I don’t usually past about class activities, however, I am making this exception because I’m enjoying the fruit of the activity. On the first day of school, I asked my students to create a playlist of tune to represent how they would like their school year to go. As I tend to do, I put together a playlist of my own as an example to give students a little insight into who I am as a person and some of my musical taste.
Here is my list:
- Golden by Jill Scott from Beautifully Human cause that’s how I want to feel this year.
- South Bronx by Boogie Down Productions from Criminal Minded, because that’s where I’m from, and I’m proud of that fact.
- Mi PC by Juan Luis Guerra from Ni Es Lo Mismo Ni Es Igual, cause I’m Dominican and his music reminds me of these roots as well.
- Cold Sweat by James Brown & His Famous Flames from Cold Sweat, need no explanation…it’s Jame Brown!
- Doctone by Branford Marsalis from the album Requiem, mainly because it reminds me of being a graduate student. I was constantly afraid of being discovered as a fraud and when I was most doubtful of myself this record was the soundtrack to finding my center and getting myself together during that time.
- Giant Steps by John Coltrane from the album Giant Steps, because it’s an amazing piece of art and it’s what I want for my students. I want them to make significant moves toward their goal this year.
- The End by the Airways was a tune introduced to me by a student, and it reminds me that I learn as much from them as they from me.
Some of the tunes picked by my students were cool, here are a few of them:
- Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen
- High Hopes by Panic at the Disco
- What Ever It Takes by Imagin Dragon
- Work Song by Nat Adderly
- Holy Ground by Taylor Swift
- I’m Still Standing by Elton John
- Alien boy by Oliver Tree
- Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles
Hope you enjoy these tunes, I just added them to a class playlist and revisit them with students in a few weeks. I’ll let you know how it goes.
