“But I can’t sing.” Catechists and teachers may sometimes hesitate to bring vocal music into their classrooms, but the benefits are undeniable. Well-known Catholic composer John Burland recently wrote “Embracing the Power of Music in Your Classroom” for Today’s Catholic Teacher. He offers seven reasons why music improves learning, six ways teachers and catechists can increase their musical confidence, and strategies to incorporate music into any lesson.
Starting this fall, John offers musical suggestions in every weekly lesson plan in the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies from the new CD sets for Seeds, Promise/Good News and Venture/Visions. He correlates lessons with songs based on the Liturgical Year—entrance hymns, Gospel acclamations, seasonal classics, and contemporary favorites that can help increase retention and participation. Teachers and catechists can download the CDs or individual tracks or purchase entire CD sets.
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