By Skeeter Ellison

English teachers, students and friends sat in and listened to Neil Young sing Down by the River as Professor Brock Dethier shared how music has influenced his style of teaching.

"We can use music in the classrooms to help us understand and teach our students," Dethier said.

Dethier said he tries to provide an atmosphere that is relaxed and challenging for his students. Each day, he said, he has his class sit and listen to music to help them open their minds and get them thinking. He said he tries to help his students expand their skills in writing and look at all types of approaches on learning how to write with a superior tone.

Dethier came to Utah State University in 1997 from the University of New Hampshire. He said he loves music and lyrics because "everyone can relate to them in one way or another." Dethier wrote a book titled From Dylan to Donne: Bridging English and Music to share it with other English teachers who were looking for different ideas in teaching.

Dethier said his book consists of three basic levels: One, Understanding, two; Broadening, and three; Communication. These three basic steps allow him to incorporate music into his teaching. He said the use of music helps realize the use of musical metaphors and ranges from understanding romantic irony to writing poetry and lyrics.

In today's society Dethier said a lot of kids grow up listening to music their parents probably wouldn't approve of them listening to, and with this specific approach it helps him teach the skill of writing in an unreliable narrator's voice.

When Dethier was a senior in high school he said there was one song in particular that changed his life. Down by the River by Neil Young made him realize the power that music can have on a mind. He said his perspective of life and particularly women changed from that point. He said he learned from that experience to stop thinking that way (that women run his life), and he said he also learned the value of one's own taste.

Dethier said one lesson that he has learned throughout life is to broaden his mind. He said he was so set on only listening to certain musical artists that he narrowed his mind. He said he tries to incorporate a broad variety of music in his teaching with his students and his own family.

"Today's music is tomorrow's noise. Tomorrow's noise is yesterday's music," Dethier said. "This is the style of fashion."

Dethier pointed out that there will be an upcoming seminar provided by the 2003 Bennion Teachers' Workshop that will be July 28 through Aug. 1.

Everyone is invited to the seminar and Dethier said it would be well worth it to go and see a "workshop designed to help teachers create a more democratic, egalitarian and motivated class through the use of recorded music.

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