DR. KEITH MASON

Musicals foster Habits of Mind Students will benefi t by bridging the two.

he Habits of Mind offer much to Musicals by composers and lyricists such Musicals tied to the teachers because the Habits are as , Rodgers and Tso versatile and can potentially Hart, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Lerner and 16 Habits of Mind impact learning in so many subject areas. Loewe, Stephen Sondheim, Frank Loesser, The following discussion presents the 16 The Habits of Mind framework is a series the Sherman Brothers, and others can be Habits of Mind with examples of how songs of 16 problem-solving strategies and powerful resources for student learning. or concepts from musicals can clearly foster dispositions that can help an individual Dozens of musicals are available to utilise them. This represents only a fraction of throughout life. In January 2017, Bena with students. I consider each musical a possibilities with the numerous musicals Kallick and Allison Zmuda published gem that can potentially impact student available and their rich musical scores. Students at the Center: Personalized Learning learning through its themes and musical Below summarises each habit of mind and with Habits of Mind. If we picture our score. Audio tracks from cast albums and how the study of musicals can foster these classrooms as stages or movie screens, we soundtracks and video clips and full fi lms problem-solving strategies. can allow the curtain to rise by exposing are rich resources for reinforcing the Habits our students to musical plays and musical of Mind. Classic Broadway and fi lm musicals 1)Persisting: films while fostering the Habits of Mind. such as The Sound of Music, , The Students can complete a musical project Music Man, Hello, Dolly! and Oklahoma! as and see it to its completion. Students create Author Keith Mason as Curly in Oklahoma! Role well as more recent musicals like , a series of storyboards that depict the main play of a musical character can be an ideal way La La Land, and Moana can enrich student scenes in The Sound of Music and present to bring Habits of Mind alive in the classroom. learning. Because musicals include a blend them to the rest of the class. Students Photo courtesy of the author. of arts, the reinforcement of Habits of learn about Alexander Hamilton through Mind can focus on music, dance, visual the musical Hamilton and learn how he art, language arts, and drama as well demonstrated the Habit “persisting” in as other subjects depending on the major contributions to the formation of particular musical. the United States as a Founding Father. Two main questions can frame lessons Other possible examples of persisting and units: include creating multiple takes of a song to get it right or filming a scene in a • How can Habits of Mind be musical over and over until it is right. The fostered using musicals? analysis of a main or secondary character›s • How is using Habits of Mind for perseverance in the face of adversity could musicals similar to using them for also foster this Habit. literature? 2) Managing impulsivity Musicals can serve as stimuli A student focuses on the main plot similar to literary works because of of and decides whether he or the dialog, sung dialog, and song she likes the ending of the musical or lyrics. Instrumental songs can also be not. Other ways to foster this Habit included in analysis. Even without include practicing the dialog or song lyrics, names of instrumental songs from Carousel or another musical or evoke meaning, emotions, and even reviewing the dialog or song again. character development. 3) Listening with understanding and empathy While students are having a class or group discussion about the confl icts in , they listen to what other classmates have to offer regarding the gang wars and the confl icts between the Jets and the Sharks. With follow ups activities tied to 56 DR. KEITH MASON

I consider each musical a gem that can potentially impact student learning through its themes and musical score.

Julie Andrews as Maria in the fi lm version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music. Photo courtesy of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. musicals, students listen to their classmates and teacher and focus on comprehension and relating to the content with feeling.

4) Thinking fl exibly: In a group project about the musical Carnival, students come up with various options for their project before deciding on the best option. How else could the song lyric from “Love Makes the World Go ‘Round” be used to convey the message? How could the musical begin or end in an alternate way? Could the songs occur in a different order without negatively affecting the storyline? 5) Thinking about thinking (metacognition): As students watch the “Broadway Melody” scene in Singin’ in the Rain, they think about what the creative team intended with this huge, musical spectacular. Students work individually first and then in groups to come to a consensus regarding the main message of the “Broadway Melody.”

6) Striving for accuracy: When writing an essay describing the main confl icts in , students reread and revise their essays for accuracy and persuasiveness. Students can learn to sing or play through a song from the Guys and Dolls score or another musical without stopping.

7) Questioning and posing problems: When students watch the musical , they come up with questions that may have made the school year go differently. How could the How were earlier states entered into the write an essay on why Dorothy wanted to musical have ended differently? Why does union? What historical knowledge would return home so much. They could also give the musical present the confl ict that it does? help future states become part of the United the motivation for the Scarecrow wanting What are the main confl icts in the musical States? How does this musical compare to a brain, the Tin Man wanting a heart, and that need resolution by the end? Why do they ones that they have already seen? How can the Cowardly Lion wanting courage. Why like the musical Grease? they stage this musical using ones that they did the Wicked Witch of the West want the have seen in the past? ruby slippers so much? What makes The 8) Applying past knowledge Wizard of Oz appealing? What makes the to new situations: 9) Thinking and communicating music memorable? When watching Oklahoma!, students with clarity and precision: determine what the characters had to In watching The Wizard of Oz, what clear 10) Gathering data through all senses: accomplish in order for the Native American messages are conveyed in the musical? While students watch a scene from My Fair territory to become the state of Oklahoma. Students can give an oral presentation or Lady, they focus on what they are seeing,

57 58 Teachers Matter DR. KEITHMASON describe itinwords. production process of creating musicals and seen, explorenewmusicalgenres,orlovethe can fi nd out about musicals they have never an actressinfi lmhistory. Inaddition,students createoneofthebiggestentrances scenery a beautifullocaleandhowthemusic what itwaslikefortheactresstofi lminsuch Julie AndrewsandtheAlps,studentsimagine Sound ofMusicincludingtheaerialfootage After studentswatchthetitlenumberfromThe and awe: 12) Respondingwithwonderment plot, oradifferentending. characters, a different outcome within the a differentmusicalandcreatealternate a differentway?Eachstudentcouldselect would theystageasceneinmusical their owncreativityandimagination.How Pacifi c,theydeviseadifferentendingusing After studentsviewthemusicalSouth 11) Creating,imagining,innovating: song "Wouldn›t ItBeLoverly?" of “lotschocolateformetoeat”from the smell like?HowdoesElizaenjoythetaste fl owergatheringscene,whatdothe fl owers hearing, and feeling emotionally. In the of theRodgers&HammersteinOrganization. Rodgers andHammerstein’s Oklahoma!Photocourtesy Scene fromtheoriginal1943Broadway productionof fantasy scene fi t into what is already there? fantasy sceneingroups.Howwouldthis Bang Bang!theycomeupwithanadditional After studentsviewthemusicalChitty 15) Thinkinginterdependently: scenes sohumorous. musicals andexplainwhatmakesthese explore YouTube forotherfunnyscenesfrom Maria sitsonapinecone?Studentscan funny inTheSoundofMusicscenewhen were ElizaDoolittle?Whatdostudentsfi nd the scene? How would they have felt if they Lady, whatdostudentsfi ndsofunnyabout After watching the marbles scene in 14) Findinghumor: effect itcreates. oraccentandseewhat intonation pattern delivering dialog with a different could try tempo, musicalstyle,orcappella.Students arrangement,a musicalwithanalternate asongfrom performing Students couldtry creation wouldreplacethedeletedsong? they foregoandwhatsongoftheirown song shouldbedeleted.Whichwould from After students listen to the entire score 13) Taking responsiblerisks: The MusicMan, they decide that one My Fair themselves? the musicalgivestudent’s insightsabout Habits ofMindareapparent?Howdoes Whatmain messageorlessonislearned? the worldbymeansofthesemusicals.What about life values andmusicals and learn before. Studentscouldexploreseveral and his time period that they did not know about Alexander Hamiltonthey learned the After studentslistentoselectionsfrom continuous learning: 16) Remainingopento theatre andfi lm. York City, ofmusical orexplorethehistory about theBroadwaytheatredistrictinNew book, orwebsiteaboutmusicals,learn premises ofnewmusicals,readanarticle, thescoresanda musical.Theycanlearn fromand somethingtheyhavelearned with musicals;favorites,least include askingothersabouttheirexperience Other possibilitiesforfosteringthishabit would thisincludeamusicalselection? Which characters would be involved and Hamilton castalbum,theyrevealwhat DR. KEITH MASON

Approaches to using Habits of Mind with musicals How can musicals be utilised to promote the Habits of Mind? Consider the following fi ve approaches:

The Clip Approach Choose one scene from a musical film or captured stage production. For example, you could show students the opening scene of The Sound of Music beginning from the fi rst view of the mountains up through the song “The Sound of Music.” The breathtaking aerial footage of the Alps could be used to illustrate the Habit Responding with Wonderment and Awe.

The Song Approach Select one song to play for students. Lyrics could be included on the screen by selecting DVD subtitles or by choosing a YouTube version with lyrics on the screen. Before you play the song, you can ask students to identify examples of Habits of Mind revealed in the song lyrics.

The Entire Musical Approach The Performance Approach and Oscar Hammerstein II, Choose one musical and have students To get students actively involved, they can legendary composer and lyricist of eleven identify examples of the 16 Habits of Mind perform one or more songs or scenes from a musicals, have a lot to offer teachers who as the fi lm unfolds. Follow up class or group musical or musicals. After students perform wish to use their works to foster Habits discussions could be guided by teacher their song or scene, classmates can identify of Mind. Photo courtesy of the Rodgers & questions that refer to specific scenes or which Habits of Mind are illustrated. Acting Hammerstein Organization. songs and asking which Habits of Mind out a scene instead of a song may be come to mind. Students can collaborate to more appropriate for students who are less discover what their classmates observe and comfortable singing. have a discussion. The Project Approach The Research Approach Students choose one musical and closely Each student chooses one musical. Using the analyse it with the 16 Habits as the focus. Keith has been a world language Internet and book resources selected by the students choose a musical with educator and linguistics specialist for teacher, students come up with a detailed the instructor’s approval, they write a 35 years. He is based in New Jersey, description of which Habits of Mind can be traditional essay or an illustrated magazine U.S.A. Keith’s teaching and research found in their musical. The culmination of article, create a poster, make a video, or areas include musicals in the curriculum, the research can be represented by a report, create a PowerPoint explaining how the chart, poster, collage, or PowerPoint that musical fosters the 16 Habits of Mind. foreign language pedagogy, Romance can be presented to the rest of the class. All students present their findings to the linguistics, and curriculum. He received Students could share their findings on a class to stimulate discussion and to foster eight Rising Star Awards from the Paper class blog so that they would benefi t from the third Habit of Mind “Listening with Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, U.S.A. for all students’ research efforts. understanding and empathy.” integrating musicals in the high school Habits of Mind has impacted the way we curriculum. He is currently writing a approach a number of school subjects. The book Musicals across the Curriculum. 16 Habits can be fostered in numerous ways [email protected] using the songs and concepts from musical plays and films. The Habits of Mind can bring the musical to the forefront in student learning while concomitantly reinforcing the 16 valuable Habits of Mind.

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