Comments on Pandora.com

Reader Christine comments on my post about Pandora:

I can totally relate to your desire and need to listen to music when one is working physically and mentally. I too grew up listening to music while doing homework in the kitchen and watching the first videos on MTV while doing homework in college. I feel much more relaxed and creative with good tunes playing in the background. When I clean the house, I blast a medley of old punk music on my IPod like the Ramones, Sonic Youth, and the Replacements. When my family is eating dinner or doing quiet work, we are listening to Wilco, the Lemonheads, or Cake. In turn, we have raised our three kids to appreciate all sorts of music, and they too fill their lives with their own music and other artists' music. We remember certain new CD releases when we think about certain road trips and family events. We often think about how empty life would be without song.

I too enjoy playing music during class when students are working on quiet assignments. I will use Pandora more often now based on your suggestions. I have mostly relied on my IPod, but then students spend too much time critiquing my music instead of working. At least with Pandora, it feels less personal, even though certain styles of music play based on the teacher's or students' choices. I am really glad to read your blog, because I second guess my choice to play music while students are working. I don't want to distract students either, so I am sometimes nervous about playing tunes during work. I do, however, play music at the start and end of class. I get a kick out of surprising students with my selection of music, because you see I too am an "old punk rocker."