SIG group blog

https://wordpress.wildern.hants.sch.uk/

Twitter for school

https://twitter.com/JCooper03411006

Using music to prompt, as a stimulus and for analysis.

Using music to prompt, as a stimulus and for analysis.

When using music alongside, on class entry and during novel studies and poetry I have found it really useful to get students in the frame of mind of the lesson ahead. Some examples from recent lessons include:

9P5 Low level literacy group. Focus: Young people, their reputation and media stereotyping. We analysed Plan B’s ‘Ill Manors’ which is a modern and highly thought-provoking song. We had previously discussed the reputation of young people, the Riots of 2011 and the impact the Olympics and media. I started with a conference from Plan B star for TEDx (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhtAfIw4qJY ) which is really interesting in which he talks about such issues facing young people. We then analysed the song and considered if this was a fair representation “hoodies, robbing, council housed and violent”. The political messages in the song I considered to be high ability however this set 5 class were able to gain an understanding as I suppose it effected them.

Another lesson using music as a stimulus was Professor Green’s ‘Jungle’ in which we analysed animal imagery in the lyrics. The comparison of Hackney as a jungle really interested the year 7’s as they were looking at performance poetry and listening to Professor Green was a singer or poet as we discussed that they could identify with.

“London aint cool to cruise through where the hunters pray, Looking lunch today, and your chains looking like fresh fruit to a hungry ape. They'll eat on you, then laugh about it like Hyenas do, so stick to breezing through, like cheetahs do or be a piece of food.”

Many of the students reflection after the lesson was that they had never truly listening to the lyrics in this way and said how clever the language was. This lesson was adaptable from my set 1 7x1 to set 5 7Y5.

Songs which work with novels and poetry

From this website I have found a list of poems and novels in which they suggest songs that would go alongside the study. Which I will use in my research for my SIG.

William Golding, Lord of the Flies is paired with "It's the End of the World As We Know It" by REM

Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird with the song “Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday

Mary Shelley Frankenstein" with Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day similarly I used this song for personification in poetry which the kids enjoyed.

http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_db.html 

SIG research Creative Arts in English

For my SIG at Wildern I am researching using music in English lessons to embed creative arts across the curriculum. During my research I have found an article that was interesting to back up exploring music in English lessons to develop wider understanding of context.

Professor Finds Place for Teens’ Music in English Class

Discussing song lyrics in the classroom can help students connect in multiple, complex levels with traditional literature, Goering explained. Because of the importance of music to adolescents, the method can engage some students who otherwise would not be interested in literature and challenge the ones who are. For the students in Siloam Springs, he put lyrics on a big screen from the song "Broken Plow" by Chris Knight, who wrote the song after reading John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, according to Knight's Web site. Then, Goering asked them to compare those lyrics to "Email my Heart" performed by Britney Spears.

"If you're a fan of Britney Spears, I don't mean any offense, but that song is mostly a string of clichés, don't you think?" Goering asked the teens. "It doesn't give us a lot to think about."

Goering, who recently released his first CD of original music, hosts a Web site at http://www.littunes.com for teachers to share links between literature and lyrics. He describes this connection as musical intertextuality. Last year, nearly 6,000 visitors were recorded at the LitTunes site, according to Goering. Subscribers to the site's newsletter number almost 750 people with representatives of all 50 states.

"The Soundtrack of Your Life," one of the most popular lesson plans on the site, leads students in reflective writing and personal narrative. Goering gave the Siloam Springs students a mini-version of the "Soundtrack" lesson plan that is designed to be completed in four 50-minute class periods. Basically, students choose eight major events in their lives and then list songs to accompany each event.

http://coehp.uark.edu/colleague/7641.php

First day ground rules

First day worries, how do I establish myself in the classroom as a strong teacher. Behaviour is important, as is getting to know your class. This offers a strong and structured first lesson, although I would like to incorporate more smiles :-)

http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Establishing-the-Ground-Rules-Tough-Love-6044201/

The Unteachables

This programme is about a group of year 9 pupils who take part in a camp to improve their learning, it is really interesting and the lessons they have are interactive and fun. Although filmed a few years ago it is clear that there is still room in our current education system for such ideas and I intend to takes these into account especially with my disengaged pupils.

The Unteachables:

Revolutionary English teacher, Phil Beadle has just one weekend to try and get all 16 children to buy into the plan. He will assess their learning potential and try to get them on board with activities such as the 'dickhead game' and Kung Fu punctuation. Will he manage to win them over before chaos engulfs the project?

This four-part series features 16 underachieving and extremely challenging 13-year-olds, who have been labelled as 'disaffected' by the state education system. These apparently 'unteachable' kids are either completely disengaged or so abusive and disruptive in school that permanent exclusion is inevitable.

In this groundbreaking project, four leading teachers try to turn around these bottom-of-the-class kids, and inspire them to become hard-working pupils with a future.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-unteachables/4od#2926731

Betts Education event 14th January 2012

Dedicated to showcasing the best in UK and international educational technology products, resources and best practice, BETT has enabled thousands of practitioners to enhance their knowledge of learning through technology.

Taking place each January at Olympia in London, BETT attracts more than 600 educational suppliers and around 30,000 visitors. It brings together the global teaching and learning community for four days of innovations and inspirations.

BETT is the world’s leading event for educational technology where education professionals can evaluate and purchase a comprehensive range of ICT products and services. From early years to universities, BETT is an indispensable part of the annual knowledge-gathering process, coming at a time when establishments are planning and budgeting for the new school year.

BETT 2012 takes place on 11-14 January 2012, at Olympia in London.

At BETT there are a variety of inspirational features and events offering the opportunity for you to develop your knowledge and get up-to-date on the latest in policy and best practice.

 

Click on the logos below for more information

	Learn Live is an exciting programme of interactive, informal workshops and seminars
	The conference runs alongside BETT2012 to provide leaders in education with discussion opportunities and interactions with experts in their field. Click here for The Education Leaders website
	In our central feature Prof. Stephen Heppel will be exploring New Worlds of Learning with a dynamic group of school children, who will be sharing ideas and working with other students and teachers across the globe.
	Fringe events are independently organised events happening during BETT week
	Anderton Tiger Radio are the official BETT 2012 Radio Media Partners. Russell Prue will be broadcasting live each day from the Central Feature Stand – Heppell.net along with monthly broadcasts in the run up to the show

http://www.bettshow.com/bett/website/Default.aspx?refer=6&id=mainLnk6