Well, it’s been a long time since I wrote, but not for lack of fodder – just lack of time. It is June, after all. (School here goes until the last week of June.) This week, a couple staff and I met with Farley Flex of Canadian Idol fame to plan “Project Hip Hop” (not my choice in names). Apparently while Farley was in a neighbouring city he saw the racism that First Nations people in our province face, and noticed the similarities to his experience growing up in Toronto. He decided he wanted to be involved with a school, and got in touch with our principal. The rest is, as they say, history.
The goal of Project Hip Hop (I remind you, not a name I chose) is to create an environment that simulates working in the music industry. Students will choose roles that fit their specific personalities and skill sets – from artist to producer to dancer to graphic designer to record label executive. Now, before you immediately write off Project-Hip Hop as being a lame simulation (something I wanted to do after reading that last sentence) let me clarify – the students will be DOING all of the things associated with these roles. Performers will be putting out tracks. Graphic designers will be creating their album art. Managers will be working with the performers on their projected image. There will be a show at the end of the project, highlighting the skills learned.
Our students really connect with the whole Hip Hop culture. There are many similarities between their experiences and those of the people who started Hip Hop. The challenge will be to help students see how they can adapt Hip Hop culture to fit with their personal backgrounds, and not just blindly adopt it.
All of this is possible because of some partners – the local University has $2 million “Interactive Media and Performance Studio Labs” where students will spend two mornings a week. As well, the Arts Education students from the University will be out at our school one morning a week working on the dance side of things. Farley will come to our city five times during the year to work with students – this is made possible by support from a large provincial organization. All of this has fallen together quite nicely, and we are excited for the possibilities.
Now, if you’re a teacher, and like me, you’re probably having this dialogue in your head.
“Gee, that sounds neat. And like it has nothing to do with any curriculum, except maybe arts education. Seems like a lot of time and energy for an arts ed credit.”
Well, we are giving an Arts Ed 20 credit. In addition, as students will be writing songs, press packages, press releases, etc, and reading autobiographies, histories, information on the industry, etc, we are tying in a grade 11 English Language Arts credit as well. We have spent two mornings coming up with our list of critical outcomes for English, and are correlating those to activities. I am working on the project with two other English teachers (each of us allotting 0.5 of our teaching time to the project) and our job will be to ensure that all the skills necessary for students to experience success in grade 12 English are being taught. Actually, that will mostly be there job – I am coordinating contact with the University, Farley, etc.
We will limit the project to around 30 students (though we’ll probably push upwards of 40 if we have space for the students.) Already, we had a couple young men who have been out of school for more than 5 years approach the school to ask if they can come back for the project. While the project won’t address the years of systemic racism, and rampant poverty, hopefully it will help some students connect with
school, build some skills, and make meaningful connections and memories.
Now, to sort out the logistics…
