Teacher playlist: What our teachers are listening to

Teacher+playlist%3A+What+our+teachers+are+listening+to

You might know some teachers who have playlists for their class with either the songs/playlists they like or they make a playlist with all of the student’s favorite songs. From other students’ opinions, I surveyed teachers around the school with the best class playlists and asked what their music tastes were and what they listen to. 

Some teachers have favorite songs based on growing up during college with friends or either just trying to figure out the drastic change from high school to college. Our first teacher, Eric Dykes says that Troubadour by George Strait was his favorite song with the reasoning of the song being nostalgic and making him hopeful. He says, “The song reminds me of the fun I had with my friends in college, it also makes me hopeful for the life I’ll have in the future and all the stories I will have to look back on in the future.” Also bringing up college we have Arevalo or some students know her as Arevalo, saying that Georgia by Vance Joy was her favorite, following with, “The song reminds me of the transition from high school to college and all of the good and bad memories that came along with it. Whenever it comes on I go back  to my younger self.”  I believe that it’s good to have songs that remind you of the good memories you had when  you were younger and being able to tell how far you have come.  

We also have teachers with songs based on times with their family such as Brooke Cooper having her song choice about a family vacation. Her favorite song was One Way or Another by Blondie. She tells me, ¨This is one of the six tracks played on the roller coaster Cosmic Rewind, and makes that ride even more fun. My family and I are Disney people and hearing this song brings back memories from our trips.¨ Another teacher, Emily Rampley, states that Landslide by Fleetwood Mac is her favorite song. She explains saying, “Stevie Nicks has the voice of a wise elegant angel. It is also very nostalgic for me because my mom loves this song and we used to listen to it in the car together while I grew up.” Songs can be connected to so many things, and these show that songs can also be connected to family memories.

Our other teachers, Jenna Berryman and Trevor Mangan’s favorite songs come from how the song sounds and what message they are telling, or what it’s trying to show. Mangan answers by, “I  love melody from the piano and the lyrics truly capture the feeling of a couple choosing to take a stand against the monotony of their lives by finding comfort in one another.” Also Berryman stated, “I find it to be pretty motivational, it sends a positive message about perseverance and overcoming obstacles and that’s what I love about it.” Finding what the song is trying to vision out for you is important, including having a song or playlist  that has you motivated, and any specific feeling I feel is great  to have. 

When I asked students who the teacher with the best music was I had a  lot of teachers, but now for our top picked teacher, Tracey Brown. When I asked him what  his favorite song was and why he struggled just saying one, he ended up telling me, “It’s really difficult to pick one song. I can find a song I enjoy in many genres. I grew up with music. There was a piano in our living room and in the basement was a huge, wooden stereo console where I had hundreds of 45s and LPs of my parents I could play. Some think of music and art as extras in life but I view them as essential. A song can take you back to a place in time or raise an emotion as much as a smell. To pick one song is impossible but I’ll give you a span of three albums (still very difficult). One of Brown’s favorite song choices includes, “Sometimes Salvation,” by The Black Crowes from The Southern  Harmony and Musical Companion. He also mentions, “ I love the Crowes. I’ve seen them live more than any other band. Their first album Shake Your Money Maker was released right before our senior trip and I wore that tape out on my Walkman. Great songs and Chuck Leavell plays piano on that record. “Salvation” is from their second album and has Marc Ford on lead guitar. I also love their third album Amorica and it is probably their high point before the trappings of success and excess started to deteriorate the band. Descending with the late Eddie Harsh on piano is almost spiritual. Try to find a live version of that one too.” I believe Brown has a lot of passion for music and I also think students enjoy when he shares that with them by playing different music during their free time in class. Including all teachers, a lot of students don’t really know or pay attention to teachers main interests, including music.