As much as I lack expertise in integrating music in care at the bedside, I enjoy integrating music in education!
Using music and art in teaching can stimulate thinking while simultaneously transcend the thinking and move the learners to feeling, exploration, and new insights.
To open the door for discussing the use of music in education, I will share a few of my personal favorites that have spoken to me over the years. Though they may not be the songs that will stimulate or inspire your students, perhaps they will stimulate you to have your students suggest music that speaks to them of the issues you are teaching.
A few of my favorites:
Les Miserables – from the high notes to the low notes… my emotions are touched. The song “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” – is a poignant statement of grief, search for meaning, and the ache of “survivor guilt”.
“The Circle of Life” in the Lion King, addresses the finiteness of life, and scars that some of us (most of us?) live with.
“There’s more to see than can ever be seen, More to do than can ever be done, ….
“Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with the scars”
“Tell me on a Sunday Please!” can stimulate discussion on desire to self determination, control over how one hears bad news, and can open the door to discussing how we help people maintain their independence.
For what purposes do you use music in education? What songs do you use in teaching hospice palliative care? How do you choose the music you use? Do you have guidelines for integrating music? We welcome your suggestions 🙂
