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5th Anniversary Book Project Popular Song Lyrics as a Flexible Teaching Tool By: John Chase Creative Commons License: CC BY Author contact: [email protected] Author Biography: 7-12 social studies teacher (23 years) K-12 rural school in Central NY. Found- er and Executive Director of M.U.S.I.C. a non-prof- it education organization. Presenter of Learning From Lyrics workshops and seminars. Leader of monthly Learning From Lyrics sessions at Tapped In Activity Summary Media literacy curriculum involving the use and study of popular song lyrics as a flexible teaching tool to engage, motivate and inspire students in grades 5-12. This is an interdisciplinary instructional strat- egy that is suitable for all students and is particularly useful and effective for at-risk and disengaged students who may be struggling with the new learning standards and standardized assessment. Art, media, and technology enrich the learning experience, exposing students to important ideas, informa- tion, resources and points of view that may not be included in texts and other more traditional learning materials. Media and technology-based lessons provide opportunities for numerous learning activities including reaction papers, extended tasks, independent research, hands on media projects and class presentations. These lyric-based learning activities help students develop higher order listening, think- ing, and writing skills they need to achieve success on the new assessments. Class or subject area: Social Studies, Language Arts, Health, Music, Sociology Grade level(s): 5-12 Specific learning objectives: Use technology and digital media strategically and capably. Students will integrate what they learn using technology with what they learn offline. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collabo- rate with others. Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and en- hance understanding of presentations. Communicate orally, visually, and/or in writing using media and various visuals for communicating ideas. Students will gain an appreciation and understanding of the principles of honesty, tolerance, per- sonal responsibility, respect for others, observation of laws and rules, courtesy, dignity and other traits which will enhance the quality of student experiences in, and contributions to, the commu- nity.

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Media literacy curriculum involving the use and study of popular song lyrics as a flexible teaching tool to engage, motivate and inspire students in grades 5-12. This is an interdisciplinary instructional strategy that is suitable for all students and is particularly useful and effective for at-risk and disengaged students who may be struggling with the new learning standards and standardized assessment. Art, media, and technology enrich the learning experience, exposing students to important ideas, information, resources and points of view that may not be included in texts and other more traditional learning materials. Media and technology-based lessons provide opportunities for numerous learning activities including reaction papers, extended tasks, independent research, hands on media projects and class presentations. These lyric-based learning activities help students develop higher order listening, thinking, and writing skills they need to achieve success on the new assessments.

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Page 1: John Chase - Popular Song Lyrics as a Flexible Teaching Tool

5thAnniversary

BookProject

Popular Song Lyrics as a Flexible Teaching Tool

By: John Chase

Creative Commons License: CC BY

Author contact: [email protected] Biography: 7-12 social studies teacher (23 years) K-12 rural school in Central NY. Found-er and Executive Director of M.U.S.I.C. a non-prof-

it education organization. Presenter of Learning From Lyrics workshops and seminars. Leader of monthly Learning From Lyrics sessions at Tapped In

Activity SummaryMedia literacy curriculum involving the use and study of popular song lyrics as a flexible teaching tool to engage, motivate and inspire students in grades 5-12. This is an interdisciplinary instructional strat-egy that is suitable for all students and is particularly useful and effective for at-risk and disengaged students who may be struggling with the new learning standards and standardized assessment. Art, media, and technology enrich the learning experience, exposing students to important ideas, informa-tion, resources and points of view that may not be included in texts and other more traditional learning materials. Media and technology-based lessons provide opportunities for numerous learning activities including reaction papers, extended tasks, independent research, hands on media projects and class presentations. These lyric-based learning activities help students develop higher order listening, think-ing, and writing skills they need to achieve success on the new assessments.Class or subject area: Social Studies, Language Arts, Health, Music, Sociology

Grade level(s): 5-12

Specific learning objectives:• Use technology and digital media strategically and capably. Students will integrate what they learn

using technology with what they learn offline.• Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media.• Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collabo-

rate with others.• Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and en-

hance understanding of presentations.• Communicate orally, visually, and/or in writing using media and various visuals for communicating

ideas.• Students will gain an appreciation and understanding of the principles of honesty, tolerance, per-

sonal responsibility, respect for others, observation of laws and rules, courtesy, dignity and other traits which will enhance the quality of student experiences in, and contributions to, the commu-nity.

Page 2: John Chase - Popular Song Lyrics as a Flexible Teaching Tool

“We must prepare young people for living in a world of powerful images, words, and sounds.” ~ UNESCO, 1982

I first began using contemporary or popular music in my classroom as a means of engaging young learners and combating student apathy. Raised on a steady diet of Netflix, XBOX, iTunes, and Wii many young people are passive listeners and learners, accustomed to intense visual and audio stimuli. Forced to compete with text messaging, DSL and the high-speed entertainment of the 21st century, I turned to popular music, a youth friendly medium that provides an emotional hook to gain the interest of students.

“Good artworks catch your heart and then make you think. You ask a lot of questions. A good artwork gives you alternative ways to observe the world you live in.”

The student centered instructional strategies are successful because young people are actively in-volved in the learning process. Students are given structured but “open” tasks, which require them to select materials and design a classroom activity. This program allows all students to succeed, regard-less of ability, by building upon individual strengths, and allowing for a variety of routes towards com-pletion.2 The media projects and activities are inherently relevant and interesting to students as they incorporate popular culture and music. Intrinsic motivation is readily achieved when a program allows students to make choices, in the context of a task that matters to them.3

“…What our students love, and what we know how to teach, after all, are almost the same. And while this may outrage some literary purists, the future of English departments depends on our ability to link the two kinds of stories…popular culture can be the salvation rather than the nemesis of traditional humanities disciplines, particularly English …” The process of critiquing a song empowers students, while helping them to acquire insight, knowl-edge, and critical thinking skills. One student commented, “The course gave me a chance to express myself and see how others felt toward themselves, and the way they looked at life ... music can be a way to express feelings in a manner all your own.” The research activities and video projects chal-lenge students to find creative solutions for world problems. They help youth gain life-long learning skills and a greater awareness of important historical, political, and social issues in the world around them.

With the introduction of state and national learning standards in the 1990’s educators have witnessed the development of standardized testing. Document Based Questions, Constructed Response test items and “Critical Lense” essays are just a few examples of curriculum and assessment changes in New York State. These items require students to analyze and interpret a series of primary and sec-ondary source documents making connections and drawing conclusions from the data presented. Lyric based learning activities help students develop the higher order thinking and writing skills they will need to achieve success on the new assessments.

There has been increased focus and attention on the negative influence or power of popular culture including television, film, video games, and song lyrics. Many support censorship as a means to “protect” our youth from the harmful or dangerous images and messages around them. Rather than restricting or limiting access to media, educators should make use of these powerful works to help

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students develop essential media literacy skills. It is imperative that we train our youth to be critical listeners and consumers of media. A song that offends serves an important purpose when it “moves” a student to examine a critical issue facing our society. One student commented about the miscon-ceptions surrounding rap music in a critique of Tupac Shakur’s Dear Mama, “I hope I have expelled some of the myths that rap music is just a collection of profanity, sexist remarks, drugs, and violence ...a song like Dear Mama comes along and proves to be a striking social commentary on many impor-tant topics.”

Music can create pathways to improved communication and greater understanding between people of different backgrounds and cultures. It is an ideal medium for teaching about tolerance and respect for the differences among people. Contemporary music also presents differing views and attitudes on social problems. Commenting on Arrested Development’s song, Mr. Wendal, a student writes, “The song is about a homeless man named Mr. Wendal. The song takes a different outlook on home-lessness. This is illustrated by the lines, “Uncivilized we call him but I just saw him eat off the food we waste. ” The song then goes on to ask the question, “Are we really civilized, yes or no? Who are we to judge? When thousands of innocent men could be brutally enslaved and killed over a racist grudge. ”

Music can also foster and enhance intergenerational communication. Historically, music has been viewed as a force that widens the “gap” between generations. The critical thinking approach to music serves to bring parent and child together to share interests, ideas, and feelings. Several students have completed media projects using songs suggested by their parents. While the sound and style of music has changed dramatically over the years, the content or subject matter of many songs has remained constant, as artists continue to sing about personal, social, and political issues.

A modern democratic society requires active and responsive citizens who can communicate effec-tively and think critically. With the rapid growth of the Internet, media literacy skills are essential, for young people to evaluate the significance and accuracy of facts and information they retrieve. The teaching strategy presented here is student centered, in contrast to the traditional teacher centered paradigm. The traditional approach is an efficient means of delivering material, when the student is expected to memorize and recall information. Where course work requires critical thinking, this approach is inadequate.

Critical learning experiences are achieved through a revised educational paradigm that focuses on the learner, rather than teacher. This strategy is an adaptation of John Dewey’s principle, “learn by do-ing.” Here students are the lesson planners, and the teacher serves as a facilitator. Every student is ac-tively researching, designing, creating, and then pre-senting information. Students and teachers become partners; both are responsible for the learning that unfolds in the classroom.

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Contemporary music is a very effective medium for implementing critical learning skills with junior and senior high school students. Music is an integral part of a young person’s life, yet few students take the time to investigate the messages or meaning of the song lyrics they listen to. The student centered paradigm begins with the students finding songs that address an important event or topic. Then they learn more about the topic by completing independent research, and preparing a multime-dia presentation. Students create an original work of art that illustrates a central theme or message of the song. Woven into the presentation is an opportunity to play the song and present the visual art. Students refer to lyrics that support their interpretation of the song, identify and critique the musician’s point of view, present supporting facts and data, and explain the relevance of their visual work. In ef-fect, students have become teachers, sharing new information through a creative multimedia presen-tation that synthesizes music, oratory, and visual arts. In the 21st century, we are confronted with a serious educational predicament. There are an increas-ing number of at-risk or disadvantaged students in our schools. At the same time, academic stan-dards are being raised throughout the United States, and all students are expected to meet them. In many cases, we are placing greater demands on students who have greater needs. Some have suggested that dropout rates will increase as these new standards are put in place. Discipline and counseling referrals may increase as well. The practice of tracking or separating students by ability is being phased out in many school districts. Now, more than ever, teachers need alternative instruction-al strategies that will engage and excite both high and low achievers. The future success of education reform hinges on our ability to help every student achieve higher standards, regardless of their back-ground, skill level, or experience.

Schools should be in the business of creating diverse and stimulating learning environments and experiences where a child’s athletic, artistic and creative talents are free to flourish and thrive. The arts have always been the fuel that feeds the flame of exploration and inquiry. As Assemblyman Steve Sanders, chair of the Committee on Education, wrote, “... the arts are often the impetus to inspire chil-dren and teen-agers to succeed academically, while also increasing their motivation, their self-worth

and their appreciation of living in New York City ...”

We should prepare our children to be thinking, caring and re-sponsible citizens who can make meaningful and lasting con-tributions to our challenging and vibrant world. They need to be taught how to make quality choices as they collaborate with others.

We can only hope that their combined efforts will provide for a productive, safer and more inclusive community while they avoid self-defeating attitudes and behaviors that so easily entrap chil-dren and young adults. The school experience should not be reduced to lessons in, at best, tolerating innumerable uncomfortable situations where the constant rationale is, “Don’t you want to pass the Regents?” and “You need to know this for the test!” The whole school experi-ence has been diminished and transformed into a forced march toward a “state designated performance level.”

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I hope to encourage other educators to incorporate contemporary songs into their classroom lessons and learning activities. Recognize that the student is the most valuable resource a teacher can have when it comes to selecting songs. Asking students to bring music into the classroom demonstrates respect for their interests. This builds student confidence and enthusiasm. Students learn best when they believe what they are learning is important.5 Employing this strategy, the teacher serves as a facilitator, designing critical learning experiences and activities that lead students to new knowledge, insights, and understandings.

“...intrinsic motivation, which is operative when we learn something primarily because we find the task enjoyable and not because it is useful, is a more effective and more satisfying way to learn...When the experience becomes intrinsically rewarding, students’ motivation is engaged, and they are on their way to a lifetime of self-propelled acquisition of knowledge.” ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Ph.D.

References“A Conversation With Hung Liu / Reflections About Making”, School Arts, April, 1996.

“Learning From Student Performance” / NY State Language Art Framework .

“What To Look for In a Classroom”, Alfie Kohn, Educational Leadership, Volume 54, No. 1 September 1996.

“Much Ado About ‘Friends’: What Pop Culture Offers Literature”, Richard Keller Simon, Chronicle of Higher Education, June 16, 2000.

“An Interview with Theodore Sizer / Here for the Long Haul,” Phi Delta Kappan, June 1996.