The neuroscience is pretty clear about the role of emotions in learning. It makes sense that people learn better when they are happy. Whenever I can, I play a song as students are entering class. I knew I was on a winner when two older students walked past my room one morning as the music was blaring out and one nudged the other and said. “I told you we should have done Modern History.” I have a different song for each unit I teach:

Australians in WWI – Eric Bogle’s The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

Australians in WWII – Hoodoo Guru’s Tojo

Rights and Freedoms – Paul Kelly’s From Little Things Big Things Grow

Alexander the Great – The Theme from Grease

US Civil Rights – U2’s Pride

Tiananmen Square – David Bowie’s China Girl

The World in 1900 – Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World

World War I – REM’s It’s the End of the World and We Know It

Nazi Germany – Nena’s 99 Luftballons

Ho Chi Minh – Carl Douglas’ Kung Fu Fighting

Vietnam War – Credence Clearwater Revival’s Fortunate Son

Cambodia – The Dead Kennedy’s Holiday in Cambodia

Extension History – Split Enz’s History Never Repeats

I also have songs I play for certain times of the year:

Mondays – The Boomtown Rats’ I Don’t Like Mondays

Fridays – The Easybeats’ Friday on My Mind

Start of term – Theme from Welcome Back Kotter

End of term – Madonna’s Holiday

End of the year – Fall Out Boy’s Thnks fr th Mmrs

When I teach students the acronym SEXC for writing paragraphs I always have Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy playing

If I taught Science I would use Thomas Dolby’s She Blinded Me With Science

If I taught Maths I would use The Swingers’ Counting the Beat

What song’s do you use? What songs could you use?

And yes, I’m a child of the 80s.