School of Rap: A Success Story

Craig Campell is a special education teacher at a middle school in a tough part of Brooklyn, New York. Craig's students face significant challenges. Using Flocabulary materials as a springboard, Craig has created his own program that he and his students call The School of Rap. The results are phenomenal. Here's Craig's story.

I first started using Flocabulary in my classroom when my principal purchased Hip-Hop U.S. History. I used the books and music in my 7th grade self-contained special education classroom with great success. My students loved the songs and didn’t think they were hokey or “wack” like other programs that try to pander to students’ interests.

U.S. history was their least favorite subject, because of the long chapters written many grade levels above their reading level and because they lacked any connection to the material. Hip-Hop U.S. History got them interested and involved and we ended up covering the same material in much less time with much greater retention of the information. When we did crack the official text, the class had some prior knowledge, and were more interested in history.

Impressed with Flocabulary it occurred to me to go to the website and see if there were other programs. I found exactly what I was looking for, the Word Up series. I purchased a set and tried the program with equally positive results. My students’ favorite activity was reading along with the lyrics and trying to fill-in-the-blank with the correct vocabulary word.  We made it a competition with a prize for the student who got all 15 words first.

My students’ interest in Flocabulary got me thinking. I had some Mac computers with Garageband software, a personal interest in home recording and, low and behold, a talented 7th grader named Pablo who could play piano and program beats. Soon we were writing lyrics, positive and school appropriate, as modeled in Flocabulary.

We called ourselves School of Rap and recorded about six songs. Everyone had a chance to rap and Pablo went from a disinterested rebel to an engaged student producer. Interest in all subjects increased and conflict in the classroom lessened. The class was obviously proud.

School of Rap presented their music to all the administrators in the building and to Dr. Cashin, CEO of the Knowledge Network, who was honored with a live performance when she visited our classroom. Later in the year Pablo and a few other students went to the Math, Science and Technology Fair to present their project and explain how they used technology in the classroom to record music.

Students from Craig Campbell's School of Rap - Photo used by permission.

Craig Campbell,
Special Education Teacher
PS/IS 150, Brownsville, Brooklyn