My Secret Ingredient to Open House Success

I've been through lots of Open Houses.  The purpose of the Open House is usually to let parents know what's going on in school. There are loads of blog posts about setting up your classroom, scavenger hunts, parent stations, brochures, and presentations.

 

I do all those things, leave plenty of things for parents to take with them and get to know my classroom and my procedures.

 

But I do something else that seems to be an added extra that makes a difference: 

I play happy music!

You know, that kind of music that just makes people feel good. 

I got this idea years ago when I went to an all-day conference and was walking into my "mid-afternoon" seminar with dread: it's a tough time of day, and I was feeling like I'd prefer to take a nap.

When I walked into the room, the presenter was playing "happy music". I don't remember the specific song, but I remember it made me feel like moving.

I immediately felt a smile on my face, and I looked around the room and everyone else was smiling and moving to the music. 

Research tells us music can affect our feelings. 

So I play "happy music" to help people feel good about my classroom.

THIS POST has a freebie list of song ideas to download!

It works!
What music makes you feel happy?

Happy Music

Music is magical! Music  can change our moods. Music can lift your spirits, and bring you out of your doldrums. 

 

A few months ago I posted about Music for the classroom. I gave ideas for music to play for optimum learning, and why it is important for learning. You can read that post HERE.

Today I wanted to focus more on the happy music. You know, the music to have playing while the students arrive in the morning (see THIS post) or during an Open House.

Below you'll see several links for the kind of music I play in my classrooms when "happy music" is needed. As the children walk into the room in the morning, I want them feeling good, so I play happy music. I also play happy music during brain breaks, or any point in the day where children seem to need a "lift".

We also have an Open House coming up soon. The children come with their parents to meet their teacher for the first time. I usually have some fun things for the children to do when they get there, but you can be sure I'll have some fun music playing in the background! It gives a happy feel to the entire room! 

Here are a few ideas for fun music.

Music collections designed for kids!

I find "oldies" collections are great fun for all generations.  The Big Band stuff is fantastic in the classroom, and who doesn't love the Andrews Sisters?




 

Here's a list of fun stuff I have on my ipad, that I play just to put myself in a good mood.  (You know, cleaning, setting up the classroom, when you need a lift!) It works for kids, too!

Most of these are "classic rock" you can't miss playing this music!

 

 

See HERE to download my list.

What music makes you happy? What music do you play in the classroom?

Perfect is the Enemy of Good

"Perfect is the enemy of good".  It's a quote I heard years ago, and I truly understand it, as I am the queen of perfectionism.  No one is harder on herself than I am.  I like things to be "just so". 

What's wrong with that?  Well, nothing is ever really perfect, so therefore, I'm constantly disappointed in myself.  When you're aiming to be perfect, you'll always be disappointed in yourself.

I worked in my classroom all week.  We couldn't get in until Monday, and we had to leave early on Friday.  We have meetings all day on Monday, so we won't get any time in there Monday before we have company at the Open House on Monday night.

I did manage to clean the stuff off the desks, but there's a lot I didn't do!

I got a couple of bulletin boards up.   I picked up most of the clutter.  I have all the math materials arranged for the first day.  I sorted the individual supplies. I put down my mat in the large group area. I got most of my signs up.  I ran off almost everything I'll need for Open House.  I washed off the desks before I left today.

I really did a lot this week.  I pretty much burned the candle at both ends, preparing signs, cutting out laminated stuff, writing out letters and forms and materials I'll be needing. 

But all I can focus on is all that I didn't do:  label the individual supplies, arrange the beanies, put nametags on desks, assemble homework folders, schoolwork folders, and writing folders.  I still have an empty bulletin board and I haven't put up my favorite poster. And I still haven't planned for the first day of school!

Perfect is the enemy of good.  My room looks good.  I have to take time to breathe.  I have a great Power Point planned for the Open House.  My room is clean, and I'll get the nametags cut out and placed on the desks by the Open House.  That's what the kids really want to see.  (Plus, which friends are in the class!)


I need to learn to work faster.  I need to learn not to spend so much time on details that don't matter, like those home made desk name tags.  I need to learn to be proud of my accomplishments.  I have a lot to learn!

After all, practice makes perfect.  (Perfect?  <shudder>)

But I sure am proud of my class Library!