Approaches to Teaching Songwriting

Conventional approaches to songwriting can be: Based around developing pupils’ understanding of various musical elements Too linear and deterministic Full of stereotypes and assumptions

Gabriella Cilmi 7Ic

For songwriters: Content is personal, experiential and autobiographical They look for simple forms of expression The songwriting process is unpredictable but needs to be understood Importance of metaphor and image Environmental influences and context Conciseness (stories in miniature)‏ Follow your instincts Song-writing becomes a therapy for the writer and listener

Traditional approaches place the: Technical before the expressive Simple before the complex Artificial before the authentic Unified model before the diverse

Patricia Shehan Campbell: Songs, called 'childsongs', that children invent or refashion from earlier music materials and that they preserve in their transmission to other children may often consist of greater musical complexities and more diverse texts than those found in the numerous collections of songs that adults have prescribed for children. (Campbell 1998, p.191)‏

Lucy Green: things that need redefining: Developing listening and aural skills Acquiring instrumental skills Linking to pupils’ notions of value Expanding friendship, taste and peer- directed learning Systematic or haphazard progression and experimentation Changing assessment strategies and definitions of success

Your Task … Write your own song As you do, reflect on the following three questions: What areas of musical knowledge, skills or understanding do I need to do this well? Which of these can be generate through links to other curriculum areas? What style of pedagogy do I need to develop to do this type of teaching well?

Possible ways forward: Start with the creative practice, i.e. find a songwriter and talk to them about their work; Explore the context first, then consider the musical processes and skills; Be creative and imaginative in your choice of materials, resources, instruments, technologies; Resist the urge to conform. Things can be done differently; Build on pupils' interests but don't fall into the trap of thinking that they know it all or that they'll be interested in just doing 'their thing' for too long.

What does ‘creativity’ mean in this task? Is it about convergent or divergent thinking? What consequences does it have for the constraints or freedoms that curriculum tasks need? How will influence the way I plan for learning to take place in my classroom?