Channels, Spring 2017

Channels • 2017 • Volume 1 • Number 2 Page 41 primarily folk music—music from the oral tradition, not written down.” 16 The songs rooted in oral tradition are some of the best for teaching history to students as they are grounded in the raw, real emotions of factual events. That is why many of these valuable songs for teaching history are folk songs and traditional songs that not only convey historical information but also simultaneously increase students’ language literacy as mentioned earlier. Page illustrates this by sharing that many songs “coincide with historic events like the conquest of the American West, the Great Depression, and military conflicts like the Civil War…[and it is] easy to attach songs like ‘Home on the Range,’ ‘Pennies from Heaven,’ and ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’ to their respective historical events.” 17 These songs were often passed down orally but have since been notated for the sake of preservation for future generations. Just as students have the opportunity to study historical documents and writings, the chance to learn ancient tunes is an invaluable method for them to experience history in a meaningful and personal way for “each song says a lot about the historic event from which it originates.” 18 The list of historical songs could go on and on—from Native American songs to African spirituals to songs from the civil rights movement to political battle hymns. Folk songs are incredibly valuable as resources for learning about times long gone because “songs are [effective] as historical records of how people behaved and thought…they help to reinforce cultural identity…[they] help to define who we are, and sometimes, it is the songs themselves that help to shape our history.” 19 Finally, not only does music empower children to expand their language literacy and to explore cultures and events of ages past, but it empowers students to understand the world around them and how they fit into that world. Music helps the youngest members of our society to understand other cultures, but beyond that, it helps them to understand their own culture even better. Page expounds on this idea when he notes that “it would be impossible to understand a culture and the way the people in that culture think without first understanding how they identify themselves and what gives them power [and] music and the arts help provide a cultural identity which gives people a sense of belonging—a sense of power.” 20 Students gain a broader sense of social awareness when they understand their place within that society. When children are young, it is not uncommon to teach them songs about sharing, washing their hands, and picking up their toys. However, as children grow, through music they begin to learn about bravery and courage, kindness and humility, sacrifice and love. Those themes then translate over into students’ lives as they too seek to be brave and kind and sacrificial. Oftentimes, folk songs and traditional songs especially teach deep and rich values as those are typically the songs that have strengthened, encouraged, and inspired others for generations. Elliot W. Eisner offers that 16 Nick Page, Music as a Way of Knowing (York: Stenhouse Publishers, 1995), 43. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid, 45. 20 Ibid, 38-39.