Teaching U2: My Second Year Evaluation

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If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years in education, it’s that teaching is like being a DJ at a dance: It’s impossible to make everyone happy with your song selection. In the same way, I’ve had students who enjoyed my classes, while others complain that I didn’t do enough of one thing or should’ve done something else differently. The DJ-and-education comparison has never been more evident than during my experience teaching Songs Of Ascent: The Music And Meaning Of U2.

Songs Of Ascent is part of the Archway Seminar (AWS) at Nebraska Wesleyan University. The AWS is a required course for all incoming first-year students, with course topics generated by individual instructors. For example, before teaching a course on U2 during the fall semesters of 2015 and 2016, I developed seminars on Star Trek and graphic novels.

Before discussing Songs Of Ascent, I first need to mention the unique enrollment process for an AWS. Students indicate their Top 5 AWS choices, but because of the popularity of some topics they may not get any of their selections. I’ve had several students who ended up reluctantly taking Songs Of Ascent because it was the only AWS that fit into their schedule. I wouldn’t say this makes the course more difficult to teach, but it creates challenges in terms of student interest level and motivation, which are reflected in the course evaluations included later in this essay.

The first few days of the course are spent discussing the early history of U2 and playing samples of various songs. The majority of students recognize “Beautiful Day” or “With Or Without You,” but some will also add that they didn’t know those were U2 songs. The first time I taught Songs Of Ascent I found this lack of familiarity with U2 surprising. Because of the longevity of U2’s career, their extensive musical catalog, Grammy Awards and involvement in various causes, I just assumed everyone, even 18-year-old college students, had heard of the band. But considering that U2’s music is now typically heard more on classic rock radio than on Top 40 stations, it makes sense that younger students may not know their music.

To gauge the initial U2 awareness level of the class, students next write a paper about their personal history with music and knowledge of U2. Not surprisingly, some are familiar with U2, and others have never heard of the band. Here are a few comments from student papers:

• I could tell you the lead singer wears funny glasses, and I got free iTunes music from them, but other than that I don’t know much at all.

• I never really knew just how famous U2 was and never realized the impact they have had around the world not only in music, but also politically. My predetermined judgment of them was that they were a typical rock/punk band that lived the stereotypical rock star life and were oblivious to the world around them.

• I have heard of Bono, but I had zero clue what band he was a part of. It’s weird, I have heard songs by U2 that I really enjoy, but I never knew they were by U2.

• Before I enrolled in the U2 Archway Seminar, I was very skeptical and wondered how a whole class could be based around a band that I’d never even truly heard of. My parents thought it sounded like a silly class to take and questioned, “Why U2?”

The last comment has been expressed in some variation, in papers and during class discussions, several times over the past two years. Interestingly, while some parents have voiced skepticism about a U2 course, others are, according to their children, excited about the topic and wish they could take it.

In terms of course content, Songs Of Ascent has a diverse range of assignments and activities. We read various U2 texts (U2 By U2, Exploring U2 and The World And U2); listen to and discuss every U2 album; watch Rattle And Hum, From The Sky Down and clips from every concert tour; and students even host their own one-hour U2 radio show. Students also critique a U2 concert, write a major research paper and give a group presentation on an organization that U2 supports.

As you can imagine, many class discussions about U2 albums, songs and performances demonstrate a diverse range of opinions and interpretations. It’s exciting and personally rewarding to see a student who has never heard of U2, or perhaps only knows a song or two, begin to develop a sincere interest in their music and legacy. While my goal isn’t to convert each student into a U2 fan (although that would be nice), at the very least I hope they leave with a greater appreciation for the band’s history, music and activism.

So, after 16 weeks of reading, writing and talking about U2, what did students actually think about Songs Of Ascent? Here are some comments from papers and course evaluations:

• By the end of the semester I really liked U2 and their music and knew so much more about them. I have to say through this course I have become a U2 fan.

• At first, I did not expect to like U2’s music; they are very different from the artists I have listened to my whole life. As we listened to albums during the first few weeks of class, I did not particularly enjoy the band and their style; however, when we got to The Joshua Tree album, I felt very connected to the words and emotions behind their music. I understood that they were more than just a stereotypical rock band. Their music was truly powerful and meaningful.

• Being introduced to U2’s songs and hearing about the band’s backstory showed me how genuine of a band they really are. Learning about their hardships, and what they do away from music, has given me a lot of respect for how they can use their fame to do good in the world.

• I didn’t know what I was getting myself into with this class, but I love it. I am extremely glad I took this class.

However, not all reviews were as positive:

• I find the course pointless and time consuming. Much of the time I could have used for classes I need for my major.

• This course was overall OK. It was hard to get into because I had little interest in U2.

• One question on the evaluation form asked about relating the course to life situations. What is the knowledge we are supposed to gain? I don’t believe I’ll talk about U2 as much after the class.

Fortunately, the majority of evaluations have been complimentary and encouraging, which suggests that the course does indeed connect with most students.

Having discussed Songs Of Ascent in terms of student perceptions of U2 before and after the course, I plan to share more stories in the future about my classroom experiences, and provide additional details about specific assignments. I’m thankful to be at an institution that provides the encouragement and resources to create college courses based on an instructor’s personal interests. Developing a course on U2 was a labor of love and, perhaps more important, has re-energized me in the classroom. I look forward to teaching Songs Of Ascent again next fall, and am already tweaking my syllabus to improve the course for my next batch of first-year Nebraska Wesleyan students.

(c) @U2/Whitt, 2017