Mozart: the ultimate deterrent

[Mashinka]

It seems the way to get British kids to behave themselves is the threat of listening to classical music.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8467347.stm

My local bus station also plays the classics to deter the delinquents from loitering and it seems to work.

[PeggyR]

It's hard to know whether to laugh or cry

[dirac]

Hello, Mashinka, and thanks for posting yet another interesting article.

As well as listening to classical music for an hour, pupils also have to watch an educational television show.

For example, they have watched the Story of Maths, programmes from the National Geographic Channel, Chinese School and the World's Strictest Parents.

Whatever works, I guess, although I'd not have considered World's Strictest Parents an "educational" show per se.

[bart]

The Head Teacher is quoted as follows:

"When it's finished, there's no anger or resentment, because it's not a punishment, but pointing out the consequences of their behaviour.

"Hopefully, I open their ears to an experience they don't normally have and it seems many of them don't want to have it again, so it's both educational and acts as a deterrent."

Huh? I hope the rather esoteric distinction between "punishment" and "consequences" isn't lost on these kids. But somehow I doubt it. No matter what the school officials say, this is being publicized -- and will be experienced -- as negative reinforcement.

Perhaps it would be better just to play Mozart and similar classical works in the background while the students work quietly on their homework. Since disruptive kids are often kids who have difficulty with the curriculum, it might not be a bad idea to have a teacher present who can help them with their assignments.

[Alexandra]

They've been doing this in DC for years. Anything Baroque or classical. There's also a nasty racial over/undertone to it here. I first noticed it when the little "news kiosk"/lunch place run by a very sweet Korean couple played Baroque music. I told them it was so nice to hear that. "Gets rid of those black kids who used to hang out here," the man said. "We put that on and they run out the door!" Whether they started the trend, or were riding the crest of a wave I don't know, but I began to notice this happening. and before I get hate emails, OF COURSE many teens, regardless of ethnicity, would react the same way, AND there are undoubtedly thousands of Korean shopowners who happily rap. I'm just telling an anecdote.

[4mrdncr]

The Port Authority bus/42nd St. subway station in NYC has also been doing this for years. Personally, when I've waited 3+ hours for a 4AM bus, it's nice to hear. I don't mind working out to somthing louder, more contemporary, with a beat, but when rushing through city stations, with too many worries in my head, it really does get me to take a minute, relax, and enjoy the music.

I guess you'd have to ask the PA police if it has been a deterrent or not. The PA (likeNYC) is such a mix of races at all times, I haven't noticed any more or less of anyone there--but only see people trying to get from one place to another.

[diane]

I would have thought of "deterrent" more along the lines of "calming the wild animals", as in the Magic Flute.

But, oh, well. -sigh-

I have found that esp. little kids are calmed when played classical music - often just in the background - as opposed to anything else, such as radio-show-with-commercials-and-other-stuff.

It never ever occured to me that someone was really trying to make certain groups of people _go away_ by playing certain music!

I suppose then.. that in some boutiques my patronage is not wanted. ;)

-d-

[Alexandra]

It never ever occured to me that someone was really trying to make certain groups of people _go away_ by playing certain music!

I suppose then.. that in some boutiques my patronage is not wanted. ;)

-d-

For a time, after I had the exchange noted above, I thought it my patriotic duty to avoid any small carryout that played classical music, and then I realized that that was just as silly as what they were doing.

[Helene]

They've been doing this in DC for years. Anything Baroque or classical. There's also a nasty racial over/undertone to it here. I first noticed it when the little "news kiosk"/lunch place run by a very sweet Korean couple played Baroque music. I told them it was so nice to hear that. "Gets rid of those black kids who used to hang out here," the man said. "We put that on and they run out the door!" Whether they started the trend, or were riding the crest of a wave I don't know, but I began to notice this happening. and before I get hate emails, OF COURSE many teens, regardless of ethnicity, would react the same way, AND there are undoubtedly thousands of Korean shopowners who happily rap. I'm just telling an anecdote.

There is a MacDonald's in downtown Seattle that blasted country music out into the street for the same reason.

The guys at the Harvard Coop record department used to change the happy baroque music or romantic symphonies every night 15 minutes before closing to Bartok string quartets, George Crumb, or Schoenberg to clear out the people who would have thumbed through the records indefinitely. It worked like a charm.

[diane]

This is going to have me paying much more attention to even the muzak in many places from now on!

I find that almost any boutique I enter with my daughters (I am a bit old for boutiques) plays loud hip hop or something of the sort. Guess they do not want me or my generation in there, really! ;)

-d-

[PeggyR]

This is going to have me paying much more attention to even the muzak in many places from now on!

I find that almost any boutique I enter with my daughters (I am a bit old for boutiques) plays loud hip hop or something of the sort. Guess they do not want me or my generation in there, really! ;)

-d-

When stores (boutiques, et al) play that loud, hip hop music, I don't think they're trying to keep anyone out (like they're worried about maurauding grannies who'll trash the navel piercing display), but rather, they're tryng to bring a certain audience in. It's unlikely they mind your presence, as long as you've got the credit card!

[4mrdncr]

The guys at the Harvard Coop record department used to change the happy baroque music or romantic symphonies every night 15 minutes before closing to Bartok string quartets, George Crumb, or Schoenberg to clear out the people who would have thumbed through the records indefinitely. It worked like a charm.