Do you know where you’re going to?

Do you know where you’re going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to, do you know?

I was reminded of this song and its lyrics while reading Where are you going? by Krissy on teachfactory.com.  The first line of the post “Do you know where you’re going” immediately had me singing the rest of the song.

It also led me to two important thoughts:

1. Power of music in learning and connecting with kids (and adults)
2. Power of having goals in your life

Power of music:

Anytime you can use music to connect with kids in a meaningful way it will lead to enormous benefits. There is something about music that opens students’ life experiences and memories.  Once there is a connection students have something to attach that information to in their schema. From early on we use music in schools to teach the days of the week, months, numbers, and the alphabet. How many of you start singing the alphabet song automatically when you recite the alphabet?   I’ll bet most.  You just can’t help it, the song is ingrained in your brain.  Music is powerful.

I’ve seen some great lessons in ELA that center around music, like having students find a song that reflects a novel’s theme, one of its characters or plot. How about in math having students create their own mnemonic device/song to remember the order of operations or for solving a geometry proof. For Social Studies you could have students write a song depicting a historical event or a cause and affect example.

Check out Shelly Terrell’s post on creative resources (including writing, music, and art) to get you to start thinking about incorporating music into your lessons.

Power of goal setting:

Goal setting has been shown time and time again to be directly proportional to success. Those who have goals and work towards them can see where they are going to and move towards that goal. The blog post above talks about how important it is, not only for teachers to have learning goals for their students, but to model and share their own goals for personal growth to their students. I couldn’t agree more.  What will your goal be this year? Here are some resources to help you reflect and write your goals:

Creating SMART Goals

Personal Goal Setting

Goal Setting in the classroom

Now, just for fun, why not listen to the full song…. Do you know where you’re going to….

 

Full lyrics:

Theme from Mahogany

Songwriters: GOFFIN, GERRY/MASSER, MICHAEL
Diana Ross

Do you know where you’re going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to, do you know?

Do you get what you’re hoping for?
When you look behind you there’s no open door
What are you hoping for, do you know?
Once we were standing still in time
Chasing the fantasies that filled our minds
You knew how I loved you but my spirit was free
Laughing at the questions that you once asked of me

Do you know where you’re going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to, do you know?

Now looking back at all we planned
We let so many dreams just slip through our hands
Why must we wait so long before we see
How sad the answers to those questions can be?

Do you know where you’re going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to, do you know?
Do you get what you’re hoping for?
When you look behind you there’s no open door
What are you hoping for, do you know?