Darla Hanley's Music Room
Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8
Today’s Teaching Strategy: Always on My Mind
(Movement and Dramatic Play)
Elementary (Gr. 1-2)
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about summer-themed dramatic play and movement. It goes with “Always on My Mind” by Benjamin Daughtry (2023) because of its gentle tempo and “Summer Breeze” by Erwin Do, l’eupe, and Soul Food Horns (2025) because of its groove.
Plus we also know that during this time of year (for teachers AND students) summer and summer break are constantly on our mind (lol).
Pedagogical Foundations
So what’s better: Do it fast and get it done—or take your time and do it right?
I know, we want both (lol), but somehow that’s not always possible. We have deadlines and learning targets to meet and the clock is always ticking. And, if you’re a bit like me, we procrastinate or redirect at times because the laundry is SO much more compelling than whatever is really on the to-do list (lol). This means we sometimes fall short on time to “fully” do whatever it is right even though we check it off the list. Is that okay?
As music teachers we have the opportunity to lead students to bring their best singers, players, listeners, responders, describers, evaluators, you get it—to every artistic situation. We want them to know and be able to do XY and Z for sure, but we also know that developing (and owning) a set of musical skills and knowledge takes time. All of this requires a delicate balance between guiding students toward fast and done and slow and grow.
Fast and Done
In my view, “fast and done” is a fantastic pedagogical approach for students to apply prior learning. Here they can do things like sing a familiar song, produce the interval/melodic pattern with their voice or instrument, create the 4-beat rhythmic ostinato, or play classroom percussion instruments to show beat function, etc. They know what is being asked of them because they have done it before. Further, it’s important to note that it’s more fun for them to participate and engage when they can do what’s being asked. That said, I believe students get inspired, motivated, and excited to sing, play, and move when it feels (and sounds) successful. They want to make music, contribute, and/or lead the way when they feel prepared, ready, and confident. (Just like me, lol!)
Slow and Grow
On the flip side, life itself is 100% slow and grow. Every day is an opportunity to learn something, learn from something, and change. Our skills and abilities strengthen over time and with experience. The more we do, the more we are able to do… This also rings true in school music.
Students begin their artistic journeys in school in PreK or K where they explore simple songs, instrument play, dramatic play, and more. In this context, an artistic foundation is set where students explore sounds they create and external sounds around them—all while learning to make music personally and with others. They also develop a repertoire of songs and begin to form their set of favorites to sing and play.
The earliest musical experiences we provide to students contribute to them attaining their musical potential (i.e., the level of music aptitude they are born with). Like IQ, everyone is born with a level of music aptitude. Our music aptitude is either realized via hearing, responding to, and making music—or not fully realized. Dr. Edwin E. Gordon emphasized the importance of early exposure to music for infants and PreK students in his scholarly writing and Music Learning Theory work. He taught us how early childhood music education is critical in every student’s musical development. The more music students experience in these early years, the greater the opportunity they have to realize their full musical potential.
After these foundational PreK-K years, students build upon artistic experiences as they move through elementary school. By grade 5 they often have the opportunity to perform in vocal and/or instrumental ensembles, take individual instrument lessons, and perform publicly in concerts, assemblies, and shows—all in addition to classroom general music. This is a rich period in a student’s music education.
Once students enter middle school, however; they have established personal musical skills/knowledge, preferences, and tastes. They also have years of music education behind them and are highly impacted by peers and the concepts of belonging socially. All of these things influence student engagement and decision making in music.
Lastly, middle and high school students are often asked to select music as an elective—or to opt out. Here I ask:
How can we best keep students enrolled in school music at the secondary level?
Why are they choosing music—or not?
What would make students of today and tomorrow inspired, engaged, and excited about studying (and making) music throughout their entire educational career (and life)?
Call to Action
Think about how students are asked to show and do in your classroom… Not everything needs to be fast and done. Model lifelong learning for students and share that a slow and grow mindset is also pretty important for musical success (and beyond).
Look at enrollment numbers for music classes at the secondary level in your school district and (honestly) reflect on what types of offerings may yield greater music participation. Ask the school administration to support a pilot of the coolest idea you come up with! I bet you, and the students, will benefit from this new option.
Today’s teaching strategy includes the opportunity for students to pretend to engage in fun summer activities and demonstrate movements to match musical selections. I hope you give it a try with your students. But first, let me remind you who I am:
Hi! I’m Darla, an experienced PK-12 music educator, college professor, and former Berklee College of Music Dean looking to connect with teachers, parents/caregivers, and others seeking to advance creative music making for today’s students—and their teachers. In Darla Hanley’s Music Room you will find teaching strategies, advice and teaching tips, playlists, and more.
Today we are going to listen, move, and use scarves to a song called “Always on My Mind”, but first, I have a question! Since we are so close to the end of the school year and the start of summer break, when you think about summer, what comes to mind?
Lead a discussion toward the responses of tossing and catching a ball with a friend, swimming in a pool, and swinging on a swing in the park.
Now let’s pretend to do some of the summer ideas that came to mind! Demonstrate several, including ways to (slowly) pretend to toss and catch a ball, swim, and swing for students to imitate.
ProTIP: Encourage students to explore new ways to toss/catch, swim, and swing using levels, directions, and non-locomotor/locomotor approaches.
Play the recording of “Summer Breeze” and lead students to perform the movements referenced in the stanzas of “Toss It, Swim, and Swing—Oh Yeah” as a prompt.
ProTIP: Repeat each stanza several times for students to fully explore tossing/catching, swimming, and swinging movements.
Distribute 1 scarf to each student, speak the "Toss It, Swim, and Swing—Oh Yeah” stanzas and lead students to perform movements “following” their scarf with the track.
ProTIP: Adding a manipulative like a scarf often inspires students to move more freely as the focus is not on their bodies moving; rather, it’s on the object.
Now the music is going to be slower! Watch me to see how it goes… Play the recording of “Always on My Mind”, speak the stanzas, and lead students to perform the game with this new track.
ProTIP: Encourage students to move in a sustained and flowing manner to contrast with their previous manner of moving. Think about your scarf moving very slowly and never stopping until the game is over!
Toss It, Swim, and Swing—Oh Yeah
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
Stanza 1
Toss the scarf so way up high
See if it can reach the sky,
Watch it float down to my shoes or
Catch it quick, I get to choose!
Stanza 2
Swimming, splashing in the pool
Feel the water, it’s so cool,
Move my arms and kick my feet
Summer swimming is a treat!
Stanza 3
Swinging, swinging, feel the breeze
Way up high like in the trees,
Hold the ropes and bend my knees
Watch me go just how I please!
Materials/Set Up
Space for Movement
Scarves (1 per student)
🎵 Benjamin Daughtry "Always on My Mind” (2023) Link to Track on Spotify
🎵 Erwin Do, l’eupe, and Soul Food Horns “Summer Breeze” (2025) Link to Track on Spotify
🎵 Maurizio Malagnini and Peter Salem “Summer Is Coming” (2018). Link to Track on Spotify
EXTEND the Learning:
Repeat the “Toss It, Swim, and Swing—Oh Yeah” movement game with “Summer is Coming” by Maurizio Malagnini and Peter Salem (2018).
ProTIP: Continuing to change the music will very likely change how students move… I know it does for me (lol). Repeating the same game with new music makes something familiar suddenly fresh and new!
Learning Targets
Move
Learning Outcomes
Respond with movement to reflect verbal prompt(s)
Create original interpretations
Perform movements with bodies and scarves
Assessment
Informal Observation/Formative Assessment
Thanks for checking this out. If you use this teaching strategy, be sure to leave a comment to let me know how it resonates with your students!