Listen Like Thieves - Using Pop Music to Teach Literary Analysis, Foster Engagement, and Build Positive Relationships

It has been said that teachers are some of the greatest thieves in the world, stealing ideas and altering them to fit their classes. A resource that is being "stolen from" and increasingly used in classrooms is that of pop culture. I have found that one of the most easily accessible forms of pop culture to use effectively and efficiently is that of popular music. Popular music spans generations and connects millions. I’ll discuss the benefits of connecting curriculum to pop music in order to enrich classroom lessons, enhance student's ability to do literary analysis, and actively engage students while simultaneously building positive relationships. In the end the hope is to see the value of using this medium to help students not only in the classroom, but to provide them an ability to analyze their pop culture and their world through a different lens.