Can I Kick It? Affirming Music Fluency with Hip Hop and Pop

Get ready for an active workshop full of activities to affirm and expand your students’ musical knowledge. Including hip-hop and pop in the elementary curriculum unlocks a deeper comprehension of music for our students and connects what they know to what they have yet to discover. We will focus on music literacy and creativity by pairing familiar folks songs with pop and hip-hop repertoire. Dive into the history of hip-hop and the power of pop representation, with the goal of affirming our students’ lived experiences and opening their eyes to new perspectives.

Larena Code Boyle is an elementary music teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools and national recipient of the OAKE 2022 Outstanding Emerging Educator award. She frequently presents workshops at the local and national level on topics such as inclusive repertoire, Kodály-inspired teaching, and culturally relevant curriculum. Larena holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music Education from DePaul University and the University of St. Thomas. She is fully certified in both the Kodály and Orff-Schulwerk approaches, and teaches Pedagogy and Song Analysis courses during the summer. Larena publishes articles and serves as an active member on various music education committees as an advocate for creating joyful spaces for all students.