We are beginning a new school year which is a new opportunity to begin using classical music in the classrooms during class, in the hallways, in the lunch room, and on school buses to and from school. Classical music played in the background helps students learn to relax, allowing them to concentrate and do a better job on their work.
Start preparing now for your first day of school. Dr. Frank’s, “10 Creative Ways to Inspire Students & Curb Teachers Burn Out!” are included in this newsletter blog.
The new school year is also a wonderful opportunity to start learning a musical instrument to learn discipline, cooperation, teamwork, motivation, concentration and self-esteem. Studying a musical instrument develops millions of new connections, synapses, between nerve cells in the brain. Many of the world’s scientists, doctors, teachers, authors and mathematicians are also musicians. June’s newsletter was a testimonial to the many Valedictorians, Salutatorians and grads of 2012 who are scholars and musicians. Dr. Frank’s 10 Musical Tips to start your new school year are included in this issue. Our Radio Show and article celebrates the artist, musician and writer Eugene Delacroix.
If anyone has an experience they would like to share with our readers on the benefits of classical music please send it and it will be include it in the September 2012 newsletter/blog!
Madeline’s Musical One Minute Radio Show for August 2012:
“How did Classical music play a part of Eugene Delacroix’s life as an artist and musician and what musical instruments did he play?”
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/madelines-one-minute-radio-show/
Who was Eugene Delacroix?
Eugene Delacroix, French painter, musician, and writer was born on April 26, 1798 in Charenton-Saint-Maurice, France. His father was Charles Delacroix , a school teacher , provincial government secretary, Minister of Foreign Affairs , and Ambassador the French Republic of Holland. His mother Victoria Oeben Delacroix was from a family of royal cabinet makers. Eugene was the youngest of their 4 children. He was born into an “artistic family.” Delacroix at a young age studied the piano, violin and the guitar.
“The old cathedral organist who had been a friend of Mozart and who was giving music lessons to Henrietta Delacroix”, Eugene’s older sister, said Eugene “showed an exceptional talent for music and eventually he learned to play the piano, violin and guitar” (p.18). Prideax, T. (1966). The world of Delacroix. New York: Time Incorporated.
At the age of 7 Eugene’s father Charles died and his mother moved with him to Paris. He attended the Lycee Imperial School where he received prizes in Greek, Latin, and drawing. Eugene went to visit the Louvre at around ten years old and decided to become a painter after seeing the treasures of Tintoretto, Rubens and others.
His mother’s half-brother, his Uncle Henri Riesener, a portrait painter, was a student of David. At the age of 15, Uncle Riesener introduced Eugene to the well-known painter Baron Francois-Pascal-Simon Gerard who had a salon where Delacroix met the great writers of the day. His Uncle also introduced him to the teacher and artist Guerin who ran an art school. Eugene studied with him at the age of 17. Five months later he went to study at Ecole des Beaux-Arts, a government sponsored school, where the tuition was less.
Delacroix, at the age of 24, won his first commission to do murals for a government building. Adolphe Theirs , the Minister of Commerce and Public Works, arranged the award . There were many architectural problems for Delacroix to work around for his 2 dimensional canvas. “Each of the four walls was broken by three arched doorways and real or false windows; the ceiling leaked, was divided into 4 parts by a dome…unpaintable because of the huge chandelier suspended from it” (Prideaux, 1966, p.123). Delacroix became ill with a fever during this time due to the dampness. Three weeks later he was hard at work.
Delacroix painted many portraits of his family members and friends. He painted a portrait of “the greatest women writer of the day, George Sand” (p.125). She had arrived at Delacroix’s studio on Quai Voltaire” climbing 117 steps. A magazine editor had requested her portrait. Delacroix and Sand’s had a long friendship. Delacroix was inspired by Chopin’s music and they were lifelong friends. Also Delacroix painted Chopin’s portrait. Throughout Delacroix life “he was, an amateur violinist and concert goer, and also fell under the Paganini spell” (p.136). Delacroix painted a portrait of the violinist, Paganini.
In 1825 Delacroix went to London to study the English artists Sir Thomas Lawrence, J.M. W. Turner and John Constable. Delacroix wrote his thoughts in a journal called “A Small Philosophic Dictionary of the Fine Arts” (Prideaux, 1966, p.176). “Delacroix … a gifted pianist and violinist, seemed as happy to write about music as he did his own discipline.”
http://www.earlymusicworld.com/id1.html
In 1832 he toured Morocco and was enamored with the bright colors of their flowing costumes and their beautiful horses. Delacroix for the rest of his life included Arab subjects in his work.
In later life delacroix was in declining health and Jenny Le Guillou devoted herself to taking care of him, by being a good listener, and taking care of his house. Delacroix said of her to his friends, “she acts as sentry over my time and life. She is blind devotion itself” (Prideaux, 1966, p.172).
Eugene Delacroix died on August 13, 1863 at seven at 7pm in Paris, France. Jenny Le Guillou wrote, “recognizing me, pressing my hand without being able to speak, and he breathed his last sigh like a child” (Prideaux, 1966, p.173).
Dr. Frank’s, “10 Creative Ways to Inspire Students & Curb Teachers Burn Out!”
1. Effective teachers and administrators agree to have an assignment on the board for students to start on the second they walk into the new classroom. “A well-planned lesson eliminates 90% of discipline problems.”
Before your first day of school have your “First Day of School Script” ready with the “Procedures” that you will use for your class and implement them by rehearsing your class until all the students know your procedures and understand them.( Example: What is your procedure for students having a cell phone in class? Decide your rule for each of your procedures and teach them to your class on the first day of school.) Harry K. Wong and Rosemary Wong’s book “How to be an Effective Teacher the First Days of School” is a must read for all teachers’. Here are a few of the Wong’s articles: “Effective teaching”:
http://teachers.net/wong/FEB09/
(For Elementary School Routines & Procedure Power PT. click on middle of the page for power pt.)
“A First Day of School Script
http://teachers.net/wong/JUN00/
“Teaching Procedures is Teaching Expectations” says, H. & R. Wong
http://teachers.net/wong/JUN02/
“Stress Free Teacher” (Middle School)
http://teachers.net/wong/FEB02/
Middle School/High School script:
http://teachers.net/wong/MAR03/page_2.html
The Wong’s say “The First Five Minutes are Critical”
http://teachers.net/wong/NOV00/
(Have your smile in place, your student’s seat assignments ready, and your first assignment on the board for the students to get started immediately after sitting down and have your classical music on in the background.) * School starts the first minute the students enter for the new school year. Be prepared! Start preparing and rehearsing this summer. Remember students need to feel safe and secure! They need rules.)
2. Before the first day of school decide how you are to dress for success in bright colors to get your students attention. Remember first impressions are the most important.
3. Do you remember the middle school and high school Chemistry and Math teachers playing Classical Mozart Symphonies in the background of their classes and how much better behaved and smarter the students became? Well you can do this too! Put on your Classical music and help your students get smarter and work faster.
4. Don’t just lecture tell a story. Make the material visual. Be creative by becoming a teaching artist! Example: Dr. Madeline Frank’s “Musical Notes On Math”, teaching fractions and decimals to children in K-5 through the rhythm of music,Winner of the Parent-to-Parent Adding Wisdom Award. https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/musical-notes-on-math/
5. Make your course come alive. Make it fun to learn. Remember that Alicia Keys and Dr. Condoleezza Rice both studied the piano learning Classical music and skipping grades in high school. They were both at the top of their high school classes all through school because they played Classical music every day. Playing Classical music made them smarter! Dr. Albert Einstein was able to win his Noble Peace Prize and make his scientific discoveries by playing Classical music on his violin or piano every day. Dr. Judith Resnik astronaut and electrical engineer made perfect scores on her SAT’s through playing her Classical piano music every day for one hour. Louis Armstrong learned Classical music on his cornet at age 13 and his life was changed forever! Your students can be smarter too by playing Classical music every day!
6. Involve your students in your course by posing a problem and helping them solve it! Make them into detectives. (Sherlock Holmes and his side kick Dr. Watson) Help your students work cooperatively. (In a musical String Quartet members work together cooperatively with set goals and without violence.) Put on your Classical music to help your students concentrate better.
7. Help your students gain self-esteem and self-worth by showing them kindness & patience.
8. Romayne Leader Frank, Mother, friend, Family Advocate , teacher, & Lawyer, always said “every child has one gift.” Find that gift and accentuate it!
9. Dr. Frank’s favorite saying is “every student is a gem in the raw.” Start with that thought and work with your students. Believe that each of your students, on the first day of school, wants to learn your course and desires to learn.
10. Does anyone here like to work? No, then make it fun to learn. Put on your Classical music!
© 2012 Madeline Frank
For more scientific evidence, medical evidence, test results, and true stories of the world’s scientists, medical doctors, and mathematicians who have studied and played musical instruments since they were children read “The Secret of Teaching Science & Math Through Music” by Madeline Frank, Ph.D. Click on the link:
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/the-secret-of-teaching-science-and-math-through-music/
“Musical Notes On Math” by Dr. Madeline Frank teaches your child fractions and decimals, the fun way, through the rhythm of music, Winner of the Parent To Parent Adding Wisdom Award. For more information click on the following link: https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/musical-notes-on-math/
For Tips on how to use “Musical Notes On Math” click on the following link:
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pg47.pdf
For other articles by Dr. Madeline Frank click on the following link: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Madeline_Frank
Dr. Madeline Frank’s new book “Leadership on a Shoestring Budget” is now available through amazon.com. Click on the following Amazon.com link to order your copy of “Leadership On A Shoestring Budget”