There are few people in the world that deserve our respect more than teachers. Most of us struggle to keep our kids’ attention for more than 5 minutes, whereas teachers are charged with keeping them engaged and actively learning for an entire day. And as any teacher (or parent, for that matter) will tell you, that’s not an easy feat.
Having known a number of teachers both in my family and in my circle of friends, I know all too well the creativity it takes to keep kids actively engaged in their lessons. Keeping them excited about the material can be even harder. But an eighth grade Government teacher from Edwards Middle School in Conyers, Georgia seems to have found the magic formula – in the form of rap.
David Yancey, 31, has had a lifelong passion for education, so for the last eight years, he has been teaching middle school government. When he realized that his students were struggling to understand some of the material, he knew he needed a new approach. He chose rap as his medium because he recognized it as an art form that packs a great deal of information into short, catchy segments that students can not only remember, but relate to. At the end of each unit, Yancey uses a popular song, usually one that all of his students know, and composes a rap or set of new lyrics that apply to the lessons he’s been teaching.
Needless to say, the kids love it – and him. Of course, not every teacher needs to rap to effectively engage their students. But, we all have that one teacher who, for whatever reason, made a lasting impact on our lives. And we believe it’s pretty safe to say that David Yancey is a teacher that none of his students will soon forget!
Watch Yancey’s story below, then be sure to visit his YouTube channel, Mr. Yancey: Yancey Edu-tainment to see even more of his incredible work.
In the meantime, to all of the teachers out there, you have our respect and appreciation. And to Mr. Yancey, well…all we can say is keep on rapping!
To see more inspiring, funny, and heartwarming videos, be sure to visit Richmond Mom’s complete Share Saturdays series!
