““The Soundtrack of my Life”The Soundtrack of my Life”

Music and the Personal Narrative: The Music and the Personal Narrative: The Dual Track to Meaningful WritingDual Track to Meaningful Writing

Ms. Hess-Winter 2014Ms. Hess-Winter 2014Adapted from a unit written by Chris GoeringAdapted from a unit written by Chris Goering

Resilience, Perseverance, FaithResilience, Perseverance, Faith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRfuAukYTKghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRfuAukYTKghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRfuAukYTKg

Determination, Longing, SacrificeDetermination, Longing, Sacrifice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReQluucmH9A

Rationale:Rationale:

"For every adult who is convinced pop music "For every adult who is convinced pop music is responsible for the moral decay of our is responsible for the moral decay of our

youth, there is an adolescent who believes youth, there is an adolescent who believes music is the only positive force in music is the only positive force in

contemporary society.“contemporary society.“

~ Christenson and Roberts ~ Christenson and Roberts

Why Music?Why Music?

Music inspires, motivates, and Music inspires, motivates, and interests a diverse range of not only interests a diverse range of not only students, but people in general, by students, but people in general, by connecting to their personal feelings connecting to their personal feelings and emotions. Rarely do teenagers and emotions. Rarely do teenagers go without music. Whether it is in your go without music. Whether it is in your cars, at home, on your phones or an cars, at home, on your phones or an iPod, music serves as the universal iPod, music serves as the universal backdrop to almost all adolescent backdrop to almost all adolescent lives.lives.

Music is Powerful.Music is Powerful.

Music summons vivid memories of Music summons vivid memories of persons, places, and events, and it persons, places, and events, and it documents thoughts, feelings, and documents thoughts, feelings, and emotions associated with a given time or emotions associated with a given time or place. Music affords students opportunities place. Music affords students opportunities to reflect on their lives and consider some to reflect on their lives and consider some of the reasons that they have developed of the reasons that they have developed into who they are so far.into who they are so far.

SolaceSolace

Many times in my life, regardless of how Many times in my life, regardless of how utterly alone I might have felt, I have been utterly alone I might have felt, I have been able to turn to music as a source of able to turn to music as a source of comfort. It is in music that we find comfort. It is in music that we find inspiration, a means of relating to the inspiration, a means of relating to the thoughts, emotions, and experiences of thoughts, emotions, and experiences of another individual, as well as a source of another individual, as well as a source of solace.solace.

Music-induced Self-reflectionMusic-induced Self-reflection

As a teacher of writing, I feel that writing As a teacher of writing, I feel that writing can be one of the most powerful means of can be one of the most powerful means of self-reflection. In the past, I have written self-reflection. In the past, I have written countless pieces that have opened my countless pieces that have opened my eyes to realizations I might have otherwise eyes to realizations I might have otherwise never seen.never seen.

Music as a VehicleMusic as a Vehicle

Knowing that many of you, like myself, are Knowing that many of you, like myself, are true lovers of music, I think this would be true lovers of music, I think this would be an excellent opportunity to investigate our an excellent opportunity to investigate our love of certain songs and consider why love of certain songs and consider why they have such tremendous meaning in they have such tremendous meaning in our lives. our lives.

What makes each song speak to What makes each song speak to you?you?

““The Soundtrack of your Life”The Soundtrack of your Life”

The "Soundtrack of Your Life," is designed The "Soundtrack of Your Life," is designed to be a written exploration of self. I want to be a written exploration of self. I want you to think about key experiences in your you to think about key experiences in your life and think about which song you would life and think about which song you would relate to that experience. relate to that experience.

Song SelectionSong Selection

This may also be done in reverse. Think of This may also be done in reverse. Think of some of your favorite songs and consider some of your favorite songs and consider why they speak to you. What do they why they speak to you. What do they remind you of? What events in your life remind you of? What events in your life have occurred that make you relate to the have occurred that make you relate to the song? What memories do they arouse? song? What memories do they arouse?

What will this look like?What will this look like?

To begin your piece, I want you to To begin your piece, I want you to introduce yourself in a brief autobiography. introduce yourself in a brief autobiography. Next, explain your soundtrack to the Next, explain your soundtrack to the "listeners": What is this soundtrack and "listeners": What is this soundtrack and why are you creating it? What are your why are you creating it? What are your goals for the project? What use will you goals for the project? What use will you make of it? make of it?

Introductions…Introductions…

This student’s introduction of herself and This student’s introduction of herself and preview of the soundtrack have effectively preview of the soundtrack have effectively built some suspense about what her life built some suspense about what her life has meant and might become. At this point has meant and might become. At this point in the assignment, you should begin to in the assignment, you should begin to describe a minimum of eight significant describe a minimum of eight significant points in your lives and connect those points in your lives and connect those events with music lyrics. events with music lyrics.

Let’s look at some examples:Let’s look at some examples:

Dear Listener,Dear Listener, The soundtrack before you represents as a whole a The soundtrack before you represents as a whole a

few exceptionally memorable events from my life. few exceptionally memorable events from my life. Although it should be fairly self-explanatory, there are a Although it should be fairly self-explanatory, there are a few things you should know that you would not find out few things you should know that you would not find out from the songs. . . . Due to the influences of my mom, from the songs. . . . Due to the influences of my mom, Aunt Cindy, and Uncle Tim, I have grown into a very Aunt Cindy, and Uncle Tim, I have grown into a very loving, free-spirited young woman who is incredibly loving, free-spirited young woman who is incredibly open-minded, honest, and loyal. Most of my days have open-minded, honest, and loyal. Most of my days have been spent in my hometown of Kearney, Nebraska, but been spent in my hometown of Kearney, Nebraska, but my summers, since about the age of eleven, have been my summers, since about the age of eleven, have been spent in California with my aunt and uncle. There, I was spent in California with my aunt and uncle. There, I was given the freedom and trust to spread my wings and given the freedom and trust to spread my wings and grow, and also the opportunity to learn from the many grow, and also the opportunity to learn from the many mistakes I ended up making.mistakes I ended up making.

TransitionsTransitions

The next section of this student’s piece The next section of this student’s piece previews her soundtrack and is designed previews her soundtrack and is designed to introduce the listeners to what they are to introduce the listeners to what they are about to hear. Many of this student’s about to hear. Many of this student’s comments allude to problems that she has comments allude to problems that she has faced already that are detailed later along faced already that are detailed later along with songs in the soundtrack. with songs in the soundtrack.

This soundtrack is being carefully This soundtrack is being carefully constructed to reflect the flavor and constructed to reflect the flavor and ambience of my life. I am attempting to ambience of my life. I am attempting to capture "me" in this soundtrack and capture "me" in this soundtrack and explain a little about myself in the process. explain a little about myself in the process. Completing this project is forcing me to Completing this project is forcing me to take a much deeper look into who I am take a much deeper look into who I am and who I wish to become. I want to be a and who I wish to become. I want to be a responsible, productive member of responsible, productive member of society. society.

Next…Next…

In the next stage, you will introduce each In the next stage, you will introduce each event and relate a song to that event. event and relate a song to that event. Each event and song combination should Each event and song combination should result in at least one paragraph of the result in at least one paragraph of the soundtrack. (4soundtrack. (4thth hour should complete hour should complete roughly a page per track.) You may roughly a page per track.) You may organize your material in a number of organize your material in a number of ways (see examples that follow). I ways (see examples that follow). I encourage you to find an organizing encourage you to find an organizing principle with which you feel comfortable. principle with which you feel comfortable.

Here’s an example:Here’s an example: I have the utmost respect for Michael, who, being only thirty-five I have the utmost respect for Michael, who, being only thirty-five

when he married my mom, had never been married before or had when he married my mom, had never been married before or had any children and suddenly had four of us. Dedicated to the any children and suddenly had four of us. Dedicated to the incredible man who, along with my wonderful mother, has done incredible man who, along with my wonderful mother, has done everything in his power to make our lives the best that he possibly everything in his power to make our lives the best that he possibly could is my fourth song, "He Didn't Have to Be," by Brad Paisley. could is my fourth song, "He Didn't Have to Be," by Brad Paisley. This ballad strikes a chord in my heart when it says, "All of a This ballad strikes a chord in my heart when it says, "All of a sudden, oh it seemed so strange to me / How we went from sudden, oh it seemed so strange to me / How we went from something's missing to a family / Looking back all I can say about all something's missing to a family / Looking back all I can say about all the things he did for me / Is I hope I'm at least half the dad that he the things he did for me / Is I hope I'm at least half the dad that he didn't have to be." When I have children of my own, if I can manage didn't have to be." When I have children of my own, if I can manage to give my children even half of the love, attention, and nurturing to give my children even half of the love, attention, and nurturing that Mom and Michael have shown us, I will be an awesome parent.that Mom and Michael have shown us, I will be an awesome parent.

Here’s another one:Here’s another one:

Almost everyone on this earth has at one point in Almost everyone on this earth has at one point in their life encountered a person who greatly their life encountered a person who greatly affected them as a person and helped mold their affected them as a person and helped mold their character. For me, that lady was my Aunt character. For me, that lady was my Aunt Cindy. . . . she was one of the most incredible Cindy. . . . she was one of the most incredible people I have ever known, and she tried her people I have ever known, and she tried her best every day of her life to act as God would best every day of her life to act as God would have her behave and treat people justly. When have her behave and treat people justly. When God called her home January 8, 2000, I was God called her home January 8, 2000, I was devastated to say the least. She was my mentor, devastated to say the least. She was my mentor, best friend, and confidant all wrapped up in one best friend, and confidant all wrapped up in one beautiful package. . . .beautiful package. . . .

And another:And another:

In honor of this great woman, I chose "Holes in In honor of this great woman, I chose "Holes in the Floor of Heaven," by Steve Wariner, as the the Floor of Heaven," by Steve Wariner, as the first song of my soundtrack. Through these past first song of my soundtrack. Through these past couple years, I have come to realize that even couple years, I have come to realize that even though Cindy is not physically here with me, she though Cindy is not physically here with me, she keeps a watchful eye over me always. Losing keeps a watchful eye over me always. Losing any loved one is an extremely difficult any loved one is an extremely difficult experience, but listening to this song and experience, but listening to this song and absorbing the lyrics, ". . . there's holes in the absorbing the lyrics, ". . . there's holes in the floor of heaven / And she's watching over you floor of heaven / And she's watching over you and me . . . ," brings comfort at a time when and me . . . ," brings comfort at a time when there is no other relief from the pain of there is no other relief from the pain of adolescence.adolescence.

In conclusion….In conclusion….

“ “Creating this soundtrack of my life has been Creating this soundtrack of my life has been completely unbelievable for me. I had absolutely completely unbelievable for me. I had absolutely no idea that one project could force me to no idea that one project could force me to concentrate so intently on who I am. It has been concentrate so intently on who I am. It has been an incredibly eye-opening experience. I do hope an incredibly eye-opening experience. I do hope that through these songs and what they that through these songs and what they represent, I have adequately provided clearer represent, I have adequately provided clearer insight as to who I am at heart. Finally, I wish to insight as to who I am at heart. Finally, I wish to extend my deepest appreciation to the listener extend my deepest appreciation to the listener for taking their time to enter my world for a short for taking their time to enter my world for a short while and I hope the trip has been enjoyable and while and I hope the trip has been enjoyable and enlightening.”enlightening.”

Now I have the opportunity to not only be that Now I have the opportunity to not only be that upstanding citizen but also to turn my life upstanding citizen but also to turn my life around, attend college, obtain a career that I around, attend college, obtain a career that I enjoy, and one day find a man that loves me enjoy, and one day find a man that loves me enough to spend the rest of his life with me and enough to spend the rest of his life with me and raise a family. This project is helping me realize raise a family. This project is helping me realize that not only am I still quite young but I also that not only am I still quite young but I also have to take this "life" thing as it's thrown at me have to take this "life" thing as it's thrown at me and just live for today. It has taken nearly and just live for today. It has taken nearly seventeen years to mold me into the person that seventeen years to mold me into the person that I am today, and I cannot force myself into who I I am today, and I cannot force myself into who I wish to be overnight.wish to be overnight.

AssessmentAssessment

I will be assessing your pieces using the I will be assessing your pieces using the eighty-point rubric. You must select a eighty-point rubric. You must select a minimum of eight songs to include on your minimum of eight songs to include on your soundtrack. Each selection must have a soundtrack. Each selection must have a minimum of one paragraph explaining minimum of one paragraph explaining what the song means to you and how it what the song means to you and how it relates to your life. I am going to give you relates to your life. I am going to give you exactly two weeks to accomplish this task.exactly two weeks to accomplish this task.

Let’s Raise the BarLet’s Raise the Bar..

I am really asking that you all stretch I am really asking that you all stretch yourselves on this one. This is not a five-yourselves on this one. This is not a five-paragraph essay. For this assignment, you paragraph essay. For this assignment, you must completely immerse yourselves in an must completely immerse yourselves in an act of self-reflection. My hope is that you act of self-reflection. My hope is that you approach this with fidelity and take approach this with fidelity and take something away from this piece.something away from this piece.

As I know there will be…As I know there will be…

ARE THERE ANY ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS????QUESTIONS????