Bringing lessons to life with rap music

Yvonne is an English teacher in London. She uses her love of rap music to engage and inspire her students.

I’ve always loved listening to rap music. I was just 12 when I started writing my own songs and spoken word poems. I just couldn’t get enough of the lyrics – I was constantly trying to unpick them. They can really change how you see the world. When I started teaching, I thought this would be a great thing to take into the classroom.

Lots of the English curriculum is classic texts and the kids sometimes find it hard to relate to. Rap just makes it more relevant.

I mix up Shakespeare quotes with hip hop lyrics and the students have to guess which is which. It opens up the conversation and helps them make sense of it.

When I started rapping in the classroom, the kids were all saying, “Miss, you can’t rap, you’re a teacher!” The next day, I brought in my speakers and started doing it. You could see them thinking, “Wow, this a different way of learning.” Even the quiet ones started speaking up, which is what it’s all about.

My advice to you? Focus on what you love about your subject. When you show a part of yourself to the students, you can connect with them better.