Promoting Student Reflection and Critical Thinking Using Popular Music Videos: Cindy Baw
I ask students to write in a journal during the first few minutes of class. Sometimes they watch a short music video, and most of the time, they just listen to a song and analyze lyrics. I like for students to be inspired, use their higher level thinking skills, and find poetic devices in songs. I try to use songs from musicians that actually read books, enjoy Shakespeare, have college degrees, or have English majors. Students are often surprised to discover that X-Ambassadors like Shakespeare or that Ed Sheeran's song, "All of the Stars" from The Fault in Our Stars originates from lines found in Julius Caesar. I like for students to see the good quotes that Imagine Dragons has about the importance of writing and telling one's story or knowing that the group has a charity to help young people with cancer. In addition, the music video for John Legend's song, "Glory" from the movie Selma teaches a history lesson. I try to select a journal that relates to the lesson objective for the day.
Here is some inspiration for the end of the semester when we want the students to see themselves in a positive light and to finish strong and also to remind professors that they are in the "Hall of Fame."
Listen to the song, and answer the questions in your journal.
The Script and will.i.am “Hall of Fame”
Yeah, You could be the greatest You can be the best You can be the King Kong banging on your chest.
You could beat the world You could beat the war You could talk to God, go banging on his door.
You can throw your hands up You can beat the clock You can move a mountain You can break rocks You can be a master Don't wait for luck Dedicate yourself, and you can find yourself.
Standing in the hall of fame (chorus) And the world's gonna know your name 'Cause you burn with the brightest flame And the world's gonna know your name And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame.
You could go the distance You could run the mile You could walk straight through hell with a smile.
You could be the hero You could get the gold Breaking all the records they thought, never could be broke
Do it for your people; do it for your pride How you ever gonna know if you never even try?
Do it for your country; do it for you name 'Cause there's gonna be a day (Chorus repeated)
Be a champion, be a champion, be a champion, be a champion
On the walls of the hall of fame
Be students, be teachers, be politicians, be preachers; be believers, be leaders Be astronauts, be champions; be truth seekers.
Be students, be teachers, be politicians, be preachers, be believers, be leaders Be astronauts, be champions; be truth seekers. (Chorus repeated)
You could be the greatest, you can be the best (You can be a champion) You can be the King Kong banging on your chest You could beat the world (you can be a champion) You could beat the war (you can be a champion) You could talk to God, go banging on his door (you can be a champion).
You can throw your hands up (you can be a champion) You can beat the clock (you can be a champion) You can move a mountain (you can be a champion) You can break rocks (you can be a champion)
You can be a master (you can be a champion) Don't wait for luck (you can be a champion) Dedicate yourself and you can find yourself (you can be a champion) Standing in the hall of fame (you can be a champion).
How would you define the word, “champion?”
What can you do about the negative people in your life?
Why is it important not to quit or give up?
How could the “Hall of Fame” be a literal or a figurative place?
Sometimes in poetry/music, the artist exaggerates lyrics to prove a point. Do you see an example of this literary device in the song?
Notice the jobs allow the person to be remembered after he/she is gone, but may not give fame or fortune. Would this be important to you, and why or why not?
