“We’ve got to fight the powers that be”: Using hip-hop culture to educate and advocate in the classroom.

This paper began as the final research paper for my Philosophy of Music Education course with Dr. Paul Woodford. He was such a passionate teacher and a caring mentor to me for the short semester I was in his class. This is the class that really got me excited about academia, as well as reading and writing about music education from sunset to sunrise. Dr. Woodford encouraged me to submit a paper to the CMEA essay competition and to my surprise, I won! I would not have been able to accomplish this without his guidance and the influence of other professors at Western.

Abstract

This paper aims to enlighten readers on the value of hip-hop in the classroom. The reasons hip-hop is deemed inappropriate in education are the exact ones that justify its place in academia. Challenging societal issues such as race, class, drug use, violence against women, and so forth, give students an opportunity to discuss relevant issues from their daily lives. This paper discusses hip-hop’s potential for sociopolitical activism, academic value, and present insights into how teachers might handle limitations and misuse in the classroom. Through critical dialogues, students and educators can cultivate the knowledge and tools to form opinions and make a difference within their community.

Anacrusis Volume 37 No. 3, Spring/Summer 2019.

This was a short article I wrote for Choral Canada’s journal Anacrusis detailing the establishing and founding of Choral Canada’s first student chapter at Western University.

This brief article lists the goals of the Don Wright Faulty of Music Choir Council, what our wants and needs were as a department, and what we had already accomplished in the short first year as a council. My favourite event was the book sale. I recall spending days in the stacks of the library storage sorting through donations and duplicates from the music library. I worked at the music library at the time too so I couldn’t escape being surrounded by music books where ever I went! I can’t complain though, I really loved my job and the volunteer work I got to do with the council. Organizing the book sale was one of my favourite activities at school, and it has its perks too. I got to see all the scores and books before anyone else and I may or may not have called dibs on some of the really special ones! Organizing the book sale each year was a surprising feeling of relaxation and nostalgia. I deeply miss working at the music library and being co-president of the choir council, but I am so proud of what we were able to accomplish in such a short time. I am excited to see what the council is up to in year to come!