At an urban school district, students and staff members
entered the building in the mornings and went without smiles, had dull life in
their eyes, and roamed the halls with overall grumpiness. Even the most upbeat
individuals in the building began to no longer smile or greet students in the
halls. This was definitely a problem. School should be a place where adults and
children are happy. They are there to learn, and learning should be an
enjoyable process...as should the teaching! This problem crept up slowly. It
had once been an enjoyable, fun place to be, but now, it was a place most
dreaded to enter. The board of directors even decided to send the entire staff
(for those who could attend) down to the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia
in hopes of providing the staff with new ideas. It was short lived and cost the
school around $25,000!
And then...
One staff member noticed how happy students and staff
members were as music was played in the gym for a school dance that involved
the entire middle grades 5th-8th. Everyone was smiling, engrossed in
light-hearted conversations, and having an enjoyable time. This is when the
light bulb went off. Music was the key! The school already had a portable sound
system. Plenty of staff members already had school-appropriate music
downloaded. Everything was set in place for the first day of school to have
music playing as students walked in the front doors of the building at 8:00am.
From that day forward, music has played each day from 8:00 - 8:30 prior to the
start of class. It is amazing how the attitudes have changed in the morning.
Staff members and students smile as they enter the building. There are staff
members assigned as greeters who often serenade other staff members and
students as they are in the halls. Happy and The Eye of the Tiger and I'll Be
There are just a few of the songs on the playlist that staff and students often
sing as they go to class. Often times you will see a staff member or a group of
students dancing down the hall.
This little change cost the school absolutely nothing but
has changed the morning environment. Staff members and students now go to class
with smiles on their faces.
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