{"id":1757,"date":"2026-09-30T18:53:42","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T22:53:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/?p=1757"},"modified":"2026-09-30T18:53:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T22:53:42","slug":"why-music-works-in-the-classroom-and-how-to-use-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/teaching\/why-music-works-in-the-classroom-and-how-to-use-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Music Works in the Classroom\u2014and How to Use It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Adapted from \u201c<\/em>Want Students to Remember Your Lessons? Give Them a Soundtrack.<\/a>\u201d by<\/em> Adam Epstein<\/a>, professor and department chair of finance and law at Central Michigan University<\/em>. Read the full article here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I noticed early on in my teaching career that when I used a song, lyric, or cultural reference, students paid closer attention and, most importantly, remembered the concept later. Over time, music\u2014in my case, 1980s rock\u2014became a way to bring energy to the room, spark curiosity, and create memorable connections to the material. Here\u2019s why and how it works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Music can set the tone for engagement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When students walk into the room and hear a song playing\u2014part of my usual pre-class routine\u2014it signals that the learning environment is active, welcoming, and ready to begin. A brief musical cue lowers anxiety, builds a sense of community, and helps students settle into the space with curiosity rather than distraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Music can make concepts easier to remember<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research<\/a> suggests that recurring musical patterns activate the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in forming long-term memories. In my classes, I use music as a memory anchor, pairing a thematic cue with a concept I want students to remember. For example, a short clip or screenshot of the 1984 hit \u201cRound and Round\u201d by Ratt has helped students recall the back-and-forth nature of counteroffers during contract negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Music can build connection and community<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my classes, I often return to music from 1984, creating a consistent narrative thread that, over time, becomes a running joke, a shared language, and an easy way to build rapport. Sometimes, students will explain a song\u2019s connection to a concept before I do or suggest songs of their own. These exchanges make learning feel more collaborative, while allowing me to teach in a way that feels authentic and personally meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bringing music into any classroom<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter your discipline, there are simple ways to incorporate music into your teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Choose music that feels natural to you<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You do not need a decade-based theme. You might choose jazz, hip hop, classical, Broadway, or any genre that feels comfortable. Students respond best when the music reflects your genuine teaching style and authentic interests, rather than feeling forced or gimmicky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Use music intentionally rather than constantly<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short, well-timed cues are more effective than playing full songs. A brief clip at the beginning of class, during a transition, or to reinforce a concept can help students reset their attention and anticipate what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Pair songs with concepts to create memory anchors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music becomes most powerful when it reinforces a specific idea. Match a lyric, title, rhythm, or mood to the concept you want students to remember. These associations can be surprisingly durable, helping students recall a definition, a process, or a distinction long after the course ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Adapt the technique across modalities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although I find timing cues more natural in person, music can be incorporated into hybrid and online courses as well. In my asynchronous classes, I embed short clips or YouTube links into PowerPoint slides or create a separate document with the songs referenced throughout the course, giving students control over when and how they engage with the music cues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Gather informal feedback<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students are usually eager to share what worked for them. I often ask which songs helped them remember material, which cues surprised them, and which moments felt most engaging. Their responses continue to help me refine my approach for future semesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make the soundtrack your own<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When music reflects your genuine interests and teaching style, it can become a meaningful part of the classroom experience. Used intentionally, it can help create the kind of energy, connection, and memorable associations that keep students engaged with the material.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Adapted from \u201cWant Students to Remember Your Lessons? Give Them a Soundtrack.\u201d by Adam Epstein, professor and department chair of finance and law at Central Michigan University. Read the full article here. I noticed early on in my teaching career that when I used a song, lyric, or cultural reference, students paid closer attention and, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-teaching"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Kathryn Byrnes","author_link":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/author\/kbyrnes\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/104"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1757"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1757\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1758,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1757\/revisions\/1758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/baldwin-clt-teaching-times\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}