Turning Math into Rap: Monique Jackson’s Innovative Teaching Approach
In the dynamic world of education, innovation knows no bounds. Meet Monique Jackson, a spirited third-grade teacher at Steven Parks Elementary in Dallas, Texas. Armed with a creative resolve, she tackled the challenge many students face with math – turning it into an engaging, understandable, and enjoyable subject. How? Through the harmonious fusion of math and music, creating a symphony of comprehension and fun.
Monique Jackson is not just a teacher; she’s a maestro of mathematical melodies. Recognizing that today’s students thrive on platforms like TikTok, she envisioned a way to seamlessly intertwine math, music, and vocabulary. And thus, a unique teaching method was born.
In her classroom, the air pulsates with rhythmic beats and insightful rhymes. Jackson transforms complex mathematical concepts into catchy tunes, making learning feel more like a dance party than a lecture.
Da’Marian Holland, one of Jackson’s students, encapsulates the sentiment perfectly, “As soon as she starts singing, we start singing. That’s how much we love it.” The transformation is palpable. What was once a challenging subject for some is now an eagerly anticipated part of the day.
“It’s like I’m super happy, especially when I know I’m starting with her because she’s like the best teacher I ever met,” Holland said, radiating the kind of enthusiasm that every educator dreams of instilling in their students.
Kiro Conner, another one of Jackson’s students, reflects on the remarkable change, “I got onto it and it started getting easier and easier for me.” Alexander Herrera chimes in, “It helps us remember what we’re doing.”
But Jackson’s innovative approach goes beyond just the classroom walls. She’s on a mission to not only educate but also to inspire. Her own journey with math wasn’t always smooth sailing, and she intimately understands the struggles her students face. Drawing a parallel between math and music, she penned her first rap one November weekend. The response was overwhelming. Her students were hungry for more, and she delivered. Now, her district is using her unique teaching bars to break down complex lessons.
“It excites me to see that they are not just learning, but they’re loving to learn, and you can see that from their faces, their body movement,” Jackson expresses with a contagious fervor.
Kiro Conner echoes the sentiment of countless students touched by Jackson’s inventive teaching style, “This class made me like math.”
With the fervor of an artist releasing their next chart-topping single, Jackson promises a new rap, this time about multiplication. The anticipation is palpable, and the enthusiasm is contagious. In Monique Jackson’s classroom, math isn’t just a subject; it’s a lively, rhythm-infused adventure.
As the beats and rhymes resonate through the halls of Steven Parks Elementary, students are not just learning math; they’re absorbing it, internalizing it, and enjoying the process. With Monique Jackson at the helm, math class isn’t a chore; it’s a jam session, where every student is a star performer, and every lesson is a chart-topping hit.
Sources:
- https://youtu.be/6nMgb-jwD3I?si=YkqE-YkhGvBAWPiM
- https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/dallas-teacher-math-raps-multiply-students-probability-success-school-education/
- https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-isd-uses-music-to-teach-math/3169119/
- https://chat.openai.com/
- https://readloud.net/