You Write the Songs

Wow! There are a lot of talented songwriters in our classrooms! We asked for songs from NEA members, and boy, did you strike up the band! From all over the country, would-be Sinatras flooded our mailbox with tunes of the teaching life, laments of NCLB, and odes to curriculum in the classroom.

And the winners are…

First place: No Cow Left Behind

Submitted by John Carratello, an elementary school teacher in the San Jacinto Unified School District, in San Jacinto, California.

“Most children will never become musicians, take up a musical instrument, or sing in a choir. However, knowing something about music and having the opportunity to participate actively in its performance is very important to an individual’s overall development,” says Carratello. “Participation in a music program also helps to improve academic achievement, and gives students a better understanding of and appreciation for the types of music they already enjoy.”

Second Place: Public Education

Submitted by John Rockwell, an AP Literature and 12th Grade English teacher at Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, California.

“A good song can get your class focused and ready to learn. If you are open enough to sing in front of your students, you are giving them your trust; in turn, they will trust you,” says Rockwell. “I like to sing them into and out of class. It tells students, ’You are welcome and wanted here.’”

Third Place: We All Make a Difference

Submitted by Julie Baker-Anderson, a vocal music teacher at Monroe Middle School in Omaha, Nebraska.

“If we truly want our students to be well rounded  then we must offer them an education in music and the arts,” says Baker-Anderson. “Not only does music bridge a gap among all races, religions and cultures, but also crosses into other curricular areas as well. The benefits are many, and time and time again statistics have shown that students who study music do better academically.”