The Pedagogy of Pop : Theoretical and Practical Strategies for Success

Editors Janak and Blum draw lessons from historical and contemporary instructional classroom practice. The first part of the book provides guidelines and theories focusing on the "why" of teaching rather than the "how." Part 2 examines a variety of strategies for incorporating pop culture, including technology, music, television, video programming, etc., into lesson planning. Chapters 8 through 13 focus on pop culture as a form of pedagogy that enhances discussion of race, class, and gender in today's classrooms from pre-K-12. In the concluding chapters, pop culture provides the impetus to discuss topics that students are reluctant to discuss in the classroom (e.g., bullying). A new subgenre, creative life writing, is explored in the last chapter. The editors' goal for this book is to expand teachers' views and expand their own practice in the broadest terms. The final case study uses Department of Justice reports and the writings of Kayla Webley to focus on the suicide of Phoebe Prince. The 15-year-old Irish immigrant's text message "I can't take much more" drives home the painful truth about bullying and the power of putting theory into practice. Summing Up: Highly recommended. * CHOICE *