It’s 6:44 a.m. on a cold, foggy Monday in the city. The kind of morning in which even Christ the Redeemer seems reluctant to rise above the clouds, waiting for the sun to get up before embracing the masses on their way to another day of toil.
The teacher, clutching her life source in the form of a coffee mug, takes yet another sip — sixth or seventh, who’s counting? The warm rush down her throat whispers, “You’ve got this. Just go, girl.” She then steps into the classroom, masking the exhaustion from last night’s marathon writing session with a dash of concealer, wearing her best (and conscious, yet earnest) smile.
“Morning, folks! How are you doing today?” she greets the room.
“Good morning for whom?” fires back a bold teenager, face half-buried in his arms.
Undeterred, the teacher claps her hands. “Come on! Wakey, wakey, everybody! We’ve got plenty to do today.” She surveys the room: at least nine heads bowed low, the weight of a pandemic early week bearing down hard.
Sounds familiar? Been there, done that. And in those moments, when the collective energy in the room feels like it’s circling the drain, I have a not-so-secret weapon: upbeat music. The right songs can improve the mood of the atmosphere, not just in active listening comprehension exercises but also as background waves of happiness during practice or production activities.
No, they’re not as powerful as the magical melody from the Brazilian classic ‘A Dog’s Will' (if you know, you know), but they’re close enough to raise the dead and get those metaphorical skeletons shaking.
Here’s my go-to playlist for injecting some joy into English lessons:
1. Jump (Van Halen)
2. Everybody (Backstreet Boys)
3. I’m Still Standing (Elton John)
4. The Best (Tina Turner)
5. We Built This City (Starship)
6. Eye of the Tiger (Survivor)
7. Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen)
Yes, some of these tracks are unapologetically retro and a reflection of my own taste, but trust me: their infectious energy is timeless.
“Teacher, I wish I had your energy in the mornings!” a girl exclaims as the bell signals the end of class. The truth? I’m not a morning person. My energy isn’t innate; it’s built cup by cup of caffeine and moment by moment of seeing students learn and grow.
So, the next time your lesson feels as dreary as a foggy Monday morning, try pressing play on a little musical sunshine. I bet it won’t be a miracle cure, but it’ll likely keep everyone (yourself included) smiling through the day.
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