Dive into the literary and cultural world of Taylor Swift through the lens of a teacher and learner. Participants will enhance their understanding of poetry, literature, music, and culture by engaging with Swift’s work and adjacent texts. Educators will explore the rich tapestry of literary references and homages within Swift’s music, delving into the depths of intertextuality and the myriad ways Swift nods to classic and contemporary works, authors, and movements. The course also aims to cultivate an awareness of Swift’s significant cultural impact, empowering educators to spark meaningful classroom conversations about the intersection of music, literature, and society. Activities will include listening to, analyzing, and discussing the music across Swift’s various Eras; watching and dissecting Swift’s music videos and documentaries; and reading various texts about Swift, those that Swift herself references, and works with similar themes. This course promises to be an engaging exploration of Swift’s work, offering fresh perspectives on teaching literature and music in an interconnected way. Participants will demonstrate their ability to apply literary analysis techniques, identify literary devices, explore intertextual references, and engage in critical discussions about Swift’s lyrics and connected literature.
Audience
English and Music educators in grades 6-12
About the Instructor
In addition to more than a decade of experience teaching middle school English, Caitie Peterson has also facilitated numerous professional development courses for both Westwood Public Schools and Primary Source. She has studied poetry, literature, and music at Boston College and through graduate level courses at Harvard. And of course, as a devoted Swiftie, she has spent countless hours listening to, discussing, and analyzing Taylor’s music and cultural impact in the group chat and the classroom.