After completing all of the readings, I felt drawn to incorporating popular music into my classroom to explore history through literature. I teach To Kill a Mockingbird and thought I would start with trying to find ideas specific to this novel. I found a website called Lit Tunes, which seems to focus on popular music in regards to literature and writing. This site had several great lessons and one was specifically for To Kill a Mockingbird.
http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lp019/lp019_text/grnbklp_prnt.pdf
It addressed four specific themes that are prevalent in the novel: social inequality, political inequality, moral character, and the loss of childhood innocence. A list of songs for each of the themes was provided to be incorporated in the classroom. Students could be divided into groups to listen to various songs and then determine which theme of the novel their song aligned with. Additionally, they could determine the connection that song had with the novel. There were four different approaches to implementing this lesson into the classroom.
As I continued to look at this site, I come across several other lessons that would be potential options to use in incorporating popular music into the classroom. One was to create “The Soundtrack of Your Life”http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lp019/lp01_soundtrack.html.
This lesson was to identify eight significant moments in your life and find music that corresponds to these different events. The result would be a personal narrative with a sound track. It was also suggested to create a soundtrack for a novel. Both would have to be monitored for school-appropriate songs.
The last lesson that I thought looked interesting was using popular music lyrics to identify literary terms http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lp019/lp06_litterm.html. This lesson had specific examples of popular music that students had to listen to while trying to identify literary terms. The focus was on poetry and figurative language. Students then had the opportunity to find music with further examples of the different literary terms.
I was very impressed with this website and felt that it had a lot of valuable material to help incorporate popular music into the classroom. For me, the hardest part of incorporating popular music is finding popular music that has the message I want to connect to specific literature or writing. I found the song lists to be very helpful in this process.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Research on Teaching Popular Music in the Classroom
I found several articles to that could prove to be helpful resources when it comes to incorporating popular music in to the classroom. I initially searched for ways to use popular music in the classroom. Then I narrowed my search to using popular music teach English. However, the majority of the articles that surfaced were regarding teaching English as a language. There were a few that focused on teaching grammar as well. I then changed my search to using popular music to teach literature. This resulted in a few strong sites as well.
Popular Music in the Classroom: Teaching Race, Class, and Gender with Popular Culture by Theresa A. Martinez
http://www.jstor.org.floyd.lib.umn.edu/stable/pdfplus/1319141.pdf
I originally found this in my search but only the first page was available. I then search the UMN library system for the article in its entirety. I thought that it was an excellent article. Martinez gives examples of songs and lyrics that could be used in the classroom to address a variety of topics including child abuse, prejudice/discrimination, race, class, gender, etc. She explains that her objective is to stimulate discussion with her students and the song lyrics provide a great springboard. The music examples she provides definitely seemed geared towards the older grades.
The Give and Take between Song Lyrics and Canonical Text Helps Students Read and Appreciate Classic Literary Works by Christian Z. Goering
http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_rsrch.html
This link takes you to a research article in a great website called Lit Tunes. I will reference this site more when I take about potential lesson plans. The article discusses that using popular music in the classroom can enhance reading and the understanding of literature. That we as educators are constantly trying to reach and connect with our students and that they are “increasingly disengaged.” Popular music is considered an avenue to peak their interest, so they can make connections between music and literature. Music can be use to introduce a unit as a “pre-reading” activity or it can be embedded into the unit. Goering states:
“I am not suggesting that we replace traditional texts with contemporary music and popular music in the secondary English classroom. What I am suggesting is that we pair pieces of classic literature with contemporary music, allowing some of the natural, thematic connections to come to the surface and allowing our students to see these connections and their relevance to their own lives.”
This site had several units and lessons available that embedded popular music into the heart of the lesson.
Pop Songs in the Classroom by David Mower
http://www.pearsonlongman.com/opportunities/pdfs/pop_songs.pdf
This was a more general article giving some basic examples for incorporating music into a classroom. He gave an example to use for grammar, which could be interesting. He suggested using the lyrics of a song and leaving gaps in the song. The students would have to fill the gaps with the correct verb tense or prepositions. However, this article was more focused on teaching English as a language.
Popular Music in the Classroom: Teaching Race, Class, and Gender with Popular Culture by Theresa A. Martinez
http://www.jstor.org.floyd.lib.umn.edu/stable/pdfplus/1319141.pdf
I originally found this in my search but only the first page was available. I then search the UMN library system for the article in its entirety. I thought that it was an excellent article. Martinez gives examples of songs and lyrics that could be used in the classroom to address a variety of topics including child abuse, prejudice/discrimination, race, class, gender, etc. She explains that her objective is to stimulate discussion with her students and the song lyrics provide a great springboard. The music examples she provides definitely seemed geared towards the older grades.
The Give and Take between Song Lyrics and Canonical Text Helps Students Read and Appreciate Classic Literary Works by Christian Z. Goering
http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_rsrch.html
This link takes you to a research article in a great website called Lit Tunes. I will reference this site more when I take about potential lesson plans. The article discusses that using popular music in the classroom can enhance reading and the understanding of literature. That we as educators are constantly trying to reach and connect with our students and that they are “increasingly disengaged.” Popular music is considered an avenue to peak their interest, so they can make connections between music and literature. Music can be use to introduce a unit as a “pre-reading” activity or it can be embedded into the unit. Goering states:
“I am not suggesting that we replace traditional texts with contemporary music and popular music in the secondary English classroom. What I am suggesting is that we pair pieces of classic literature with contemporary music, allowing some of the natural, thematic connections to come to the surface and allowing our students to see these connections and their relevance to their own lives.”
This site had several units and lessons available that embedded popular music into the heart of the lesson.
Pop Songs in the Classroom by David Mower
http://www.pearsonlongman.com/opportunities/pdfs/pop_songs.pdf
This was a more general article giving some basic examples for incorporating music into a classroom. He gave an example to use for grammar, which could be interesting. He suggested using the lyrics of a song and leaving gaps in the song. The students would have to fill the gaps with the correct verb tense or prepositions. However, this article was more focused on teaching English as a language.
Popular Music in the 1970s and 1980s
After reading the two chapters in Rockin’ Out: Popular Music in the USA by Reebee Garofalo, I was drawn to the topic of racism throughout the music industry and its effects on music trends.
I have always enjoyed listening to many different genres of music and I usually am attracted to the tune before I know or comprehend the meaning of the words. I also have been completely unaware of all the political implications the different music genres carry with them. It was amazing to learn that much of our country’s history has been embedded in the popular music of the times; specifically, that the racist and sexist trends our history contains were being mirrored in the music industry.
The clashing genres of popular music started with the onset of punk and disco. They both had distinct differences but shared similar struggles. For example, both were not welcomed to radio initially. According to Garofalo, “Critics decried disco as escapist and embraced punk as a political statement.” The leaders of the punk trend were the Sex Pistols and The Clash. These and other punk groups continued to be in the hot seat of controversy. In 1977 The Sex Pistols, a British group, intended to release a record called “God Save the Queen.” The song was accused of “uncovering the cracks” in the British government. As a group without an album, they made openly touring difficult for themselves. As the punk trend continued, many of these groups felt inspired by the shock value they could create. They started outwardly displaying symbols of controversy such as the swastika sign. Additional, songs such as “Final Solution” or “Belsen Was a Gas” were released. Creating further controversy, anti-black songs such as “Rock and Roll Nigger” and “White Riot” entered the punk music scene.
With the development of Rock Against Racism (RAR), the merging of the music industry began to take place. RAR “packaged black and white acts together” to make an anti-racist statement. The events “paired reggae groups with punk bands.” The trouble arose when the skinheads, a group of punk followers, attended these events and behaved destructively.
Eventually, disco broke into the mainstream music industry. Many big musical names entered the disco genre, such as the Bee Gees, but again racial difficulties arose. Garofalo states:
"In a given week as many as forty of Billboard’s Hot 100 were disco releases. With the market saturated to this degree, there was bound to be backlash, and given disco’s particular history, it was bound to have racial overtones."
This break-through posed a challenge for disco artists considering several FM radio stations were simultaneously running “anti-disco campaigns.” Robert Hilburn is quoted in Garofalo’s book saying:
"Rock-oriented radio stations could have educated this young audience on the historical link between rock and black music by programming classic Motown-Stax-Hendrix tracks or rock-oriented tracks by such contemporary black stars as Stevie Wonder, Prince, Donna Summers, and Rick James. Eager to be culturally in tune with their listenership, however, the stations carelessly picked up on the anti-disco sentiment and fell into racist programming policies: They simply stopped playing all black records."
These racial trends continued into the 1980s. Music videos became a new phenomenon with the introduction of MTV. However, MTV favored British artists and refused the airing of videos by African Americans. Rumors circulated that MTV was racist as they further refused to air Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” videos. Finally, after being threatened by CBS they aired Michael Jackson’s videos, making him the first African American to be on MTV. I find this extremely interesting because I have vivid memories of listening to Casey Kasem’s Top 40’s when Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” carried the number one slot for several consecutive weeks. I definitely was a fan while never being aware of the controversies, which were underway.
Jackson started a wave of successful African American artists, including Prince, Lionel Richie, and Whitney Houston. This was followed by several efforts to unite the races. Many artists released “well-calculated cross-racial ethnic duets.” The “ultimate crossover recording” was “We Are the World.” Additionally, Charity Rock events became a growing movement. Some included Live Aid, United Support of Artists for Africa, and the Human Rights Now! Tour.
As a junior high English teacher, I teach a literature unit on the Holocaust and the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Both of these units, clearly, position themselves in two very controversial times in our history. Therefore, I wonder if popular music could be a teaching tool to introduce these topics and to explore the themes presented throughout these units.
With the Holocaust taking place between 1942-1945, it is hard to understand that there were politically charged music groups in the late 1970s displaying swastikas and recording songs called “The Final Solution” or “Belsen Was a Gas.” However, I think that students too often assume that these stereotypes are behind us and possibly could learn from these popular music trends. This especially holds true for To Kill a Mockingbird. The racial issues are considered at a peak during this time and it is surprising to learn that similar racial issues continued into the 1980’s with MTV’s refusal to air Michael Jackson’s music.
Additionally, I mentioned that, for me, the tune of a song always takes precedence over the lyrics, but I think that exploring the lyrics of popular music could educate students on their understanding of these periods in history.
Music will always reveal the dysfunctions in our society at any given time in history, whether it is emphasizing racism, sexism, wartime, etc. It is almost as if music is the time-line of our history. As we wade back through the music trends, we reveal history in the making. Allowing students to explore history and historical literature through this medium allows them to connect with the music they listen to while becoming aware of the messages the music possesses.
References
Garofalo, Reebee. Rockin’Out: Popular Music in the USA, 2nd edition. Prentice Hall, 2002.
I have always enjoyed listening to many different genres of music and I usually am attracted to the tune before I know or comprehend the meaning of the words. I also have been completely unaware of all the political implications the different music genres carry with them. It was amazing to learn that much of our country’s history has been embedded in the popular music of the times; specifically, that the racist and sexist trends our history contains were being mirrored in the music industry.
The clashing genres of popular music started with the onset of punk and disco. They both had distinct differences but shared similar struggles. For example, both were not welcomed to radio initially. According to Garofalo, “Critics decried disco as escapist and embraced punk as a political statement.” The leaders of the punk trend were the Sex Pistols and The Clash. These and other punk groups continued to be in the hot seat of controversy. In 1977 The Sex Pistols, a British group, intended to release a record called “God Save the Queen.” The song was accused of “uncovering the cracks” in the British government. As a group without an album, they made openly touring difficult for themselves. As the punk trend continued, many of these groups felt inspired by the shock value they could create. They started outwardly displaying symbols of controversy such as the swastika sign. Additional, songs such as “Final Solution” or “Belsen Was a Gas” were released. Creating further controversy, anti-black songs such as “Rock and Roll Nigger” and “White Riot” entered the punk music scene.
With the development of Rock Against Racism (RAR), the merging of the music industry began to take place. RAR “packaged black and white acts together” to make an anti-racist statement. The events “paired reggae groups with punk bands.” The trouble arose when the skinheads, a group of punk followers, attended these events and behaved destructively.
Eventually, disco broke into the mainstream music industry. Many big musical names entered the disco genre, such as the Bee Gees, but again racial difficulties arose. Garofalo states:
"In a given week as many as forty of Billboard’s Hot 100 were disco releases. With the market saturated to this degree, there was bound to be backlash, and given disco’s particular history, it was bound to have racial overtones."
This break-through posed a challenge for disco artists considering several FM radio stations were simultaneously running “anti-disco campaigns.” Robert Hilburn is quoted in Garofalo’s book saying:
"Rock-oriented radio stations could have educated this young audience on the historical link between rock and black music by programming classic Motown-Stax-Hendrix tracks or rock-oriented tracks by such contemporary black stars as Stevie Wonder, Prince, Donna Summers, and Rick James. Eager to be culturally in tune with their listenership, however, the stations carelessly picked up on the anti-disco sentiment and fell into racist programming policies: They simply stopped playing all black records."
These racial trends continued into the 1980s. Music videos became a new phenomenon with the introduction of MTV. However, MTV favored British artists and refused the airing of videos by African Americans. Rumors circulated that MTV was racist as they further refused to air Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” videos. Finally, after being threatened by CBS they aired Michael Jackson’s videos, making him the first African American to be on MTV. I find this extremely interesting because I have vivid memories of listening to Casey Kasem’s Top 40’s when Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” carried the number one slot for several consecutive weeks. I definitely was a fan while never being aware of the controversies, which were underway.
Jackson started a wave of successful African American artists, including Prince, Lionel Richie, and Whitney Houston. This was followed by several efforts to unite the races. Many artists released “well-calculated cross-racial ethnic duets.” The “ultimate crossover recording” was “We Are the World.” Additionally, Charity Rock events became a growing movement. Some included Live Aid, United Support of Artists for Africa, and the Human Rights Now! Tour.
As a junior high English teacher, I teach a literature unit on the Holocaust and the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Both of these units, clearly, position themselves in two very controversial times in our history. Therefore, I wonder if popular music could be a teaching tool to introduce these topics and to explore the themes presented throughout these units.
With the Holocaust taking place between 1942-1945, it is hard to understand that there were politically charged music groups in the late 1970s displaying swastikas and recording songs called “The Final Solution” or “Belsen Was a Gas.” However, I think that students too often assume that these stereotypes are behind us and possibly could learn from these popular music trends. This especially holds true for To Kill a Mockingbird. The racial issues are considered at a peak during this time and it is surprising to learn that similar racial issues continued into the 1980’s with MTV’s refusal to air Michael Jackson’s music.
Additionally, I mentioned that, for me, the tune of a song always takes precedence over the lyrics, but I think that exploring the lyrics of popular music could educate students on their understanding of these periods in history.
Music will always reveal the dysfunctions in our society at any given time in history, whether it is emphasizing racism, sexism, wartime, etc. It is almost as if music is the time-line of our history. As we wade back through the music trends, we reveal history in the making. Allowing students to explore history and historical literature through this medium allows them to connect with the music they listen to while becoming aware of the messages the music possesses.
References
Garofalo, Reebee. Rockin’Out: Popular Music in the USA, 2nd edition. Prentice Hall, 2002.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Three Very Different Music Videos
After viewing the videos by Leslie Gore, Fiona Apple, and Lil’ Kim, I was immediately aware of our changing society. It was evident that the image of women in our society has changed drastically over the years.
Leslie Gore
As the video “It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To” began, I was immediately struck by Leslie Gore’s conservative dress. Her shirt is up around her neck and she is wearing a blazer over the top of it. The stage is full of others dancing, giving it the feeling of a party. She is singing about the fact that her boyfriend left with Judy, another woman. She is singing in a “matter of fact” tone. She is helpless in the situation and she won’t enjoy herself without John. Although the lyrics continue to repeat, “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to,” she isn’t portrayed as being emotional. Her eyes are dry and she is almost smiling throughout the song.
Fiona Apple
This video is very different from the last. In “Criminal” Fiona Apple is viewed as a confused girl who has done something very wrong. When the video begins, the viewer sees her as a seductive woman who is taking advantage of someone. However, there are several references throughout the video of her being a confused adolescent. There is a stuffed animal that is shown a few different times and at one point, she is shown curled up in the closet, wearing long braids. Some of her physical actions also seem juvenile. For example, she is chewing on her hand like a child in one scene. The video has a mysterious quality that leaves the viewer confused about the message. However, I felt that the video made more sense after reading the critique. In contrast to the first video, she is portrayed as insecure and scared. She isn’t portrayed as having power considering when the man appears in the video it is contrasted with her in an insecure adolescent role.
Additionally, her video also has sexual overtones that were absent in the previous video. In both videos, we can assume that cheating took place. The Gore video alludes to handholding whereas in the Fiona Apple video, she is shown zipping up her pants.
Lil’Kim
This video absolutely blew my mind. It was an extreme change from the previous two videos. I had to watch it a few times to fully understand the message. After the first scene where they were assembling a mannequin, I thought that it would reference how everyone was the same. I then forgot that part as the video continued to unfold. My initial impression was the Lil’Kim was being portrayed as a strong woman who got what she wanted. In this case, sex. She seemed very in control, confident, and not ashamed of her actions. That is a contrast to Fiona Apple’s video. As the end approached and revealed that she was three different sexual adventures, I realized that the mannequin in the beginning was her being constructed to please …men. Now, I question if she is being portrayed as strong or weak.
I have to admit that I am not a music buff and I was not familiar with the names of these performing artists. I immediately knew and could sing along with Leslie Gore and Fiona Apple. The Lil’ Kim song was completely unknown to me. I realize that I recognize Fiona Apple because she was popular in my college years; however, I wasn’t even alive when “It’s My Party” was released and I definitely was too young to remember when it was popular. However, I have several memories of dancing to this song at different parties throughout my life.
When we study popular music, we are referencing music that is popular during specific periods in time. However, what makes a song become a classic? I would guess that in 30 years people will still be sing Leslie Gore’s song, but Fiona Apple and Lil’Kim will not even be a vague memory. I think that the sex appeal sells in the short run, and artists think that it is the best way to reach the top. However, the quality of the music and the talent of the artist is truly were the success lies.
Lastly, with the topic of this course being “Popular Music in Classroom”, I couldn’t help but consider classroom use after viewing the videos. Fiona Apple and Lil’ Kim do not belong in the classroom, nor do they provide an educational message for students. How do educators incorporate music into their classrooms and engage students when our adolescents have access to these inappropriate videos that they find more entertaining.
Overall, the three videos clearly depict a transition in how women have been portrayed throughout the years. The thing that I find ironic is that women don’t appreciate how they are perceived in the media and in commercials, however, women create these video images for the world to see and interpret negatively.
Leslie Gore
As the video “It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To” began, I was immediately struck by Leslie Gore’s conservative dress. Her shirt is up around her neck and she is wearing a blazer over the top of it. The stage is full of others dancing, giving it the feeling of a party. She is singing about the fact that her boyfriend left with Judy, another woman. She is singing in a “matter of fact” tone. She is helpless in the situation and she won’t enjoy herself without John. Although the lyrics continue to repeat, “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to,” she isn’t portrayed as being emotional. Her eyes are dry and she is almost smiling throughout the song.
Fiona Apple
This video is very different from the last. In “Criminal” Fiona Apple is viewed as a confused girl who has done something very wrong. When the video begins, the viewer sees her as a seductive woman who is taking advantage of someone. However, there are several references throughout the video of her being a confused adolescent. There is a stuffed animal that is shown a few different times and at one point, she is shown curled up in the closet, wearing long braids. Some of her physical actions also seem juvenile. For example, she is chewing on her hand like a child in one scene. The video has a mysterious quality that leaves the viewer confused about the message. However, I felt that the video made more sense after reading the critique. In contrast to the first video, she is portrayed as insecure and scared. She isn’t portrayed as having power considering when the man appears in the video it is contrasted with her in an insecure adolescent role.
Additionally, her video also has sexual overtones that were absent in the previous video. In both videos, we can assume that cheating took place. The Gore video alludes to handholding whereas in the Fiona Apple video, she is shown zipping up her pants.
Lil’Kim
This video absolutely blew my mind. It was an extreme change from the previous two videos. I had to watch it a few times to fully understand the message. After the first scene where they were assembling a mannequin, I thought that it would reference how everyone was the same. I then forgot that part as the video continued to unfold. My initial impression was the Lil’Kim was being portrayed as a strong woman who got what she wanted. In this case, sex. She seemed very in control, confident, and not ashamed of her actions. That is a contrast to Fiona Apple’s video. As the end approached and revealed that she was three different sexual adventures, I realized that the mannequin in the beginning was her being constructed to please …men. Now, I question if she is being portrayed as strong or weak.
I have to admit that I am not a music buff and I was not familiar with the names of these performing artists. I immediately knew and could sing along with Leslie Gore and Fiona Apple. The Lil’ Kim song was completely unknown to me. I realize that I recognize Fiona Apple because she was popular in my college years; however, I wasn’t even alive when “It’s My Party” was released and I definitely was too young to remember when it was popular. However, I have several memories of dancing to this song at different parties throughout my life.
When we study popular music, we are referencing music that is popular during specific periods in time. However, what makes a song become a classic? I would guess that in 30 years people will still be sing Leslie Gore’s song, but Fiona Apple and Lil’Kim will not even be a vague memory. I think that the sex appeal sells in the short run, and artists think that it is the best way to reach the top. However, the quality of the music and the talent of the artist is truly were the success lies.
Lastly, with the topic of this course being “Popular Music in Classroom”, I couldn’t help but consider classroom use after viewing the videos. Fiona Apple and Lil’ Kim do not belong in the classroom, nor do they provide an educational message for students. How do educators incorporate music into their classrooms and engage students when our adolescents have access to these inappropriate videos that they find more entertaining.
Overall, the three videos clearly depict a transition in how women have been portrayed throughout the years. The thing that I find ironic is that women don’t appreciate how they are perceived in the media and in commercials, however, women create these video images for the world to see and interpret negatively.
Why Teach Popular Music in the Classroom?
Rationale to principal for teaching popular music in my classroom
Why teach popular music and culture in our classrooms? In our rapidly changing world, we as educators need to change how we approach teaching the “basic skills” of our curriculum. With our changing students, we as educators need to strive to connect with our teens and provide them these “basics” using their language.
The “basic skills” that teachers strive to provide their students with each year haven’t changed, but the way we deliver these skills has to continue to change as we move through the 21st century. Using popular music in the classroom creates an opportunity for teachers to connect with students while fostering their learning. Popular music and culture should not be taught as a stand-alone subject, but rather should be incorporated to enhance the curriculum.
As a language arts teacher, there are several opportunities to incorporate popular music into the classroom. For example, students can analyze popular music looking for figurative language or other literary devices. They can then compare the similarities they find between traditional poetry and their popular music. Another opportunity is to use popular music to look at historical trends. My classroom just completed a unit on To Kill a Mockingbird, which looks at the issues of race, gender, and other prejudices taking place in the South at that time. To be able to compare that with the fact that MTV didn’t air a video by an African American until the mid 80’s allows students to understand that some of these prejudices weren’t just a thing of the past.
Popular music can also enhance the study of social studies. Throughout history, music was written to portray a specific time in society. Many lyrics reflect wartime struggles or economic trends. Using popular music throughout the eras to connect these trends to the study of history gives students a deeper understanding of our history. Many pieces of literature that are in our curriculum are grounded in a specific period of history. The use of popular music from that time will allow student to have a deeper understanding of their history.
Lastly, popular music could be used as the basis of a persuasive argument. According to Graff, the author of “Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind”, students should be well-versed in “framing an argument or taking someone else’s argument apart…” Having students argue whether or not popular music teaches immoral values would allow them to explore and defend something that is important to them. They could find examples of music that are popular and provide a positive message for youth.
It is important to have these creative ideas in mind, but it is more important to understand the value in incorporating popular music into the classroom. As educators, we have a curriculum that the state of Minnesota expects us to cover; however, it is not mandated how we go about the specific instruction of this curriculum. This gives us the opportunity to take advantage of our changing world.
Graff states that, “On the one hand, the content of the academic disciplines has gone through revolutionary changes…on the other hand, the average level of student cluelessness and apathy remains roughly what it was in 1910.” He goes on to say that, “High-achieving high-school and college students become insiders to the most exciting academic conversations, but the majority remain on the outside looking in.” As an educator, I constantly strive to figure out how to engage all students involved in the academic conversations. Students need to be able to connect and engage in their learning in order to overcome the apathy trend that they currently possess.
I would imagine that the majority of students in an average middle school have or have access to an ipod. In fact, I remember students talking about ipods and having to ask them what they were referencing. It is my job as a teacher to stay current in the teenage trends and utilize their interests as my teaching tools. They are always connected to music. Therefore, using music as a teaching tool allows students to make the connection to the curriculum. Additionally, as our technology advances it is important to utilize the skills that the students of today possess and allow them to foster their learning in non-traditional ways.
Popular music and culture need to be imbedded into the classrooms of the 21st century, so that we as educators are constantly challenging our students to be engaged. They will engage if they are interested and passionate about what they are learning. They can learn so much from music. However, we as educators need to spend the time to research and investigate music that is appropriate for the classroom and will influence student learning positively. It is our responsibility to continue to change our teaching approach to connect with the students of our future.
Why teach popular music and culture in our classrooms? In our rapidly changing world, we as educators need to change how we approach teaching the “basic skills” of our curriculum. With our changing students, we as educators need to strive to connect with our teens and provide them these “basics” using their language.
The “basic skills” that teachers strive to provide their students with each year haven’t changed, but the way we deliver these skills has to continue to change as we move through the 21st century. Using popular music in the classroom creates an opportunity for teachers to connect with students while fostering their learning. Popular music and culture should not be taught as a stand-alone subject, but rather should be incorporated to enhance the curriculum.
As a language arts teacher, there are several opportunities to incorporate popular music into the classroom. For example, students can analyze popular music looking for figurative language or other literary devices. They can then compare the similarities they find between traditional poetry and their popular music. Another opportunity is to use popular music to look at historical trends. My classroom just completed a unit on To Kill a Mockingbird, which looks at the issues of race, gender, and other prejudices taking place in the South at that time. To be able to compare that with the fact that MTV didn’t air a video by an African American until the mid 80’s allows students to understand that some of these prejudices weren’t just a thing of the past.
Popular music can also enhance the study of social studies. Throughout history, music was written to portray a specific time in society. Many lyrics reflect wartime struggles or economic trends. Using popular music throughout the eras to connect these trends to the study of history gives students a deeper understanding of our history. Many pieces of literature that are in our curriculum are grounded in a specific period of history. The use of popular music from that time will allow student to have a deeper understanding of their history.
Lastly, popular music could be used as the basis of a persuasive argument. According to Graff, the author of “Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind”, students should be well-versed in “framing an argument or taking someone else’s argument apart…” Having students argue whether or not popular music teaches immoral values would allow them to explore and defend something that is important to them. They could find examples of music that are popular and provide a positive message for youth.
It is important to have these creative ideas in mind, but it is more important to understand the value in incorporating popular music into the classroom. As educators, we have a curriculum that the state of Minnesota expects us to cover; however, it is not mandated how we go about the specific instruction of this curriculum. This gives us the opportunity to take advantage of our changing world.
Graff states that, “On the one hand, the content of the academic disciplines has gone through revolutionary changes…on the other hand, the average level of student cluelessness and apathy remains roughly what it was in 1910.” He goes on to say that, “High-achieving high-school and college students become insiders to the most exciting academic conversations, but the majority remain on the outside looking in.” As an educator, I constantly strive to figure out how to engage all students involved in the academic conversations. Students need to be able to connect and engage in their learning in order to overcome the apathy trend that they currently possess.
I would imagine that the majority of students in an average middle school have or have access to an ipod. In fact, I remember students talking about ipods and having to ask them what they were referencing. It is my job as a teacher to stay current in the teenage trends and utilize their interests as my teaching tools. They are always connected to music. Therefore, using music as a teaching tool allows students to make the connection to the curriculum. Additionally, as our technology advances it is important to utilize the skills that the students of today possess and allow them to foster their learning in non-traditional ways.
Popular music and culture need to be imbedded into the classrooms of the 21st century, so that we as educators are constantly challenging our students to be engaged. They will engage if they are interested and passionate about what they are learning. They can learn so much from music. However, we as educators need to spend the time to research and investigate music that is appropriate for the classroom and will influence student learning positively. It is our responsibility to continue to change our teaching approach to connect with the students of our future.
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