Students Sing the Blues: How Songwriting Inspires Authentic Expression Jason J

Language Arts Journal of Michigan Volume 28 Article 10 Issue 1 Literacy, Literature, and the Arts 2012 Students Sing the Blues: How Songwriting Inspires Authentic Expression Jason J. Griffith Carlisle High School Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/lajm Recommended Citation Griffith,as J on J. (2012) "Students Sing the Blues: How Songwriting Inspires Authentic Expression," Language Arts Journal of Michigan: Vol. 28: Iss. 1, Article 10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.9707/2168-149X.1931 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Language Arts Journal of Michigan by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Students Sing the Blues: How Songwriting Inspires Authentic Expression JASON J. GRIFFITH n many nights in context, the limitations weaken the as- artists. Tapping this interest is an ex- my small town, signment . For instance, when a state cellent starting point for engaged writ- Open Mic events writing assessment frames a written re- ing. After students explore why they take place at cof- sponse as a letter to the school board, like certain songs, I ask them to write fee shops, res- and the students know that piece of one. Specifically, I use the 12-bar blues Otaurants, bars, bookshops, and even writing will never see a school board, format to teach about poetic structure churches. On stage, dozens of musi- what is the point” (p. 86)? and deeper meanings in songs as stu- cians and poets regularly spill their It seems simple, then, that the dents create their own. proverbial guts through original verse. key to inspired writing is to engage Songwriting is an appropriate Considering the number of events students with thoughtful and original genre for self-expression. Accord- like this, it’s clear that there’s a signifi- assignments which intersect with their ing to an interview with Paul Zollo, cant market for creative expression, of- interests and, when possible, have real Bob Dylan said that songwriting was ten through original songwriting. Not audiences. The student’s perception more “confessional than professional” only do many folks find pleasure and of self as a stimulus for engagement is (Cott, 2006, p. 370). The same article community in this type of written and described by Robert Marzano (2007) in quotes John Lennon, who “said that it performed expression, but some even the Art and Science of Teaching. Accord- was hearing Dylan that allowed him to make money by performing original ing to Marzano’s interpretation of psy- make the leap from writing empty pop songs with local bands. One of my chology, perception of self includes songs to expressing the actuality of his goals as an English teacher is to show what students find personally interest- life and the depths of his own soul” students what people are writing in the ing and valuable as well as how they see (p. 368). real world for pleasure and personal themselves (pp. 101-102). These quotes illuminate the power of songwriting to engage student in- fulfillment as well as financial subsis- One interesting method to al- terest and sense of self. Culminating tence. Songwriting is definitely one of low for student exploration of self with an open mic event, students have these. is through a songwriting unit. In my the ability to share their honest and Student interest is, perhaps, the heterogeneously-grouped eighth-grade original work with a real audience dur- most significant factor in meaningful English classes in a public middle ing the unit. More importantly, they’ve writing instruction. If students can- school in small town central Pennsylva- been exposed to a form which they can not personally connect to the topics nia, students have enjoyed self-expres- continue to develop with each other and task, a writing assignment will of- sion and establishing a unique sense of outside of class to meet their expres- ten become meaningless. This is part community by writing songs. This unit sive needs. of the problem with writing prompts lets students listen to and respond to on standardized tests; these antiseptic one another authentically, which Dean Building a Foundation: topics are frequently stale and have no says is an “important way to help stu- Responding to Songs relevance in a student’s life. dents consider audience” (p. 89). Deborah Dean (2006) writes in Most of my students enjoy lis- While it is likely clear to most stu- Strategic Writing that “if the idea of an tening to music and have passionate dents that songs are valuable and an imaginary audience is only to pretend a opinions about their favorite songs and appropriate genre for self-expression, 46 LAJM, Fall 2012 Jason J. Griffith it is also important to demonstrate Identifying with the artists and I allow students to write about any that there can be an academic place songs provides two purposes. It allows artist and song they choose, but for for interacting with their favorite songs for students to consider why certain Jukebox Day, I do exercise minor cen- alongside canonical literature and tradi- songs are personally connective, and sorship. Students can write about any tional writing assignments. Regarding in the process, students explore their song they choose, but any song played the role of readers and non-traditional inner values and experiences. Most for the class must be school appropri- literature, Coskie and Johnson (2005) students really eat this assignment up ate. Specifically, songs played in class write, “We must honor and make a and write fervently about the topic so cannot contain overt and significant place for every reader in our class- it could easily be expanded; however, I profanity, sexual references, drug and rooms. To do this, we need to trust only assign two paragraphs minimum. alcohol references, or violence. that all readers will bring something to Students are interested in whom ev- What’s interesting is that when I and take something away from what- eryone has chosen, and few neglect first verbalize this fairly obvious re- ever they read. This means, our stu- this assignment or turn it in late, which quirement, students groan and ex- dents—no matter how inexperienced, proves that the topic is interesting to change comical looks while shouting how naïve, or how confident—can them. out titles from controversial rappers (and will) create a unique understand- Since this is such an interesting and rockers, but their actual choices ing of the text” (p. 47). topic to students, it’s important to of songs to share are usually thought- Nowhere is true student reader- share responses. Louise Rosenblatt ful and revealing, often sensitive, and response more evident than in reac- (2005) writes, “In the teaching of lit- always school-appropriate. And when tion to the music and lyrics they enjoy, erature, then, we are basically help- students write about songs with con- and bringing this into the classroom ing our students learn to perform in troversial lyrics, they usually are reveal- is a powerful opportunity. I assign response to a text” (p. 27). The first ing a pretty raw and/or tender part of students a brief essay where they are opportunity in the unit to experiment themselves. asked, simply, to choose a singer, mu- with classmates as an authentic audi- There are always predictable sical artist, group, or band whom they ence is on “Jukebox Day.” I require choices from pop music such as one connect to personally. students to read their essays in front of student who wrote about her appre- The simple directions I provide their classmates, but in an effort to al- ciation for Justin Bieber; “I can iden- my students for this assignment are to leviate some pressure and to make the tify with Justin Bieber because he is choose a songwriter and a song (by that presentations more communal, I bring currently a teenager, and he is going artist) that you identify with and enjoy, students to the front of the room in through some of the same events and respond to the following in several five-student panels. that we are in life such as dealing with well-developed paragraphs: Each student reads his or her re- school, friends, family, and the world. sponse, and then, when each has read, I enjoy his music and the lyrics, which First paragraph (Artist) he or she has the opportunity to play I can relate to, because they are about Why do you appreciate this artist? the song for the class. Breaking the teenage topics.” How do you identify with this per- presentations into panels allows for There are also often some throw- son and his/her work? Write one some breaks between reading and mu- backs to artists from previous genera- paragraph describing the musical re- sic. Students definitely get a kick out tions such as the student who wrote lationship you enjoy with this artist of bringing their I-pods and other mu- about her favorite Johnny Cash song and his/her music. sic media to class to share, and there “Hurt.” are ubiquitous comments such as “we Part of the song “Hurt” is about Second paragraph (Song) should listen to music like this every everyone Cash knows going away What song do you most connect day.” While, Jukebox Day is a more lit- in the end. That can either be with? Write one paragraph de- eral performance than Rosenblatt de- from growing old and all of your scribing what you like about the scribed, the event highlights the pieces friends and family dying, or it song and how it relates to you of and connections to student-selected could be interpreted as just losing and your personality.

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