THE INSTITUTE for Learning Centered Education NEWSLETTER
TOPIC: Using THEIR music to motivate student learning
Date: June 2, 2008 Newsletter Edition: Volume 9, Issue 23
How many students realize that song lyrics are poetry? A teacher long ago used this as the hook to motivate students to view poetry in a more favorable light. When he informed his 8th grade English class that “Songs are poems set to music and, in fact, most song lyrics rhyme,” one disbelieving student immediately rejected the thought. So the teacher challenged the student to “Name a song you like.”
“Michele by the Beatles,” the student responded. (This was a long time ago.)
“OK,” the teacher triumphantly challenged the student. “Recite a few lines from Michele.”
With a confident smirk, the student began “Michele, ma belle . . . .”
He didn’t get far before he realized the trap he had fallen into.
Tim Bedley’s elementary school class in California recently released a CD entitled “Rockin to the Standards.” You can locate it at www.rockinthestandards.com
On a random web search I discovered several teachers who use music to teach math.
Years ago, I learned of two social studies teachers in different parts of the country whose major project required students to design jacket covers for CDs. One project involved having students design a cover for a CD that might have been released in the 1960s (if we had known of CDs then). Students had to select 12 songs that reflected the tenor of the times and the jacket cover had to connect the music to the war, politics, and culture of the 60s.
The other project focused on World War 11.
Often, at the conclusion of a lesson, Paul Vermette will ask students to cite a song that will remind them of the person or theme that was the subject of the lesson. Following a lesson on Harriet Tubman, one student wrote that the song that would remind her of Harriet Tubman is “Brittany Spears’ ‘I’m a Slave for You!’”
Sometimes Paul will have students write lyrics to a tune they select, but the lyrics must reflect something related to the topic being studied.
When I taught middle school English 100 years ago (we called it junior high school then), I would invite my students to write a story that included excerpts from popular songs. As incentive, I would let them know that when their story was well written, correctly spelled and grammatically correct, I would bring recording equipment into class and they could record their story using narration with inserts of lines from THEIR songs at appropriate times. I still recall one student who wrote “John Doe was building a house when he got cut in half by a buzz saw. His immediate response was to cry out, ---and he now inserted this music from a popular Beatles song of the day: “I’m not half the man I used to be.”
Upon graduation from high school, this student went to Michigan State to major in labor relations. It was actually 40 years ago. I still haven’t forgotten him and I’ll wager that he hasn’t forgotten that story. Nor has the Brittany Spears’ fan forgotten what Harriet Tubman contributed to the advancement of our society.
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