Learning from Lyrics by Johnathan Chase

An Excerpt from Learning From Lyrics

by Johnathan Chase

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

M.U.S.I.C., Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) publicly supported organization. We promote the educational use of songs by teachers in all subject areas hence, extending the study of music beyond traditional General Music programs. Songs are a timeless expression of the human experience. They capture the history of events, ideas, and people that have shaped our pluralistic society. Lyrics are an excellent teaching tool, that will engage and excite young people, while introducing meaningful information. Our organization is planning a variety of special programs involving both educators and members of the music industry. This text is our second cooperative project. Some other special projects and activities in development include:

Workshops and seminars for educators

Production of Audio Visual educational materials

Network to arrange school visitations by musicians

We also have a web site, ( http://www.wpe.com/~musici). This site functions as an on line resource for students and educators. There is also a message board to share and discuss teaching ideas and lessons.

Our special thanks to the artists, management, and music publishers who approved our print license requests, allowing us to include their lyrics in this work. Each license was provided on a gratis basis, and we are most grateful for these generous gestures of support. This innovative approach provides a non-commercial means for contemporary musicians and recording artists to share their lyrics with educators and 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." [1]

I first began using contemporary or popular music in my classroom as a means of combating student apathy. Raised on MTV and Nintendo, many young people have become passive listeners and learners, accustomed to intense visual and audio stimuli. Forced to compete with the high speed entertainment of the 90's, I turned to popular music, a youth friendly medium that provides an emotional hook to gain the interest of students.

The student centered instructional strategies are successful because the youth are actively involved 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, regardless of ability, by building upon individual strengths, and allowing for a variety of routes towards completion. [2] The 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 . . ." [4]

The process of critiquing a song empowers students, while helping them to acquire insight, knowledge, 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 described in this book challenge 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 new forms of assessment. 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 secondary 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.

Recently 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 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 recently commented about the misconceptions 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 important 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 homelessness. 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 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.

I hope to encourage other educators to incorporate contemporary songs into their classroom lessons and 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 and understandings.

Notes:
[1] "A Conversation With Hung Liu / Reflections About Making", School Arts, April, 1996.
[2] "Learning From Student Performance" / NY State Language Art Framework .
[3] "What To Look for In a Classroom", Alfie Kohn, Educational Leadership, Volume 54, No. 1 September 1996.
[4] "Much Ado About 'Friends': What Pop Culture Offers Literature", Richard Keller Simon, Chronicle of Higher Education, June 16, 2000.
[5] "An Interview with Theodore Sizer / Here for the Long Haul," Phi Delta Kappan, June 1996.

About the Author: In his 15th year, John Chase teaches, middle school social studies at Edmeston Central School in Central New York. John is also the founder and president of M.U.S.I.C., Inc. a non-profit organization promoting the interdisciplinary use of popular music.

John has authored a source book for educators, "Learning From Lyrics; 2nd Edition" and also regularly provides staff development sessions for schools and organizations. The above excerpt comes from the introduction to the source book.

For further information about the work book and this lyric based learning program visit the M.U.S.I.C. web site http://www.wpe.com/~musici

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