“But the skill I am most grateful for learning this year,* is how to write a thesis statement. In the past, I had learned what it was, but had no knowledge of how to write a good one with the required elements.”1
Student Soundtrack Assignment
Project Overview
A broad and extensive body of research regarding successful teaching pedagogy has found that it is important to connect classroom content to students’ lives (Bernard, 2010; Egbert & Roe, 2014; McWhirter et. al., 2000; Rosebrough & Leverett, 2011). This is especially true in high school, where students are beginning to consider future choices regarding education and career.
High school students can be especially attached to their music, and secondary teachers recognize the many different genres that are represented in a single classroom. The “Soundtrack Assignment” allows students to explore their understanding of a text with an assignment that requires students to envision themselves as a music supervisor of a movie. The assignment especially challenges students’ to use various elements of extended thinking to develop a creative product. The text used in the portfolio example is the 11th and 12th grade novel by J. D. Salinger The Catcher in the Rye. The text is an interesting choice for the assignment as it has never been adapted to a movie, requiring students to imagine a film without previously existing examples.
The assignment is identified with an existing profession by discussing how one becomes a music supervisor. The professional organization Guild of Music Supervisors explains that a music supervisor is “A qualified professional who oversees all music related aspects of film, television, advertising, video games and any other existing or emerging visual media platforms as required” (Guild of Music Supervisors, 2022). By introducing the profession, students better understand the variety of careers available to them, work that often goes unnoticed. Teachers can further develop the assignment by showing examples of unique or successful music supervisory choices in addition to allowing students to share their favorite musical selections from media they are familiar with or watching. Students can also present several selections from their soundtrack to the class as presentation and public speaking practice. Another way in which the assignment can be developed is by inviting the campus work experience staff to introduce students to the vast resources available to them from that office, support students often fail to take full advantage of. For example, here is one high school work experience website: Van Nuys High School Work Experience
Bernard, S. (2010, December 1). Science shows making lessons relevant really matters: Personal relevance is as vital to the learning brain as it is to the person learning. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/keeping-learning-real-relevant-and-relatable
Egbert, J., & Roe, M. F. (2014). The power of why: Connecting curriculum to students’ lives. Childhood Education, 90(4), 251-258. https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2014.933665
Guild of Music Supervisors. (2022, May). What is a music supervisor? https://www.guildofmusicsupervisors.com/what-is-a-music-supervisor
McWhirter, E. H., Crothers, M., & Rasheed, S. (2000). The effects of high school career education on social-cognitive variables. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(3), 330-341. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.47.3.330
Rosebrough, T. R., & Leverett, R. G. (2011). Transformational teaching in the information age: Making why and how we teach relevant to students. ASCD.
Testimonials
“I improved in reading comprehension and actually understanding what I was reading because I had many different sources and way* to understand the book, that really helped me. … Mr. Viskanta really seeked* out to help everyone understand everything and make sure no one was lost and I really appreciate that. “1
SA 2014
“This semester I have learned many things. For example, I have learned how to read books by William Shakespeare. … I also learned how to read between the lines. Often times, authors put hidden meanings in their places. Ive* learned to look deep into whatever im reading now instead of just taking everything at face value.”1
TM 2014
“I try to practice mindfulness at the beginning of the class to support my thinking and my quantity* of work. But, I have also use my mindfulness outside of class, when I have to deal with problems at my house.”1
CD 2016
“I really liked the books that we read* they really caught my attention. I also really liked what the stories were about.”1
SC 2016
“What I learned in this class is that I learned to be more patient especially on writing essays which is one of my weaknesses. But I was able to overcome it because I know in myself that I can do it, and because of your help.”1
QA 2016
“One thing I learned in this class is how to start a good paragraph. To start a good paragraph, you need to gather evidence first, then have a topic sentence, and a main idea.”1