GEMEINSCHAFT SONGWRITING

PROJECT Han Sol Chang

Every Monday I went to Gemeinschaft home with my peers to write songs with the men about
pretty much anything. The lyrics we wrote about were combinations of what we did that day,
what we felt, and what we ate. The songwriting was way for the men to share their stories
and for us students to get to know them
PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE:
Understanding and use of standards,
skills/knowledges, and making content
relevant to learners.
Students were given topics to follow like poems, narratives, parody pop songs, and
etc. We would divide into groups with the men and discuss about the topic and
share what we should write. For the first session, I didn't know what was going on
so I just watched in the back. But I led a group a week after and I focused on the
simplicity of the song. I realized if I tried to make it all fancy and musical, it was
hard for the men to follow along. So I made sure all my melodies were simple, easy
to follow kind of like children songs. When writing lyrics, students and the men
always discussed things like what happened during the day, what we ate, how we
felt and etc. Keeping the lyrics, and the song simple allowed the men to easily sing
with us.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:
Establishing a safe/supportive environment,
establishing learner trust/teamwork, behavior
management, cultural responsiveness.
Students were trained by Robby, the music therapist to
be supportive and be respectful to the men who comes
out. Both students and the men were in safe
environment to share, listen, and create songs. We
were divided into groups and students listened to the
men talk about whatever they wanted to share.
Sometimes men didn't want to share and that was
totally fine because we wanted to create comfortable,
safe environment.
Pedagogical Principles
1. Improvising was something I picked up during Gemeinschaft. Instructional Delivery
When I was divided into groups with the men, with everything
Engages learners in meaningful and active learning,
we discussed I had to improvise and make up the song right at engages learners in learning using multiple tools,
the spot. It was hard in the beginning but my mind was lets keep facilitates higher level thinking, differentiated and
it as simple as possible so that the men can follow along. We adapts on the spot.
made some great songs including How beautiful can the World
be. When divided into groups, everyone always became quiet,
2. It was hard opening up the the men especially when some shy and awkward to speak. I always tried to break the ice
didn't want to talk which was totally okay. But I learned to and be active on talking to the men, not about the
approach first not in lets do this or make this song but in a way songwriting but about how their days were or what they ate
of greeting. I simply just greeted them, asking them how they
that day. Our MUED class focused on using Ukulele and
are doing. By the end of semester, I had bunch of men opening
many men were interested in the instruments we used. I
up, being more comfortable around me to talk. I started from not
being able to open up and approach to greeting them first and was able to briefly share Ukulele to few men and actually
approaching them in respectful manners. taught some chords to few of the men that wanted to try out
Lyrics to the the Ukulele. I also had the chance to use guitar to write
How Beautiful can the
World be video songs and it was great new way to open things up. I had
songs we wrote
huge pressure as music major because we mainly took the
role of writing the song but I adapted real quick and it was
amazing to see myself and my colleagues write songs
within an hour and also sharing that song.