LEAD Southeast Middle School Partners with Country Music Hall of Fame to Perform and Record Student-Written Songs
Music stars of tomorrow are emerging from LEAD Southeast Middle School thanks to an innovative partnership with the Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame. Teachers Samantha McNabb (English language arts) and Taylor Bradley (music) recently completed specialized training in the Hall of Fame’s Words & Music program, bringing professional songwriting techniques directly into their classrooms.
The partnership provided curriculum resources that seamlessly blend songwriting with language arts education. The program culminated in an unforgettable field trip where students heard their own original compositions played and recorded by experienced professional songwriters. Beyond this incredible opportunity, students enjoyed a comprehensive museum experience that reinforced and expanded on their classroom learning.
English language arts teacher, Samantha McNabb, took the lead on integrating this project into her students’ classroom learning experience. “I have a deep passion for project-based learning and creating engaging, authentic learning experiences that help students connect to the real world,” she said.
Not only was this a way for students to engage in a new skill, it also helped McNabb target specific standards that students were struggling with already. She consulted student data and noticed that students had room to grow in their writing using precise, sensory details, as well as in understanding poetry on a figurative level. “I knew that focusing on poetry skills and integrating songwriting would be a great way to fill these gaps, so I met with my instructional manager and communicated my findings and my ideas,” she said.
She then worked with the LEAD’s director of literacy, Francie Brooks, to identify key standards from a specific poetry unit and reviewed them alongside the songwriting curriculum from the Country Music Hall of Fame to map out her lessons.
Students thrived when given the opportunity to write while incorporating music as a medium. Specifically for English language learners, the songwriting approach supported their writing because they could express themselves in a more creative and accessible way.
“The structure of songwriting allowed them to focus on ideas, rhythm, and emotion rather than just formal grammar and sentence construction,” said McNabb. “This made writing less intimidating. Additionally, the repetitive nature of song lyrics helped reinforce language patterns and vocabulary, which gave them more confidence. For some students, the incorporation of music also helped with motivation and engagement, as it connected with their cultural backgrounds and personal interests. Overall, it provided a more inclusive, supportive environment for their language development and writing skills.”
“Many students found their voice through this process, using their writing as a way to express their stress and emotions. I’ve noticed that students are more aware of figurative language and are taking a deeper dive into the meaning behind the words, reading between the lines instead of just focusing on the surface level. They are becoming more critical thinkers, asking themselves questions about the texts they read, just as I modeled through think-alouds. Students are also more engaged in writing, eager to write independently, and even upset when free-write time ends.”
–Samantha McNabb, English language arts teacher, LEAD Southeast Middle School
Taylor Bradley, who partnered with McNabb in this cross-content collaboration, brought in the knowledge of how to connect the concepts they were learning in English language arts to what they have learned in music class with her – for example, how to count syllables and fit them into four-beat rhythmic patterns for their songs. She noticed how students’ confidence grew gradually throughout the lessons as they began to author their songs. “Almost every student was nervous about this program and the idea of having their songs heard by their peers,” she said. “It is nerve wracking to put yourself out there, especially through lyrics in a song, but every single student did it and felt proud of themselves.”
Once students completed their songs, building their writing and musical skills along the way, they embarked on a trip to the Country Music Hall of Fame. “The museum experience was the perfect compliment to this program,” said Bradley. “It served as a big motivator to the students who were hesitant about the program and helped motivate the students to complete their songs.”
While at the Hall of Fame, students went on comprehensive tours of the museum, spoke with professional musicians about their careers and lives, and finally heard their songs performed. They were able to see how what they were learning in class has connections to the real world.
“The field trip enhanced the idea that writing is powerful and that our words hold meaning long after they are spoken,” said McNabb. “Seeing their songs come to life with the help of a professional musician truly demonstrated the real-world impact writing can have. I’ll never forget walking into the museum and hearing students exclaim, ‘I want to work in an office this nice one day!’ It was amazing to see them dreaming about their futures at that moment. These are the experiences that I believe will stay with them for years to come. They will definitely stay with me.”
This experience also taught students about their own city, Music City. “I only had one student in this program who has truly listened to country music before so it is a genre not known by our students,” said Bradley. “They got to learn about it at the museum by seeing real instruments and costumes and hearing all about it from the tour guides. Country is a fascinating genre because of all the history there. It is a genre that has deep roots in different cultures and I think it is important to teach that. It is also related to other genres in other cultures, for example regional Mexican music. Country music was also largely developed by people of color which I felt was important to teach our students.”
This project-based learning partnership between Ms. McNabb, Ms. Bradley, and the Country Music Hall of Fame cemented not only new and improved skills for students in writing and music, but it also is an experience that they will remember moving forward. “Students got to experience what I believe is the purpose of music – coming together with other people and sharing joy,” said Bradley.
