Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Lesson 50: Using Music to Teach Personal Narrative

The personal narrative, apart from appearing as an option in the writing component of many state assessment tests, is a form of writing which allows students the chance to reflect seriously and honestly on important events in their own personal experience. For many of my students at Morton East High School, a significant life-changing event was the migration from Mexico to America of either the students themselves or their parents. The 'crossing-the-border' experience is documented, legitimized, and given a narrative voice through the use of popular music, which creates a space for students to express their own immigrant experiences.