Natasha Hanson - CI 5150

Songs by Theme:

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After taking a look at the categories of song themes online, I kept finding myself clicking on song themes revolving around love and heartbreak. No matter how sappy I think some love songs, or songs dealing with heartbreaks can be, I was still drawing to these categories. I ended up doing a wider online search (other than the wikipedia site we were given for this assignment), and found some resources which, listed songs based on love, “love gone sour,” and heartbreak. Shortly after looking through these, I realized that a couple of these songs I remember relating to over my lifetime. It got me thinking about various things… one being how people so easily connect with or create personal meaning towards song lyrics. Another thing that came to my mind, was the idea of how emotionally connected I was to certain songs throughout my lifetime, and mainly during my schooling days. No matter how silly it looks now, I oftentimes felt that song lyrics were speaking directly to my situation, or whatever was going on in my life. There are also certain songs (not only love songs) in which I hear now, and immediately link the song / lyrics to a certain time or event in my life. Music is everywhere, and we as people make and maintain connections with certain songs / lyrics. It’s obvious how emotional connections can be fostered through lyrics, especially with pre-teens and teens. This is even still the case with college students. I can’t tell you how many times I log onto Facebook and see someone’s status update quoting sappy lyrics about love or heartbreak. It often makes me want to puke… but then I also realize at one point in my life, I did this same thing. I started to think about my past, crazy, emotional, and at times mainstream-influenced connections to song lyrics, and what my Facebook status would have read during the teen years of my life… they read as follows:

“Don’t go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to… “ – TLC Waterfalls… This was the start of my intense interaction with music, my first exposure to MTV’s TRL (through the admiration of my older cousin), and my first CD which remained on repeat for about six months while it was stuck in my first ever, 3-disk rotating CD player.

“Had about enough, it’s not hard to see, the boy is mine.” – Brandy (feat. Monica) The Boy Is Mine… I couldn’t name a single girl in my middle school that wasn’t singing along to this song. It also happened to be that my first ever “boyfriend” in 7^th grade asked me to “go out with him,” and two days later I found out that a friend of mine “liked him” and was sure he liked her back. Clearly, this song was written for my oh-so-mature 7^th grade relationship with a kid who “looked like Lance Bass.”

“…just reach out your hands and touch me, hold me close, don’t ever let me go…” – Extreme More Than Words… This song helped kick off my all-encompassing high school experience at the annual Snow Show talent show. This song was not only sung and played by two upper-classmen, but by two extremely hot seniors who almost every freshman girl drooled over during their 5 minute and 30 seconds of stage fame. Like every other drooler in the audience, I was wooed by the idea of crushing on boys and finding true love during my high school experience… and only wished that the song was being sung directly as an intimate exchange with the singers and myself.

“I don’t believe that anybody feels the way I do, about you now.” – Oasis Wonderwall… This song is completely reminiscent of my 2-year high school relationship, that at the time, I believed would last forever. My boyfriend and I at the time called this “our song.” Well, that clearly didn’t last forever, and ironically the relationship was partially ended through song lyrics… which explains the significance of the lyrics used in my next status update.

“He said, man, I really gotta lose my chick, in the worst kind of way.” – The Offspring Why Don’t You Get a Job?... It just happened to be that my 2-year high school relationship was ended after my boyfriend at the time made me a CD that he said I would “really enjoy,” and told me to pay attention carefully to the last track. OUCH. We broke up the next day. I guess he wasn’t kidding when he would joke around about my parents never making me get a job?

It’s clear that as a teen, I was highly connected with music, and often was able to relate my personal life or events in my life to popular song lyrics. The students in our classrooms will be doing this exact same thing. Popular music is a part of their lives, and should be used as an advantage within the classroom, no matter the theme of the music that is being used. Students will end up being able to connect with it.

Curriculum Unit Integrating Pop Culture and Pop Music...

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TZyply6rUI

Unit: Hip-Hop Culture

Intended Grades: High School Visual Arts

Unit Overview:

This unit is designed to integrate hip-hop culture into the arts curriculum. Students will learn about the 4 basic elements of hop-hop culture and the history behind it. Students will also be discussing and examining the aesthetics of hip-hop art forms, hip-hop lyrics and graffiti. The unit will conclude with each student completing a project, which will be compiled as a class, to create a hip-hop time capsule.

References:

http://www.thenotebook.org/editions/2005/winter/hiphop.htm

http://www.artsanctuary.org/templates/System/default.asp?id=39850

http://www.mrwiggles.biz/hip_hop_history.htm

http://www.harmonyschool.org/www/pdf/connections/2006.fall.hiphop.pdf

http://www.iahhe.org/hiphopcurriculum.pdf

http://www.hiphopgalaxy.com/Graffiti-hip-hop-2081.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/30/arts/design/30graf.html

http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/

Lesson 1: Introduction to Hip-Hop

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will be introduced to hip-hop culture, its elements, and its history.

Objectives:

1.) Students will understand hip-hop culture and the original elements of DJ-ing, MC-ing, Break dancing, and Graffiti (Graff).

2.) Students will know the general social conditions and life surrounding hip-hop culture.

3.) Students will be able to explain why hip-hop culture is considered an artform.

Lesson Activities:

This lesson will start with students viewing the PBS documentary film Style Wars (1983), which documents the origin of hip-hop in NYC. This will give students some background information and introductory information on the emergence of hip-hop and its various elements. When watching this film, students will be asked to write down notes pertaining to the following categories:

DJ-ing, MC-ing (rapping), Break dancing, and Graffiti

The movie may take a class period and a half to complete. Once the movie has been shown, students will be asked to share their ideas about the film, what they learned, and the notes they took on some of the elements of hip-hop. Following this, students will be shown a PowerPoint presentation with accompanying pictures and sound clips, chronologically detailing the history of hip-hop culture and its emergence. This will help reinforce various ideas learned in the film, and also create various discussion points among the class.

Lesson 2: The Aesthetics of Hip-Hop Artforms

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will use their background knowledge of hip-hop culture to speak towards the beauty and/or pleasing qualities of its various elements. Students will be discussing the aesthetics of hip-hop, how it is different from other “typical” artforms, and why it often times has a bad or negative connotation.

Objectives:

1.) Students will be able to explain what the term “aesthetics” means.

2.) Students will understand and discuss aesthetics in relation to hip-hop artforms.

3.) Students will write about the aesthetic appeal that hip-hop gives off.

Lesson Activities:

This lesson will start by showing students various images, movie and music clips, pertaining to various elements of hip-hop culture. Students will be given a sheet with numbers listed, where they will be placing their responses to each image or clip. Students will be asked to rate whether they “like or dislike” what they see. Think of this as a simple “hot or not” judgment. Once all the images and clips have been shown, they will be shown once again, and students will be asked to comment as to what their response was, and their reasoning for their response. This will lead into a discussion of what makes something in hip-hop culture “hot,” and what makes it “not-so-hot.” The concept of aesthetics will then be introduced to students, giving them a definition that they can easily understand and apply. Students will then be asked some of the following questions:

Do you find hip-hop to be an aesthetically pleasing artform?

What about graffiti makes it aesthetically pleasing? What about hip-hop or rap music?

Does the hip-hop culture fit into what we would typically consider “aesthetically beautiful?”

How is the hip-hop artform different from other artforms we have studied?

Why does it often have a bag, or negative connotation?

After this discussion, students will be asked to take a few minutes to reflect upon this activity and their thoughts about the aesthetics of hip-hop culture. Students will be writing about whether or not they feel hip-hop culture is aesthetically pleasing, whether or not it is viewed the same was to the general public, and about the appeals it may give off to them and others.

Lesson 3: The Power of the Pen…

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will be analyzing and evaluating hip-hop song lyrics Students will be using their analyses and critical thinking skills to write reviews about 1 artist/song, and 1 piece of graffiti art.

Objectives:

1.) Students will learn to critically analyze song lyrics.

2.) Students will use writing to express their views and opinions about an artist/album/song.

3.) Students will gain understanding for the purpose and importance of written reviews.

Lesson Activities:

This lesson will start out with a discussion of written reviews. Students will be shown examples of written reviews on various artists and their albums. Many examples can be found on Amazon.com, and RollingStone.com under their CD reviews section. After discussing the importance of reviews (and how reviews are often times a person’s first interaction with an artist, CD, or piece of artwork), students will be asked to bring in (or choose from some compiled for the class), an image of a hip hop or rap CD in which they would like to review. Students will ultimately be reviewing the artist’s CD as a whole, and then going more in-depth with regards to one specific song off of that same album. Students will be asked to turn in printed picture of the CD’s cover, as well as their review. Students will be given questions to follow when writing their reviews. The reviews should answer and follow the following questions (remember, students may need to research some additional information for this assignment):

What genre of music are you reviewing?

What is the artist’s style of music?

How does this album compare to the artist’s earlier albums?

What other artist’s do similar work?

Describe the musical style of the tracks.

Who is this artist singing to? (the target audience)

Pick 1 song from the album… What does the song mean? What is it attempting to say / comment on? What appeal does the song have?

Lesson 4: The Power of the Spray Can…

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will further explore graffiti as a visual element of hip-hop culture. Students will also be discussing the idea of graffiti as an artform, and whether or not it is worthy of being viewed inside a gallery or museum setting, rather than just being viewed on the streets. Students will also be viewing and exploring the Brooklyn Museum’s exhibition titled “Graffiti” online.

Objectives:

1.) Students will understand the main types of graffiti art linked to hip-hop culture.

2.) Students will debate and discuss the idea of graffiti art being viewed in a private versus a public space (such as a gallery or museum setting).

3.) Students will explore the Brooklyn Museum’s exhibition, “Graffiti” online.

Lesson Activity:

This lesson will start with students reading an article published in the New York Times, titled “When Aerosol Outlaws Become Insiders: Graffiti Art at the Brooklyn Museum” (June 30, 2006). This article can be found online at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/30/arts/design/30graf.html

After reading this article on the “Graffiti” exhibition that was held at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the class will engage in a discussion about the following:

Why was the Brooklyn Museum criticized for featuring an exhibition of this sort?

Should graffiti art be displayed inside a gallery or museum?

Does displaying graffiti art in a private place (such as a museum), rather than in a public space, take away from its appeal? Or does it take meaning away from the artwork?

Is it educational to have a show like this at a museum?

Following this discussion, students will be exploring the Brooklyn Museum’s website and their information on their past exhibition (2006), titled “Graffiti.” The website contains information on the show, photographs of a graffiti mural created by visitors to the exhibition, and a podcast on “Graffiti Women.” This podcast could be shown if time permits. The following is the website containing all of this information:

http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/graffiti/

Students will then be taught about the various different types and classifications of graffiti, which are listed below:

Tag – stylized signatures or basic writing

Throw-Up – a large tag, often with a black outline and a fill-color, often bubble shaped lettering

Bombing – usually throw-ups (large tags) on multiple surfaces, don’t require much time

Piece (from the word “Masterpiece”) – larger image, usually with arrows showing direction and 3-D effects, colorful, well-executed

Slash (or “to slash”) – to cross out or draw over another tag, considered an insult

Burner – large, elaborate, get’s its name from the graffiti “burning out from the wall or side of a train,” very time consuming

Students will be shown examples of each (while discussing their defining qualities). Other photographs or images of graffiti art will then be shown, and students will then be asked to discuss them according to identifying characteristics and their visual qualities. The following are some books I found that may be helpful when searching for hip-hop content and graffiti images:

Subway Art by Martha Cooper

Spray Can Art by Henry Chalfant

Yes Yes Ya’ll by Jim Frike

The Art of Getting Over by Stephen Powers

The Vibe History of Hip Hop by VIBE Magazine

To conclude this lesson, students will be able to choose an image of a graffiti piece (or pick from one’s made available in class), and write a small paragraph as to which type of graffiti it fits into, and to discuss it’s visual qualities.

Lesson 5: Creating a Public Space

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will be using their knowledge of hip-hop culture, to create music (with lyrics and beats) and visual pieces to display within a designated public space within the school. This will help students use the knowledge they have acquired throughout the unit, and combine it with artistic expression.

Objectives:

1.) Students will complete one project in the arts, choosing from both writing lyrics and creating beats for a hip-hop/rap song, or creating a visual project that utilizes a graffiti style.

2.) Students will develop group and collaborative working skills through designing a public space together.

3.) Students will display learned knowledge of hip-hop culture through the development and creation of their arts projects.

Lesson Activity:

Students will be given a handout, which explains the two options of the assignment, and what is expected from each option. Students will have sufficient time to determine what space they will be using within the school (with permission), and to plan out the space accordingly. Students will also have to determine which type of project they will be completing. If students have a strong desire to do an alternative project (such as to creating and performing themselves break dancing, doing some sort of collaborative project, etc.) then it can be proposed and then approved by the teacher. Once students complete their projects, they will be assembling and finishing the public space they have to work with / display their work.

An alternative to this project would be to have all the students work on designing an elaborate burner, which they would be able to put into a public space within the school. This would end up similar to a mural project, rather than creating a multi-media space where lyrics, music, video, and graffiti would be displayed. Either would get kids to utilize the information learned, as well as to work collaboratively.

Rationale for the Hip-Hop Unit:

This unit could easily be incorporated into a high school visual arts class, especially a survey to art class, a multi-media class, or even an art history class. It would be especially appealing, and would draw in much interest in an inner city school setting. This lesson integrates pop culture, pop music, and interests of students from outside the classroom, into the curriculum. Students will find the information within this unit to be relevant to their lives, experiences, and interests outside the classroom, and possibly even on the street. Another benefit of this unit is that it integrates critical thinking, analysis, reading, writing, and collaboration into the arts curriculum. It also gives students a means for alternative expression, veering away from the traditional “art making” and “art viewing” methods.

Lesson Idea #2: Exploring and Visually Representing Lyrics

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Lesson: Exploring and Visually Representing Lyrics

Intended Grades: High School Visual Arts (Drawing and Painting)

Lesson Overview:

It is assumed that this lesson would be taught after a lesson (also dealing with music, such as the previous one I have came up with), was taught. This would ensure that the students already have a good grasp on how to analyze and interpret song lyrics. For this lesson, students will be asked to bring in song lyrics of either their favorite song, or a song that has special meaning to them. Students will be asked to dissect their song lyrics to determine the underlying meaning or representations that are found within the song. Essentially students should be looking to answer the following questions…

· What is the artist’s tone or mood?

· Do the lyrics tell some sort of story?

· Is there a message(s) that the lyrics are attempting to convey?

· Is there a theme or concept the artist is trying to get across?

· What big issues is this song about?

· Who is the intended audience?

Once students have examined the lyrics, they will get with a partner to discuss their song choice, what they found, and what symbolic representations or visuals they could pair with the song lyrics. This will help feed the next part of the assignment.

Students will then be asked to create a visual representation of the meaning behind their song lyrics. This visual representation can be done in the drawing or painting medium of the student’s choice. Once each student has completed their artwork, they will also be asked to write an artist statement, which describes and explains how their work is reflective of the song lyrics of their choice.

Rationale for Exploring and Visually Representing Lyrics Lesson:

This lesson is intended to draw in student interest into the classroom. It is a way of connecting to the curriculum to the personal lives and interests of the students at an individual level. It seems like a short and simple lesson, but it could also be altered in many ways. One way of altering it would be to have the students create a digital representation of a phrase or line of their song lyrics using Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Either way, it is allowing students to explore the meanings behind musical lyrics, which they may have never done before. Too often, we become consumed and obsessed with popular songs, which we sing over and over again… yet we never take the time to actually think about what it is the song is referring to or commenting on. We often take lyrics for granted and sing along to songs because of the catchy beat. This lesson gives students chances to not only analyze the lyrics of a favorite or meaningful song, but also gives them an opportunity to create a visual representation of that song. This gets their creative juices going, as well as the opportunity to synthesize and convey messages in an alternative way.

Lesson Idea: Protest Unit

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Unit: Visual and Lyrical Protest

Intended Grades: High School Visual Arts

Lesson Overview:

Students will be introduced to the overarching theme of “protest.” The idea of protest will be examined with respect to the fine arts of art and music. The idea behind this lesson is to get students thinking about the ways in which we speak towards protest in the past and present… both visually and verbally. This unit will start showing and reading the following quote to the students…

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

The students will be asked what they think this quote means, refers to, and implies. This quote is seen before entering the following website, which will then be viewed by the class:

http://wordonthestreetphotos.org/

This website contains documentary images of protests from large cities around the US and other parts of the world. The content from this website could lead into a discussion of whether or not people demonstrating with picket signs or posters is the only form of protest… students could share ideas as to what other ways protesting can occur. Students would then be told that for this unit, they will be examining protest through visual arts and music.

Students will be introduced to protest through the visual arts by watching Season 4 of Art:21 (2007, a PBS Production) on the theme of “protest.” This video examines the artwork of Jenny Holzer, Alfredo Jaar, An-My Le, and Nancy Spero. Parts of the video, images of the artist’s work, and biographical information can be found on the Art:21 website:

http://www.pbs.org/art21/series/seasonfour/protest.html

Students would also be shown and asked to examine and critique (in groups or pairs) the work of one of the following artists, and then give a brief overview of what the artist is attempting to state through the work…

Picasso’s Guernica
The Guerrilla Girls (feminist protest, some relating to the art world)
Willie Bester (South African artist, resistance and socially influenced art rose from the Apartheid era)

Susan Crile (protest against the war in Iraq & inhumane treatment at Abu Graib)
Alfredo Jaar (photographed the Genocide in Rawanda)
Jenny Holzer (statements against devastation and cruelty)
An-My Le (photographing war and militaristic concepts)
Nancy Spero (statements against war, abuse of power, and male-dominated society)
Maya Lin (created the Vietnam Memorial)

When students are presenting a brief overview of the artist and their ideas of one of their pieces to the class, the class will also compile a list of concepts or ideas that are seen throughout the artwork they have examined dealing with protest.

Following this, the focus will shift towards musical artists and songs that protest various social and political issues through their lyrics. Students will be pairing up once again, to examine lyrics from one of the following songs. Once students have examined the lyrics the song will be played for the class, and they will be presenting their ideas regarding the song to the class.

Rage Against the Machine - Freedom
Green Day - Minority
John Mayer - Waiting on the World to Change
Black Eyed Peas – Where is the Love?
Dave Matthews Band – Funny The Way It Is
Bob Dylan – Maggie’s Farm
Twisted Sister – We’re Not Gonna Take It
Kanye West – Diamonds From Sierra Leone
Pearl Jam – World Wide Suicide
System of a Down – Boom

Once the visual artwork and music regarding protest has been examined, each student will be asked to use one of the “big ideas” or concepts that was discussed or came up with through one of the group analyses, to create a fine arts piece. This fine arts piece can be created using a visual arts medium, or it can be a written song in which the student creates. The fine arts piece should speak towards some social or political issue of protest. Students will also be asked to do a small write-up on the similarities between visual arts protest, and protest through musical lyrics. This will accompany their fine arts piece.

Rationale for Protest Unit:

The idea of protest is very prevalent within our society today. It is important in the classrooms to address current issues and things that are going on within society. Inevitably, things such as this affect our lives, and students will be able to relate to them. There are many parallels between music and the visual arts. One of these parallels in which I have been thinking deeper into (as a result of this class), has been the idea and power of protest within songs. The ideas brought forth through many protest songs and lyrics are also seen in the work of various artists who also deal with social and political issues. This lesson would also be a way to integrate pop music (and essentially some music in which students are being surrounded and consumed by today), into the arts curriculum. This lesson also draws in “contemporary youth experiences and the experiences of life in and out of schools,” which students will be able to relate to. (Mahiri, p.56).

Chapter 7: Politics

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I found this chapter on politics and how politics can control music and its distribution to be extremely interesting. Politics and government control more than people realize, or want to realize at times. A good majority of the chapter touched on the Nazi regime’s control and regulation of music consumption and distribution in Germany. This is something that that is not unfamiliar to me, however, I still found Negus’s writing on it to be compelling. As discussed, the RKK controlled all aspects of the arts. This chapter discussed its control and regulation of music, however, something that was also highly regulated was the consumption and distribution of films at that time. Music and film were two of the most highly influential forms of propaganda to the Nazi regime. Not only was music used for purposes of revenue and propaganda, but films were also. Leni Riefenstahl is one name that came into my mind when reading this chapter. Riefenstahl worked directly under Hitler and his regime to direct and produce militaristic and propagandistic films. Films like these, as well as radio broadcasts and music at that time was often viewed by masses and was a means for unifying and controlling the population at large.

The rest of the chapter dealt with the idea of popular music encoding or stating political messages. Negus refers to and discusses John Lennon and his song Imagine. It is fascinating how the time and place that a song is played and used can connect it to new meanings and beliefs. I can think of many artists’ songs and lyrics over time that has spoken to political messages. Thinking in current terms there are groups such as Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, and System of a Down whose lyrics revolve around various political and social issues of the time. Songs like these can be very influential and can also be a way of having an active voice.

As far as curriculum and tying these ideas into the classroom setting, I came up with a few things… First off, it would be interesting to examine the idea of government or politically regulated art throughout time. This would be something that could be studied in conjunction with an art history lesson. As for the idea of lyrics connecting with new meanings and beliefs depending upon the time and place they are being used… artwork often follows this same concept. It would be interesting to discuss this concept with relation to both art and music at the same time. As for politically-charged lyrics… it would be interesting to examine some lyrics that relate to political statements or ideas, and then to transfer the ideas to an artist of artwork that speaks to political issues. There is a lot of contemporary artwork that speaks to politics and/or social issues.

Chapter 3: Mediations

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I found this chapter on Mediations to be extremely interesting. Its amazing how so many of us are avid consumers of popular music, and the trends of music consumption in our current times, yet we never take into consideration it’s progression past the evolution from records, to cassette tapes, to CDs. When reading this chapter it made me realize that I have taken for granted the history of the progression of music and radio transmission and accessibility. Most people also don’t take into consideration or question the processes or faces behind the music that “makes it big.”

This chapter focuses on the idea of “mediators” which serve as intermediaries between artists, audiences, and corporations. Essentially, these mediators come between the production and consumption of music, regulate the transmission of music, and control the social relationships revolving around popular music. Negus describes these mediators as also being “gatekeepers” of the recording industries. As I see it, the gatekeepers to the recording industries don’t just help regulate the music industry, but essentially have ultimate control over it all. They control the which artists gain access, therefore which artist’s music gets promoted or widely distributed, and ultimately which songs we as consumers are being continuously surrounded by. As I see it, the music and recording industry is very selective and ultimately influences and controls many aspects of social life within society.

Something that I thought about while reading this chapter dealt with the idea of artists singing and writing songs for the sole purpose of marketability. Artist’s may not necessarily be writing or singing the songs of their top choice, but songs that will get them air time, or a record deal. Unfortunately, great deals of artists do this… think back to the boy band era, where the music was all about getting air time, competing with other boy bands, and appealing to the “teeny-bopper” fans. Someone who pops into my mind who went against this whole idea was Chris Daughtry. After his appearance on American Idol, he was offered the lead singer spot for Fuel. Daughtry however, turned this offer down for the reason that he didn’t want to be fed certain music to sing, for the pure purpose of pleasing the record companies and music industry. Instead, he wanted to do his own thing, sing in the style he wanted.

As for the transmission of music and its progression over time… it’s fascinating to think about how much music transmission has advanced and bloomed over time. As I see it, music transmission has become more and more interactive and complex over time (as most things). The book touches on the emergence of syncing music with film, and how it gradually led to the creation of the music video. Something I found interesting was Negus’s reference to Goodwin’s idea of “rather than treating them (music videos) as mini-movies, approached them in terms of the narratives of the pop song” (p. 88). The emergence of the music video really put a different spin on the viewing and listening to pop music. Goodwin brings about a very interesting concept… and now that I think about it, I realize that I do in fact view music videos completely different than I would a regular length film. I also more casually watch them, often times with less direct focus. As for curriculum, it may be interesting in an art history class, or even a class dealing with visual culture and film, do discuss the differences between the artistic creation of films (movies), and music videos. How are they the same, how are they different? Is one more “artistic” than the other? Do they both have aesthetic appeal?

The progression and advance in the transmission of music over time, also led me to thoughts about the digital age, and how technology and the advent of the Internet put a completely different spin on things. Now days, music is at your fingertips even faster than before. The Internet gives you access to illegal music downloading programs, file sharing hubs, pre-release streaming, digital purchasing and downloading of music, Youtube, Pandora and much more. All of these give us instant access to music of our choice. Yes, radio is great… however, with the internet, we are able to listen to exactly what we want, exactly when we want… rather than waiting to stumble across it on our choice radio station. The Internet also brings up many problems with mediating music, with all the illegal means of distribution and sharing. It puts a whole new interface between the production and consumption of music.

A reaction to School of Rock, and the portrayal of the teaching profession in popular films:

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I completely agree that films have shaped a great deal of how the general public views the teaching professions and life in schools. I also feel that at times, these same films perpetuate stereotypes regarding teachers and education. The question arises as to whether or not movies have illuminated the teaching profession and life in schools. I have to say that my answer to that question would be no. Many of these movies give off idealistic or unrealistic scenarios of teaching and life in the classroom and in schools. Don’t get me wrong… I love watching Dead Poet’s Society, Dangerous Minds, Lean on Me, and even Sister Act II, but I know that in reality, many of the things seen in these movies are completely different in the real classroom.

For example, class dynamics are way different, and often times these movies portray everyone in a single class as having the same skills and abilities. With such a diverse population in Sister Act II for example, why is it that there seem to be no ESL students? In School of Rock, “Mr. Schneebly’s” class was made up of students from various races and ethnicities, but

that was it. Besides that factor, the class was homogenous. Oh wait, that’s because these are just a movies…

Shannon and Crawford (1998) identify a number of different representations of teachers in Hollywood movies as “caretakers,” “jailer,” “savior,” “drillmaster,” “keepers of wisdom,” “facilitator / guide-on-the-side,” “technician,” “agent of social change,” or “underpaid unionist.” They argue that these representations are very narrow in perspective with regards to the complex nature of teaching. I agree with this and feel

that there is much to a teacher than what is displayed in these films. Truth be told, there is much more required of a teacher than just teaching students during the set amount of class periods per day. One of my cooperating teachers this past seme

ster told me, that a teacher’s job is only 50% teaching. The other 50% is after school activities, advising, attending meetings and sitting on boards, and much more. On top of this, teachers do, believe it or not, have lives, responsibilities, and commitments outside

of the classroom. Unfortunately not every teacher 100% fits the role that Hilary Swank does in Freedom Writers.

I feel like the general public oftentimes gets an optimistic image

from the portrayal of the teaching profession in movies… this can be a good thing. However, image can often be a very narrow, unrealistic, and idealist impression. It would be wonderful if every classroom could have a movie-script ending… however, there are too many classroom management, outside influences, and even the advent of the cell phone and portable MP3 devices that have gotten in the way of this.

I was intrigued by a commercial that played before the main menu of School of Rock came up on my TV screen. The commercial was for VH1 and had kids with their musical instruments explaining the importance of music in their lives. The message of the commercial was that to become good at music, it takes hard work, practice, and dedication. I thought this was interesting, because this concept is applicable to any other school subject, or anything else in life for that matter.

I felt that School of Rock was unlike the typical teaching movie. Most (from what I have seen and can remember) deal with a teacher who steps into a classroom at the beginning or mid-school year and attempts to take on the unruly or unguided students and change them with his or her passion for learning. Here, Jack Black’s character (Dewey Finn) steps into a classroom that is completely obedient, and wants to learn, and actually asks why they aren’t learning.

There are many stereotypes of schooling that are depicted or inferred within School of Rock. One in particular is with the principal of the school. She seems to fit the stereotypical role of the up-tight “back to the basics” principal. In fact, one thing that stood out to me was when she told Dewey Finn that, “we’re not interested in experimental education here.” The other teachers at the school seem to take on the always-serious role too. This is seen when Dewey Finn eats lunch with them for the first time, and they seem to have no down-to-earth sense and start to discuss testing methods over lunch. Dewey Finn seems to bring character and humor into the conversation with them. He also brings a lose quality to the school that the principal needs, in order to loosen up a bit.

Something else that I find ironic, is that in most teacher movies, the teacher that steps in is the “keeper of wisdom,” or the “savior,” that truly understands teaching. In School of Rock, Dewey Finn’s character is in one way, opposite of the “keeper of wisdom.” He seems to no little about anything but rock music, and knows nothing about teaching. However, he indirectly, and unknowingly ends up teaching the students a great deal. He ends up teaching them that they have talent, potential, and strengths they may not have realized before. In a sense, he is the “keeper of wisdom” regarding rock and roll. He also fits the “savior” role in the sense that he brought a fun side to the classroom, and ended up teaching the principal and parents to loosen up a little bit, and how fun music can be.

Sunday, June 7th, 2009

2009-06-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

Women and Music Videos:

It was interesting to watch the Leslie Gore’s “It’s My Party,” Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” and Lil’ Kim’s “How Many Licks,” one after the next. As for familiarity, I had heard Gore’s song in the past, but hadn’t really taken the time to think about the lyrics, and certainly had not seen the video clip. Apple’s song I was most familiar with, being in my top 90’s iTunes playlist, however I had never taken the time to analyze the lyrics. And for Lil’ Kim’s song, I had never heard of it before, yet I knew what I was getting myself into, just by the song title itself and my roommate’s reaction when I told him what I had to watch and listen to.

There was a definite progression when watching these videos in the order previously listed… a progression of the lyrics and images getting more and more explicit, sexual, seductive, and risqué. When putting the songs and videos into the context of time and culture, it is evident that these women artists were pushing envelopes and their actions and words may be shocking to the greater audience. In the 60’s, when Gore came out with “It’s My Party,” women were coming to the front lines of music performance and singing. The seduction and risqué factors of this video and lyrics are nothing like those of Apple and Lil’ Kim, but you also have to take into context the time in which it was made. As time has gone on, women’s appearance in pop culture and media has gotten more sexual, explicit, and less clothing is necessary for being on screen or in action. This also seemed to be a trend with all three videos. Over time in pop media, women’s bodies have become more and more glorified, with sexual and deviant behavior becoming more and more prevalent.

As for Apple’s video “Criminal,” the lyrics, and video images all revolve around the theme of sexuality and forbidden sex. Apple is singing about the deviant behavior of using a guy for sexual purposes, and that she is not looking at the viewers for forgiveness and redemption. As for Lil’ Kim’s video, the lyrics are highly explicit and filled with innuendos. Once again, the image that is given off in this video is one that is highly sexual, seen in the clothing, body positions, and dancing that takes place. Both Apple and Lil’ Kim’s lyrics and imagery contain objects and words that have underlying sexual connotations.

Throughout the decades, youth has been drawn to pop culture and pop media. This fact is inevitable. Pop media is easy accessible to the youth culture, and they continue to be consumed by it. One of the first things that came to my mind after watching these music videos, was the idea and question of… should these pop stars be held to standards… and should they be required to be role models for the youth culture? Those who work in and perform in the business of pop media are mainly producing for a certain population… the youth. This youth population gets consumed in the ideas and images that are being depicted. Essentially, pop media stars, and in this case women in media, such as Leslie Gore, Fiona Apple, and Lil’ Kim, are exposing the youth culture of their time to sexually deviant and suggestive behaviors.

In a sense, it makes it okay, it justifies, and quite possible even feeds the stereotype of women being objectified. I think of other pop stars like Britney Spears, and Miley Cyrus, who were given so much flack for actions in which they took. Miley Cyrus posed partially nude and in a suggestive pose, in an issue of Vanity Fair. Mom’s all over were furious about what had happened, saying that their child’s hero of Hannah Montana should have never been allowed to do something of the sort. Legitimizing their claims that, Miley should be acting more like a role model for the audience that her main business is feeding and targeting towards. In a sense, I agree with this, but I also realize that everyone is free to do as they please. This is a touchy subject… I understand and realize how influential pop media is on the lives of the youth. I feel that in some sense, it needs to be careful in what it promotes and legitimizes.

Rationale for Pop Culture and Media Integration:

2009-06-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

In today’s time and place, the primary focus of our educational system is to produce successful students who are able to pass standardized tests and meet high standards that are set forth for them. As an art teacher, I have my own opinion about testing… and feel that at times, it can be helpful to measure knowledge learned, but testing should not be the focus of a school’s agenda. From my student teaching experience, at Minnesota’s most under-performing high school, there was little room for expansion upon the curriculum. The focus was on data-driven results within the classroom, preparing students for the next round of state testing, and even holding classes to teach students the “best approaches to test taking and question answering.” It is unfortunate that at such a diverse, low-income, urban school as this, that there is no room for using pop culture as a pedagological advantage… especially seeing as students are surrounded and consumed by it on a daily basis.

When a school is seen as under-performing and not meeting test scores, the first perople to blame are the teachers. This I have seen and experienced first hand. The only obvious answer to this problem (insert sarcasm here) is to either close the school, or to fresh start it (some may prefer the term ‘turnabout’). I don’t understand who came up with the brilliant idea that firing and re-hiring over half of the staff is going to solve any problems… especially if they are held to the same curricular and data-driven standards as the pervious set of teachers. It’s time that student-centered learning is put into full swing. It’s time that the curriculum is expanded upon and we look outward towards students, and ways in which the curriculum can relate to and engage them at a higher level. Seeing as going “back to the basics” and a test-driven curriculum hasn’t brought us the success we need, maybe this will? If we as educators want students to succeed as active participants in society, then we need to start tailoring the curriculum to be reflective upon the society that is out there. Strictly going back to the basics is not going to produce a well-rounded student. Integrating pop culture, visual culture, and current social issues into the curriculum will help give students a broader view of the world that surrounds them.

Integrating pop culture and music into an arts curriculum can be extremely useful and beneficial. Arts education should take advantage of the pop culture and media that surrounds students, rather than attempting to rid it from the classroom. As Cameron White claims in his article, “popular media remains one of the few arenas that provides a forum for common understandings, dialog, and communication”. Especially within an inner-city school, where I have had experience for example, a great deal of students are able to relate to each other with regards to race issues, socio-economic issues, and the day-to-day hardships they are facing. Popular media may be a common ground, where students can further explore the social issues they and others are facing. The art classroom is a great place for this to happen. There is a lot of similarities and overlap between music and the visual arts. Artistic expression, whether it be musical or visual often times expresses feelings or attitudes revolving around contemporary society, current and social issues. There are wide ranges of possibilities for pop media integration within the visual arts realm. As I see it, integrating pop culture and media into an arts curriculum can be a great way of connecting to students, and can open doors for heightening student engagement, critical thinking, and inquiry.