Elementary school music teacher uses parodies of popular songs to push students to read

By Breana Ross

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    PARKVILLE, Maryland (WBAL) — A Baltimore County teacher is using a creative way to help kids learn about music and the importance of reading.

Justin Pugh, a teacher of 26 years, became a music teacher three years ago. Before then, he always found a way to incorporate music into his lessons.

“I would always bring in my guitar to play songs for my students to help them remember facts. When the music teacher position opened at Pine Grove Elementary, I wanted that position because I knew I could really change the way students felt about music,” Pugh said.

Pugh has transformed the music program at Pine Grove by remixing popular songs to help kids fall in love with music and reading.

“I want them to understand all of the joys that you can get out of reading and going to the library, and you can become anything you want to be by diving into that book and choosing your own adventure,” said Pugh. “We are not going to necessarily rock ‘n’ roll all night and party every day. We are going to read a book all night and get smarter every day.”

Pugh has remixed a long list of songs, from Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” to “Tomorrow” from “Annie.”

“We did a lot of Green Day songs, so instead of ‘When I Come Around,’ it’s ‘When You Go and Read.’ Instead of ‘American Idiot,’ we did ‘American Literate,'” Pugh said.

Students also get a chance to perform at the much-anticipated fifth grade rock-and-roll concert each school year.

“We want it to be something that goes beyond just the average chorus concert that you see in elementary schools,” Pugh said. “I like to see that they are excited about performances and putting on a rock show the way the rock stars do at the big shows,” Pugh said.

Pugh has even made some CDs out of the songs with students.

“There are always special effects that he does,” said Lucie Caplan, a fifth grader at the school. “There are always lights. There are always tennis balls flying around. There are giant balloons everywhere. There are bubbles.”

The concerts and the songs make music class something students look forward to.

“I’ve been at three different schools, and no teacher was like this,” said Pine Grove fifth grader Suri Turner. “He really makes learning music really fun.”

By making music fun, Pugh hopes students will want music to be a part of their future.

“What I would really love is for my students to be the next influential musicians for the next generation, whether it be while they are in fifth grade and influencing the upcoming students, or as they get older if they choose to play an instrument themselves or be in a band and influence the next generation of musicians,” said Pugh.

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