School of Thought

We are now living in a society that prides it’s self on success. More particular success amongst our youth and their performance in schools. Even though students may be getting good grades and graduating, the success of that school and student is determined and highly depended on test scores. Every new plan to improve schools is centered on raising test scores. I heard a school is looking to change their curriculum by getting back to the basics. They want to improve the basic skills of the students and improve the scores on the schools standardized tests. They are looking to discontinue the course material the focuses on pop culture and pop music because they feel it deviates from what they are trying to do. They feel that learning of these subject matters are irrelevant and counter productive to the building of their basic skills. I am totally 100% in complete disagreement with this statement. Studying popular culture and popular music provides enormous opportunities for students to learn. Not just learn but also it creates creative ways for the students to build basic skills. How does this work one might ask?  For starters studying and discussing music is a perfect way to learn about history. Not just American history but world history as well. When you look at the history of music, it follows a timeline that is parallel to what is happening in society. When reading about the brief history of music on wikipedia, it talks about the origin of the different styles that developed over time. Early popular songs mimicked musical styles of African drums and African culture. It was a history lesson; because music and the lyrics directly reflect society, one can get a sense of the time. By studying the early beginnings of music, one will learn about minstrel shows and how African Americans where depicted in society.  By studying Broadway you are able to learn of the culture of theater, ragtime music lets you explore into the southern bayou of New Orleans. Youth are able to learn about inventions such as the phonograph cylinder by Thomas Edison, which started a generation of musical recordings. These examples are only the beginning. Not only can youth get history out of studying pop culture and music but it will allow them to further develop those basic skills such as reading, math, writing, interpretation/comprehension as well as allowing them to explore creative writing, social issues and freedom of expression. By studying how to write music, understanding musical beats and writing lyrics; they are learning the mathematical side of music. By giving them songs to listen to and lyrics to read; they are able to dig into what the artist is saying which will give them insight on the social issues taking place at the time the song was written. That is what we call reading comprehension while learning about history. Lastly by exposing them to this culture, they are given the opportunity express themselves freely by writing creatively. If done right; incorporating the study of pop culture and pop music can be the tool that the school system is looking for to increase success amongst the youth. Educational philosopher John Dewey said “we have to meet youth where they are.” By giving youth something that they are already interested in allows for the possibility of increased attendance, class participation, higher test scores, increased development of basic skills and most of all increased test scores. Why, because we are taking an interest in the world that is so important to our youth, they will be more able and willing to relate school to their everyday lives and have fun doing it. So if you or anyone else in the school system were to tell me that studying music and culture is counter productive to the goals of the schools, I will stand by my beliefs and disagree 100% wholeheartedly.