This awesome video was made by the GREAT staff of a school in San Diego. It was shown to their kids to boost morale and prepare them for testing. Catchy isn't it? Nice, right? Something the kids will remember, yes?
Then why do people still question if using hip hop in Education is a useful tool?
First let discuss culture. I believe that if you want to truly engage your students, you need to know them. A great principal once told me "students don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." I know that may sound cliche' and insincere but it really is true. Ask any student who has been sent out of a teacher's room... one of their first claims is what? That's right, "Ms. or Mr. X doesn't LIKE me." We've heard it before. When you don't take the time to know what interests your students, you are telling them you don't care.
Hip hop is mainstream. By that I mean just about everyone, grandparents included, have heard at least one hip hop song in their lifetime. I'm sure there is a song you can reference right that is catchy, has a great tune, and has at least one or two bars or lines that resonate with you, right?
Well why can't you use this with your students?
I remember in one of my graduate school classes the topic of the day was "analyzing effective states in Literacy Education." One of my cohort mates asked if there was any "purpose" to using rap lyrics to teach children content. I know I always preach about being "present" and "emergence" but what was emerging for me at that very moment was that the person simply didn't care enough to see the relevance that hip hop can provide as a useful tool in educating students who ALREADY listen to hip hop and using hip hop as an olive branch to extend to students who may view her as an old, stuffy teacher. If you look at hip hop culture as less than, your kids will pick up on that and conclude you feel the same way about them.
This same teacher stated that she loved teaching poetry.
How can a teacher praise poetry and, excuse me for getting all hip hop on you, "diss" hip hop?
It makes little to no sense to me. Additionally, it is a tool to draw kids in to content they may not necessarily connect to.
One of the most creative assignments I provided with my students was creating a poem or rap song about Manifest Destiny. My students, who were predominately Black and Brown, took to this assignment like fish to water. One group still sticks out. Their hook was "We took your land, and we still want mo', you wanna know why... cause God said so." OMG! I was so impressed. They created music to rap to, they displayed confidence, they were super engaged and LOVED the assignment. They learned and it didn't feel like learning... something we all know teens aren't always excited about.
Using hip hop in your content is a way to connect to urban culture kids. If you use it only as a route memorization tool, then of course it won't be of much help. You've got to use it in a way so students use hip hop as a vehicle to articulate evidence of learning.
Still not convinced?
*sigh*
I knew there would be some people who need more convincing.
What about this:
You cold call this teach a hip hop teacher pioneer. What do you think?
Okay teachers, don't feel as if you've got to go out and purchase Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, and Jay-Z's latest albums. They can't and won't help you. Besides, I can assure you that you'll get a stern talking to from your principal and parents if you use those artists as a guide to help you utilize hip hop in your content area.
This is a picture of "the hip hop teacher" Lamar Queen
Youtube him and look at what he does SEE HIM IN ACTION BY CLICKING HERE!
The best way to incorporate this tool is to ask the students. Students take ownership and create a sense of purpose to any project when the teacher asks for student input.
So just to recap, why is hip hop a great tool to be used in your classroom:
1. You connect with your students. If they listen to hip hop, they will think their once dorky, stuffy teacher is trying to be cool. Either way you can't lose. If they think you're cool, you've won, if they still think you're dorky, they will pay attention to laugh at you and prove their skills are way better than yours.
2. Allow students to critically think. Remember Bloom's Taxonomy? Students, with a proper rubric, will have a head scratching, wrinkle in their brain good time figuring out how to create lyrics to have a relevant presentation to obtain a great grade and not look like a crazy person in front of their peers.
3. You expand students' view of hip hop. We all know hip hop can be full of misogyny, violence, and glamorizing drug and alcohol use. Show students that rap can help you think, bring powerful messages to people and be used to tell a story of social injustices. They love that. So many kids are rebels without a cause. Give them something to be passionate about.
4. You are creating authentic bonds with your students because you are showing them you have an interest in something they listen to constantly.
OH DO YOURSELF A FAVOR. IF YOU HAVE A "TWITTER" ACCOUNT, LOOK UP THE HASHTAG #HIPHOPED TO OBTAIN GREAT RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY.
Also, check out this blog for more historic and useful information about Hip Hop Education:http://hiphoppedagogy.blogspot.com/
Please leave a comment and tell me what you think.
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