Music & Mood: Teaching with Rhythm to Boost Emotional Wellbeing

In a busy classroom, it’s easy to overlook how deeply emotions affect learning. But what if the solution to stress, disengagement, and low energy could be found in a beat?

Welcome to Music & Mood, a creative, hands-on approach that uses rhythm and movement to help students explore emotions, build self-awareness, and regulate mood. Anchored in the performing arts and grounded in social-emotional learning (SEL), this program invites students to connect with themselves and each other through the power of sound.

What Is Music & Mood?

Music & Mood is an interactive rhythm-based program where students use percussion instruments or even their own bodies to express and manage emotions. Through activities like clapping patterns, drumming circles, or movement games, students learn how rhythm can shift their emotional state, promote focus, and relieve stress.

The sessions are guided by experienced facilitators from the Centre of Performing Arts, blending music, dance, and drama with emotional learning in a safe and joyful environment.

The Science Behind Rhythm and Emotion

Why does rhythm affect how we feel? It all starts in the brain.

• Rhythmic patterns stimulate brain activity linked to emotion regulation and memory

• Drumming helps lower cortisol levels, which reduces anxiety and improves mood

• Moving to a beat strengthens the body-mind connection, enhancing focus and coordination

  
  

What may seem like play is actually a powerful brain-based strategy that helps students manage big feelings, reset their energy, and connect meaningfully with peers.

More Than Music: Curriculum Links Across Subjects

While the heart of Music & Mood is emotional well-being, its impact extends across multiple disciplines:

• Math: Students recognize patterns, sequences, and timing

• Science: They explore the physics of sound, vibration, and acoustic energy

• Language Arts: Rhythm and lyrics support memory, storytelling, and communication

• Physical Education: Movement and rhythm activities improve motor skills and coordination

  
  

Teachers can easily connect Music & Mood to lesson plans or enrichment sessions. It works well across subjects and learning styles.

SEL in Action: Benefits for Students and Teachers

Counselors and teachers quickly notice how rhythm-based activities support key SEL outcomes:

• Self-regulation: Repetitive rhythms help students calm themselves and find emotional balance

• Stress relief: Drumming and movement offer natural, healthy outlets for tension

• Bonding and empathy: Group rhythm sessions encourage listening, cooperation, and mutual support

• Expression without words: Music gives students a safe way to process and express emotions they might not be able to verbalize

  
  

Whether used during class, in counseling groups, or as part of arts programming, Music & Mood brings emotional learning to life in an accessible and engaging way.

Who Is It For?

This program is a great fit for:

• Primary and secondary students of all learning levels

• School counselors looking for creative, trauma-sensitive SEL strategies

• Performing arts educators who want to connect music with emotional depth

• Classroom teachers seeking to integrate wellness and creativity into their routines

  
  

No prior musical training is needed. Everyone has rhythm, and every student can benefit.

Ready to Strike the Right Chord?

Music & Mood is more than just music. It builds confidence, emotional resilience, and stronger classroom connections. Students don’t just play instruments. They play with purpose.

Strike the right chord and sign up for Music & Mood. Boost student wellbeing through rhythm and bring energy, expression, and joy to your learning environment.