Arlington ISD teacher inspires his students with the help of rap music
ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – A North Texas teacher is inspiring students with his love of hip hop and rap, collaborating with his sixth graders to tackle topics like Black History Month, bullying and even STAAR testing with music videos.
Antonio Young is a former newspaper reporter turned elementary school teacher.
"I knew that I was going to have to be more than just a deliver-er of instruction," Young said. "I knew that I had to be their role model."
Young couldn't have predicted how his passion would ultimately influence his work in the classroom.
"Once I realized that I could be myself and bring what I already had, because I've been rapping since I was like 10 years old, that everything just made sense," said Young.
It's more than just helping students remember facts with rap lyrics.
"It's about can we come together and create something that's magical that's going to inspire someone," he said.
Young and a team of sixth grade students at Ellis Elementary School in Arlington spend months writing and producing music videos.
"I did a verse about how you should stay in school and how it's not sometimes boring," said Drayden Freeman, one of Young's students. "You can have fun and learn from it."
From finding motivation in school to learning about African American pioneers or preventing bullying, the topic isn't as important as the process.
"It's great," said Jane Kelly, another student of Young's. "Doing that stuff makes me more engaged in class because he always brings up the rap video or something."
Young hopes the music continues to inspire his students to never give up.
The success stories of his former students keep him going.
"He says 'Mr. Young, I'm going to college and I want to be a teacher just like you, and I want to be a teacher that works in urban communities because I know they need my help and I wouldn't have done it, without you,'" Young said.
It's motivation to continue changing lives, one song at a time.