5 Ways Music Makes Collaboration Fun
February 7, 2017
By Shannon McClintock Miller
One of best things about being a teacher librarian is the collaboration that takes place with the teachers and leaders within our school community every day. It is a time to connect and build relationships with colleagues, share thoughts, and provide support to one another. We also build collaborative relationships with our parents and community members, as this is a big part of our library program too.
As we look for ways to promote and support collaboration, let’s take a look at five ways music can be used throughout the year in making these collaborative times meaningful and fun!
World Read Aloud Day
You can use music as a special way to celebrate World Read Aloud Day in the library or in connection with another library through Skype. Children will love celebrating this day (2.16.17) by singing, reading, and dancing together to any of the Cantata Learning titles. One that brings in the world is Make Everyday Earth Day…Caring For Our Planet. This is a perfect choice as it will evoke a global conversation with students about how we all have a part in caring for the world.
Cantata Learning’s Harmony Projects
Special projects that tie in music and stories are a terrific way to enhance collaboration between the library and various parts of the curriculum. As the site states, Cantata Learning Harmony Projects connect your students to the global community, encourage creativity and collaboration, and provide students with a hands-on learning experience. If it’s collaborating with the music teacher in writing a song with your students or having a dance off with friends online, these projects have something for everyone. You will find the Harmony Projects here.
Summer Reading
There are lots of different ways to listen to the Cantata Learning stories and songs, in and outside of the library. You will find all of the titles are available online to stream, download, or listen to on YouTube. There is also a CD included in the back of each book. This provides an easy way to enhance learning by giving students and parents a collaborative way to engage with the stories and music all summer long.
Public Library Connections
One of the most important relationships we can foster within our community is the one between the school and public librarians. Consider a series like Sing Along Math Songs, which combines math concepts with fun and catchy tunes. By including curriculum-based titles like these, public libraries can help their local schools support essential skills through music too.
Classroom Connections
One of the gears within the Future Ready Librarians framework is Builds Instructional Partnerships in which teacher librarians partner with teachers to design and implement curriculum and assessment that integrate elements of deeper learning, critical thinking, information literacy, digital citizenship, creativity, innovation, and the active use of technology. The songs found within every Cantata Learning title will support instructional partnerships by connecting to the curricular areas and essential skills that need to be taught and supported. The School Time Songs set, for example, includes six titles that support skills such as sharing, cooperating, and lining up.
As you can see there are many ways that music makes collaboration fun. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion or anything out of the ordinary; music can be used every day to bring your library, classroom, and home to life. And Cantata Learning stories and songs are the perfect fit!
References
Future Ready Librarians Framework. (2016). Alliance of Educational Excellence.
Jones, Lily. (2014). The Power of Teacher Collaboration. The Teaching Channel.
School Time Songs Set. (2017). Cantata Learning.
Sing Along Math Songs. (2017). Cantata Learning.
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