Music is a helpful tool in teaching youngsters about their country's past triumphs and tragedies. For example, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" illustrates a soldier's jubilant return home after the American Civil War. These lyrics are more effective than history textbooks in imparting the joys and troubles that children's ancestors experienced, according to University of Florida doctoral research. Patriotic songs also reinforce the value of citizenship and its privileges, teacher and counselor Leah Davies writes on the online Teachers.net Gazette.
Children spend less time learning patriotic melodies than earlier generations did, the University of Florida reports. Marilyn Ward completed doctoral research by querying 4,000 music teachers and learned some instructors replace classic songs with pop music. Many teachers suspect their students would stumble over the words to the national anthem. The National Association of Music Education in 2005 launched the National Anthem Project when pollsters discovered two-thirds of Americans cannot remember the lyrics to the "Star Spangled Banner." The project culminated in 2007 as a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of school music programs.
A patriotic tune adds some fun to ordinary history lectures. Reading about the American Revolutionary War gets kicked up a few notches when schoolchildren learn how "Yankee Doodle" was first used by British troops to mock the colonists, but the Americans quickly adopted the song as their own and changed the lyrics to counter-mock the British, according to the Library of Congress website.
Teachers who stage patriotic shows instill a stronger sense of citizenship in students, according to the Teachers.net Gazette. An annual music program encourages students to develop a deeper attachment, respect and appreciation for their national heritage. Some ideas include singing sentimental favorites such as "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America" during school assemblies or community events. In addition to music, some schools invite older citizens to speak to kids about their own patriotic values and experiences.