include only those students who fulfilled the day to day requirements of the inspirational challenge.

Monthly inspirational challenge rewards are the most motivating, which could include pizza parties, half day recesses, movie Fridays, or fun fried trips.

If you think it’s Too Much Work?

Don’t! What is too much work? Too much work happens to be a teacher’s demonstration of commanding and redirecting students who have no intention of changing.

Constant redirecting and yelling, over time, will accumulate huge amounts of stress and frustration and will do very little in terms of building character.

Seeing the Fruits of Your Labor

If you are passionate and committed to the program, you will see the fruits of our labor like so many other teachers, including myself, who take up the challenge.  Once reason I received a Teacher of the Year award in my district occurred because of my passion and perseverance in creating a character-driven classroom environment.

Hard work is a part of great accomplishments.  But once you have spent a month or two implementing the Inspirational Challenge program in your classroom, you will see the dramatic results and wish you had known about the idea much sooner.

Education vs Character: Character Wins 

Contrary to popular opinion, an academic education is not the most important thing students must obtain: Character is.  Bad behavior in school rarely leads to a successful life in the outside world. There may be exceptions, but the reality is that prosperity and success in the world largely depend on the content of character.

In fact, a good education cannot be obtained without a certain degree of character at work.  Students without the desire to learn and grow will not have the motivation to do those honorable things that contribute to society.

The Magnificence of the IC Program

The power of the Inspiration Challenge Program lies in its capability, not only to transform a single classroom but also transform an entire school.  The IC Program doesn’t consist of a complex system of activities, but rather the daily execution of simple activities designed to create exceptional students who understand the rewards of developing great character.

Once mastered, the program will change your style of teaching forever. Your classroom will be an oasis of peace and productivity.  You will become more confident and competent in preparing your students for greatest.  Parents and students alike will think you are remarkable.  You will be greatly honored.

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