Making Space for Today’s Poets: The Role of The Beatles, Beyonce and Bruno in the ELA Classroom

by Xan Mays (Hoggard HS) & Taylor Thomas (Ashley HS)

It’s common in ELA classrooms across grade levels for groans and feelings of dread to arise when poetry is mentioned. Students tend to see poetry as confusing and boring, which immediately puts them at a disadvantage when they are asked to read and analyze any poem. Rather than forcing more poems from the textbook down the students’ throats and hoping that this time it will click, why not take a more inventive approach--one that meets students where they are and reveals to them how they are already more familiar with poetry than they realized.

Ms. Xan Mays (Hoggard) and Mr. Taylor Thomas (Ashley) have been using popular song lyrics as poetry in their classrooms for years. The two educators presented a session on the topic at 2017’s New Hanover County School's Summer Institute for Instructional Innovation conference. Below, they discuss their thought process behind the activity:

What inspired you to start using lyrics in your classroom?

Mays: Well, to be perfectly honest, Taylor Swift’s Red album came out and I was desperate to incorporate it into my classroom.  I also wanted kids to see poetry as something engaging and memorable using something familiar rather than foreign.  Originally, we were just going to do a few Taylor Swift songs, but it went so well the concept expanded across artists and genres.

Thomas: My friends (especially Ms. Mays) and I regularly spend time listening to music and geeking-out over profound lyrics...just for fun. Students typically have extremely adverse reactions to poetry, so talking about lyrics to songs--even ones they already know and love--as “regular” poetry, helps make this cumbersome task more accessible to students.

What do students actually do with the lyrics?

Mays: My students receive a new set of lyrics every Monday and the song acts as our bellwork for the entire week. We listen to the song, identify and label examples of figurative language, complete a SOAPSTone analysis, identify and draw examples of imagery, and we discuss theme, mood, and diction. At the end of the week, students take an EOC style quiz on the lyrics; just like the test, they are able to use the lyrics and any notes they have taken throughout the week to help them on the quiz.

Thomas: We also receive a new set of lyrics each Monday. My students read and analyze the lyrics independently, then as a large group, we discuss figurative language observed and the overall meaning of the lyrics. The students complete a SOAPSTone analysis of the lyrics. They construct what I call a “theme statement” where they identify a prominent theme from the lyrics, explain how that theme is presented, and support that theme with textual evidence.

How do you choose the songs to use in your classroom?

Mays: The most important thing about choosing songs is to find ones that have a lot of figurative language, will be enjoyed by most students and that are school appropriate. It sounds like a daunting task, but we already have a huge working list we are happy to share. I also have a song request board in my classroom that students can use to write down songs they think would work well for class.  This also creates student buy-in.

Thomas: For me, the focus shifts each week; for example, one week I may choose a song that relies heavily on imagery, such as “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift. Another week I may choose a song that relies heavily on the use of allusion, such as “The Cave” by Mumford and Sons. The songs can also be chosen topically; for instance, we have analyzed “The Times, They Are A-Changin’” by Bob Dylan during a unit when we were exploring social justice and progression.

Any advice for a teacher wanting to use lyrics as poetry in the classroom?

Thomas: It is important to choose songs that you know have poetic merit to offer.  Have fun with the process, do whatever you are comfortable with and what you know will best benefit the students! If you are skeptical about using lyrics, you can sneak some traditional poetry into the mix.

Mays: It is a process. Give it time to sink in. The first time they connect with the lyrics might not be the first song you choose. At first, students won’t be able to locate figurative language. They won’t remember what a metaphor is. They won’t recognize personification. Take the time to teach the terms again; they have been learning them for years, but we all need a refresher.  During the first few weeks, students will need your guidance. Encourage them to work together and talk it out.  When they shout an answer that seems crazy, give them the opportunity to provide evidence. The way you hear a song and relate to it, may not be the same way they do.  Be open-minded and allow the discussion to flow naturally. You will be surprised at all they bring to the table.

Click here to view the slides Thomas and Mays used at their conference session, which includes a ready-made list of songs.  Here are the specific activities used each week including a student guide to SOAPSTone and a quiz for Florence and the Machine’s “Shake it Out.”  

Taylor & Xan have been collaborating on ELA lessons for 8 years.