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Solders march to the beat, athletes exercise with music, and people united in a
cause sing. Music, an integral part of human life, is often overlooked as a tool for
improving human performance. In this era of “better, faster, cheaper,” trainers,
educators and presenters are looking for new, innovative approaches that help
learning interventions succeed. Music is one such approach.

The connection between music and individuals is primitive and deep, providing a
level of communication that transcends language. (Music may in fact be the original
language.) Music, when systematically applied, calms frayed nerves, helps people
focus, encourages receptivity to new ideas, accelerates learning, and improves the
performance of individuals. Here are some music application ideas.

Music Helps Learners Focus
Background music during learning discussions and solo reflection activities can be
especially helpful. It creates a sense of privacy for small group discussion, making
conversations more satisfying and your learners more likely to say what they feel;
enters into memory and aids recall; and masks ambient noise from other groups.
The steady tones and tempos of Baroque music make it ideal for this purpose. Much
of it was in fact composed as background music for kings, emperors, and other
dignitaries.

Music Changes Energy Levels
Music can change the dynamic of your learning environment at appropriate
moments, encouraging people to move about, relax, calm down, or get excited,
depending on the needs of your session. After intense concentration, play faster
music in a major key to encourage better moods. After heated discussion, play slow,
minor-key music with low-rhythmic activity to calm your learners down. After a
depressing, worrisome discussion, play major-key music with high-rhythmic activity
and short, quick notes to create a happy mood.

Music Creates a Positive Learning Environment
Providing pleasant emotional content to your learners will establish a link between
you, your classroom, and the learners’ pleasure. Music reaches deep into the brain’s
limbic system, and creates pleasant emotions. Learners who walk into your
classroom and immediately feel comfortable because of the music you play will be
engaged to learn.

Music is not a replacement for effective content, nor is it the only resource available.
Rather, music is one more tool effective trainers should have at their disposal.
Music, by its very familiarity, does not draw attention to itself. Instead it works much
as coffee comforts the morning, popcorn anticipates the movie, and baking bread
remembers home; it awakens the recesses of your learners’ minds and calls the
emotion to attention. Trainers, educators and presenters who harness the teaching
power of music find that training does indeed have a beat!

Visit Lenn on line at www.offbeattraining.com.
Blog with Lenn at http://offbeat-online.blogspot.com.

Lenn Millbower, BM, MA, the Learnertainment

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Nominated for 13 Emmys and 8 Golden Globes, The Jeffersons was a groundbreaking situation comedy that was not only utterly hilarious, but also explored the controversial social issues of its day. Premiering in mid-season 1975, the show was a spin-off of the #1 hit series All In The Family, where main characters George and Louise were the next-door neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker. During its nine-season run, The Jeffersons spent all but its last season as a Top 25 Nielsen rated show. One of the first sitcoms to center exclusively around the lives of African-Americans, The Jeffersons most likely featured television’s first interracial married couple in Tom and Helen Willis. It was this fearless attempt to push the boundaries of the status quo that made the show one of the funniest of its time as well as a valuable resource for American race relations

The Jeffersons follows the lives of George (Sherman Hemsley) and Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford), a middle-aged African-American couple who own a string of successful dry cleaning stores. The windfall generated by their business paves the way for George and Louise to “move on up” into an exclusive Park Avenue apartment. The series is made by Hemsley’s portrayal of the stubborn and greedy, yet quite lovable, character of George whose sarcasm and antics are only equaled by the Jeffersons’ quick witted live-in maid Florence (Marla Gibbs). A supporting cast composed of omni-present neighbors Tom (Franklin Cover) and Helen Willis (Roxie Roker), the ever-polite Bentley (Paul Benedict), and a tip-grubbing doorman named Ralph (Ned Wertimer) provide for endless sources of irritation and annoyance for George. Throw in George’s mother (Zara Cully) and her constant insults of Louise, and The Jeffersons becomes one of the best-written humorous shows of its time

The Jeffersons (Season 2) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere “A Dinner for Harry” in which the Jeffersons plan a birthday party for their neighbor Harry Bentley, but the party turns sour when Tom Willis shows up wearing the same jacket as George. Meanwhile, Helen tries to conceal from Tom that she was mugged because he’s already considering leaving New York Other notable episodes from Season 2 include “Mother Jefferson’s Fall” in which, in a play for attention, George’s mother proves to be an even greater burden on Louise than normal, and “George’s Best Friend” in which George’s old Navy pal Wendell (Louis Gossett, Jr.) pays a visit only to end up incessantly hitting on Louise

Below is a list of episodes included on The Jeffersons (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 14 (A Dinner for Harry) Air Date: 09-13-1975
Episode 15 (George’s First Vacation) Air Date: 09-20-1975
Episode 16 (Louise’s Daughter) Air Date: 09-27-1975
Episode 17 (Harry and Daphne) Air Date: 10-04-1975
Episode 18 (Mother Jefferson’s Fall) Air Date: 10-11-1975
Episode 19 (Jefferson vs. Jefferson) Air Date: 10-18-1975
Episode 20 (Uncle Bertram) Air Date: 10-25-1975
Episode 21 (Movin’ On Down) Air Date: 11-01-1975
Episode 22 (George Won’t Talk) Air Date: 11-08-1975
Episode 23 (Jenny’s Grandparents) Air Date: 11-15-1975
Episode 24 (George’s Best Friend) Air Date: 11-22-1975
Episode 25 (George and the Manager) Air Date: 11-29-1975
Episode 26 (George’s Alibi) Air Date: 12-06-1975
Episode 27 (Lunch with Mama) Air Date: 12-13-1975
Episode 28 (George vs. Wall Street) Air Date: 12-20-1975
Episode 29 (The Breakup: Part 1) Air Date: 01-03-1976
Episode 30 (The Breakup: Part 2) Air Date: 01-10-1976
Episode 31 (Florence’s Problem) Air Date: 01-24-1976
Episode 32 (Mother Jefferson’s Birthday) Air Date: 01-31-1976
Episode 33 (Louise’s Cookbook) Air Date: 02-07-1976
Episode 34 (George Meets Whittendale) Air Date: 02-14-1976
Episode 35 (Lionel’s Problem) Air Date: 02-21-1976
Episode 36 (Tennis, Anyone?) Air Date: 02-28-1976
Episode 37 (The Wedding) Air Date: 03-06-1976

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of The Jeffersons (Season 2) DVD.

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One of the greatest television comedies in history, Cheers is an absolute must see for anyone who’s ever had a regular hangout “where everybody knows your name”. The shows centers itself around the friendly neighborhood Boston bar named Cheers. The bar is owned by former Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Sam Malone (Ted Danson). Sam has three employees - bartender Ernie “Coach” Pantusso (Nicholas Colasanto) and waitresses Carla Tortelli (Rhea Pearlman) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). Season 3 witnesses the edition of popular cast member Kelsey Grammar as Dr. Frasier Crane (who would later spawn his own series spin-off, Frasier). Regular barflies Norm Peterson (George Wendt) and Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) round out a strong supporting cast.

The Cheers (Season 3) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes and begins the ascent of Dr. Frasier Crane, imminent psychologist, as a television icon. Notably, Dr. Crane’s stint on Cheers was originally intended to last for only a few episodes until his character became a regular cast member (similar to John Ratzenberger’s ascent on the show). Michael Richards (Kramer from the hit show Seinfeld) makes a notable guest appearance in episode # 62. Following her breakup with Sam and abandonment of Cheers, Diane returns to the bar at the request of Coach who feels it will help Sam end his problem drinking. The Sam-Diane-Frasier love triangle lasts for the entirety of the season, culminating in the final episode where Frasier proposes to Diane while the two are on a trip across the European continent

Below is a list of episodes included on the Cheers (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 45 (Rebound: Part 1) Air Date: 09-27-1984
Episode 46 (Rebound: Part 2) Air Date: 10-04-1984
Episode 47 (I Call Your Name) Air Date: 10-18-1984
Episode 48 (Fairy Tales Can Come True) Air Date: 10-25-1984
Episode 49 (Sam Turns the Other Cheek) Air Date: 11-01-1984
Episode 50 (Coach in Love: Part 1) Air Date: 11-08-1984
Episode 51 (Coach in Love: Part 2) Air Date: 11-15-1984
Episode 52 (Diane Meets Mom) Air Date: 11-22-1984
Episode 53 (An American Family) Air Date: 11-29-1984
Episode 54 (Diane’s Allergy) Air Date: 12-06-1984
Episode 55 (Peterson Crusoe) Air Date: 12-13-1984
Episode 56 (A Ditch in Time) Air Date: 12-20-1984
Episode 57 (Whodunit?) Air Date: 01-03-1985
Episode 58 (The Heart is a Lonely Snipe Hunter) Air Date: 01-10-1985
Episode 59 (King of the Hill) Air Date: 01-24-1985
Episode 60 (Teacher’s Pet) Air Date: 01-31-1985
Episode 61 (The Mail Goes to Jail) Air Date: 02-07-1985
Episode 62 (Bar Bet) Air Date: 02-14-1985
Episode 63 (Behind Every Great Man) Air Date: 02-21-1985
Episode 64 (If Ever I Would Leave You) Air Date: 02-28-1985
Episode 65 (The Executive’s Executioner) Air Date: 03-07-1985
Episode 66 (Cheerio, Cheers) Air Date: 04-11-1985
Episode 67 (The Bartender’s Tale) Air Date: 04-18-1985
Episode 68 (The Belles of St. Clete’s) Air Date: 05-02-1985
Episode 69 (Rescue Me) Air Date: 05-09-1985

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Cheers (Season 3) DVD.

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