Hip Hop Teaching
Yo!
Ready to read all about me! I am ShaQuina Stanley, a passion-driven public-school teacher with more than ten years of experience teaching elementary school kids.
I understand that kids now live in a different world, aided with technology, social media, video games, and hip-hop music. The culture now is quite different from what I had while growing up, and I have spent years learning the hip-hop culture and finding better means to reach these kids and impact them with knowledge while still understanding their ways, motivation, and interest.
I enjoy being in the classroom. There I am creative, innovative, and bring in a unique experience that leaves a memorable impression in the minds and hearts of my students.
My Philosophy
My Philosophy
Over the years of being a classroom teacher, I have learned that younger students learn better from a teacher who understands and speaks their cultural language. This helps them develop trust and confidence and brings them into a space where they can be their best.
I have developed four content pillars that serve as the basis of my interaction with younger students. My four content pillars are culture, Language, Core subjects, and Transformation. All of these come together in producing an effective teaching method that helps kids understand and learn better.
When it comes to culture it is not just about religion, traditions, and skin tone. Culture can be the way someone behaves, the way they talk, the way they interpret the world around them, and their exposure or experiences. I have come to understand that cultural awareness in the classroom can make a difference. Don’t understand the how or why behind culture please read this post.
The most used form of communication that we are aware of is language. We most often think of language verbally but nonverbal language is just as important and as an educator, it is important to know that body language and facial gestures can really unravel what a student is feeling and thinking.
Along with language and was the world evolves America has the privilege to educate students that may have English as a secondary language. We owe it to these students as English language learners to equip ourselves with tools, techniques, and skills to help them excel and progress through the English language. If you want to know, more feel free to read this post.
As an educator, we know that the four core subjects are necessities to a child’s learning. The four core subjects are pretty straightforward, so we thought. As the world changes so do the essentials of what we should be teaching our students. Language Arts, Mathematics, History, and Science are what are considered the four core areas. I have found that using cross-curricula is a much more effective way to trach students than isolation. If you need more ways to use cross-curricula to enhance your lesson or save time in the class, then this post may be what you need.
When considering transformation in the classroom you must consider the behavioral plan, classroom management, classroom décor, and even your classroom organization. I have found that all these things can work together in your favor. If you have systems, processes, procedures, routines, and expectations in your classroom you will save yourself time, preserve your mental health (decrease the things you think. worry about) and have energy instead of teacher burnout fatigue. I have put together a very handy and helpful checklist that could help jumpstart your classroom transformation.
What I Offer
What I Offer
My business is Hip Hop Teaching LLC. I specialize in culturally Relevant/Responsive teaching. I help teachers learn how to increase the interest of their students through 21st-century technology and how effective use of social media and trending topics will increase the students' learning.
I also specialize in bringing cultural awareness to educational settings.
I create classroom resources and lesson plans for other teachers to help engage black and brown students in the classroom.
I also offer workshops and webinars that help teachers improve their teaching techniques by providing tips and strategies that enrich their understanding of cultural relevance in the classroom and develop a conducive environment where the kids can learn quickly with no prejudice or stereotype.
My methods and techniques are designed to provide black and brown kids from low-income urban areas with relevant knowledge and skills to be on par with other kids while still providing culturally appropriate information that matches their time and age.
I teach teachers how to incorporate pop culture, pop music, hip hop music, trans, dancing, and especially slang or AAVE into their classroom.
My Why/My Story
My Why/My Story
While an adult in college, I was humiliated by a professor because of grammatical errors I did not understand. I had dreams of being a writer and was told because of my grammar I could never, it changed my dream and that hurt me so much. I do not want any child to feel that way. My voice and my writing style may be different but it does not make it wrong. Yes, from an American English perspective my grammar was “incorrect”. However, from a cultural and creative perspective, it was and still is everything I want it to be. From this professor, I learned and grew as a person. I studied the English grammar rules and I think I do okay with them. I learned that what I had to master is Code Switching. So, while at first, I despised the professor I believe she strengthened my power and my versatility as a person.
My Goal & Mission
To equip teachers with enough knowledge and skills on relevant hip hop culture and technology that will help them have better communication with their school kids and improve the general interaction in the classroom through strategies that enhance and enriches culture.
My Vision
To develop a platform where teachers can learn culturally relevant teaching strategies and tips to improve their teaching and communication with the brown and black kids in their classes. To develop a cohesive and conducive learning environment rich in hip hop culture and an understanding of twenty-first-century technology for better kids’ engagement.
My Mottos
If you want to stand out, then you better reinvent the damn wheel.
When in doubt, Let ShaQuina figure it out!
Life is a cycle so be the protractor and figure out your angle.
My Core Values
My Core Values
Creativity
They say the creative adult is the child who survived. I see myself as a passionate soul filled with the desire to create. I enjoy myself while in the class and love to have fun with my students. I create an environment that allows them to feel unrestrained, apply themselves and make believe that everything that they can imagine is real. Creativity, I believe, is intelligence having fun and I know that you can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.
Originality
I believe in independent thinking, and I encourage my students to always be themselves and not be a copy of others. Authenticity allows you to live in, embrace and cultivate the things that matter to you most. The ability to be yourself despite what others think is such a powerful and liberating skill. Students should walk in their uniqueness and embrace all they are and want to be. I wholeheartedly believe originality will take you further than any form of duplication.
Enthusiasm
I always exude enthusiasm. Enthusiasm, I believe, is a supernatural serenity and I love bringing the electricity into the class to stir up kids and make them enthusiastic about learning. I am more interested in stirring up enthusiasm in kids than I am interested in facts. The facts may change, but the enthusiasm for exploring the world will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Open-mindedness
I ensure to stay open-minded and encourage my students to do the same because things aren’t always what they seem to be. Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. I try to make my students also have an open mind because the mind is like a parachute it doesn’t work if it is not open. For example, I believe slang/AAVE is a language, and students should not be punished, criticized, or made to feel ashamed for using it.
My Personal Interests
My Personal Interests
I am bubbly and energetic. I enjoy HGTV, 1000-piece puzzles, audiobooks, and a good singing competition. I love bright, bold colours, zebra/zebra print, and gold.