Leveraging Music to Empower Students in Addressing Social Issues

Leveraging Music to Empower Students in Addressing Social Issues

What are the most crucial social issues students should know about? How can music make a change and deal with many problems? Read on to find out.

Education has long been seen as the means to both economic advancement and eradicating poverty. But the path to it is fraught with social difficulties. At the same time, music has always been a record of significant events and a reflection of cultural attitudes. Educators may teach college kids to think critically about current events, historical contexts, and social justice concerns by having them analyze the music. This article provides an overview of some societal challenges that today’s students might face. Also, we will discuss the role music may play in resolving these problems.

Widely Spread Social Issues In Education

Before digging into the music role in dealing with problems, let’s find out what challenges are there today. Here are the most important ones everybody should know about.

Ethnicity

In a society where people speak radically different languages and have diverse worldviews, ethnic differences take center stage. Sometimes teachers might give everyone in a particular racial group the same grade based on the performance of one student. When a college kid’s peers link their academic success to aspects of their culture, it may devastate their sense of self-worth.

They say having full knowledge of the problem is half the work for overcoming it. Students can learn the lesson better if an instance or story is connected to the issue. One of the ways to achieve the best results is by analyzing key social issues essay examples and drawing your own conclusion regarding the material. Such practice improves critical thinking and enhances knowledge of the structure and proper writing style for essays about social issues. Later, after checking free essay examples, one may write excellent assignments and reach new heights in academic performance.

An inequality of the sexes and racism

In theory, all students, regardless of their gender, should be treated equally in the classroom. Inequality between the sexes is a societal issue that disproportionately affects women. Educational institutions for girls might be hard to come by in certain cultures.

As a reflection of societal issues, racism may be seen in classrooms as well. Kids from marginalized groups often have to endure racial taunts. Such a concern arises because of the inherent diversity among human beings. Another reason is the disproportionate impact that skin color has on social perception. Sadly, it’s one of the most widely spread social issues in education.

Bullying And Crime

Speaking about issues facing students today, we should mention bullying. It has far-reaching effects that cannot be solved only by addressing the perpetrators. This social issue often targets students, employees, and friends who are seen as physically or mentally flawed. Bullying in a university or between students may have terrible results. Children who exhibit such hostile behaviors should be separated from others. Workplace bullying also has a place in reality. And everyone has to know how to fight it.

Criminal activity and gun violence have made educational institutions unsafe. Compared with other countries, the United States has the highest rate of school crimes. Anxiety and sadness, among other mental health problems, are thought to have been the first triggers for this issue. Students who are experiencing these distressing feelings should seek expert help.

Impact Of Music On Society And Empowering Students

In the historical context, the development of music is inseparable from the growth of our sensory abilities. This kind of art has consistently passed all stages together with mankind. The impact of music on society is huge because it always was a part of us. It has evolved, opened up new frontiers of world vision, and expressed people’s feelings throughout its existence.

Music contains both senses and emotions. That’s why analyzing social issues in music can empower students and make them understand and feel the issue. Listening to musical compositions that have the feelings and ideas one tries to explore is always an excellent idea. However, keep in mind the grade level and maturity since this will affect the appropriateness of the subject matter. One thing to consider is whether the material you’re utilizing includes references to triggering topics or situations. It’s constructive for educators who plan teaching and explaining some concepts.

Songs About Social Issues: Activity Ideas

This part will be useful for instructors in search of activities examples connected to music. But any individual may use such techniques himself if there is a wish and time for that.
Ask a few questions after listening to songs about social issues. Think over the lyricist’s viewpoint, your stance on the problem, and how it influences our communities today. If it’s a classroom activity, let students sit in a circle and answer, taking turns.

Listen to music and then sketch what you picture in your head. These might be concrete depictions or something more nebulous. After creating an artwork, students can react to it by writing about the emotions or concepts they were trying to communicate.

Conclusion

In modern society, many social problems need to be solved. First of all, we need to know about them and analyze them. Music will help achieve this goal. After all, songs connected to social challenges have the power to touch people’s minds and hearts more than any text.

Image Source: Unsplash

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