YCP Professional Development Workshops

Participants are introduced to the concept of #HipHopEd and some of its biggest proponents. Specifically, the concept of youth culture is presented as a means to procure, nurture and maintain healthy teacher-student relationships inside and outside the classroom. Participants will be guided through activities that are built on youth culture and are given tips on how to use these activities to facilitate learning and strengthen engagement. During the professional development, Robinson and Rawls (who have a long history of live performance on stages around the world) use their book and album, YOUTH CULTURE POWER: A #HipHopEd Guide to Building Teacher-Student Relationships, to create an experience which will have participants on their feet, energized, inspired and excited. In this professional development, teachers are taught to re-envision “best practices” in the areas of classroom management, lesson planning and instruction through performances and crowd participation.

PD Topics Covered

1. An introduction to Youth Culture Pedagogy (YCP):  In this session we share different perspectives on the lives and cultures of our students outside of school. The aim of this session is to help educators better understand the diversity and uniqueness of students that exist in their classrooms everyday. By raising the level of empathy among the educators who are unaware of the cultural capital that their students carry, we empower educators with a direct view into how to teach from a culturally relevant approach and help their students develop global empathy.

2. The C.A.R.E. Model for Youth Culture Pedagogy:  Participants will discuss the four tenets for Youth Culture Pedagogy (C.A.R.E.) in this session. We believe that care is the most important aspect of being a teacher. The authors will examine the theoretical constructs of concepts such as embracing youth culture, creating an affable learning environment, building and maintaining positive teacher-student relationships and offering an egalitarian teaching style, so teachers can demonstrate care to students.

3. Learning how to implement & understand the benefits of classroom chatter:  Educators will review the importance of active listening. The authors will share the benefits of “classroom chatter” and “listening with an open ear” which are strategies that will assist educators:

To get a temperature gauge of the classroom
To learn the likes/dislikes of their students
To find out what is going on in their students’ lives
To discover current trends in popular culture.
The aim of this session is to help educators increase communication, impart a sense of belonging to students and allow students to feel seen and heard in the classroom.

4. Re-thinking classroom management & Youth Culture as a tool for transaction:  Classroom management is one of the most important pieces to K–12 classroom education. Traditionally, behaviorist models have been used to achieve this. However in this session, educators will be presented with alternative methods for classroom management rooted in relational pedagogy and care ethics. Activities for re-thinking classroom management and adapting teaching styles to youth culture will be shared.

5. Redefining intelligence and revamping assessment:  This session will identify and share ideas for educators to leverage traditional and emerging technology to help innovate the approach of assessment and measure the success and intelligence of their students. By linking youth culture to Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory, educators will be able to better identify the non-traditional cultural strengths and intelligences of their students. Educators will also learn strategies to implement 21st century skills by aligning academic content with student prior knowledge and leveraging the technology that students are already using.

6. Re-imagining lesson plan implementation & delivery:  Educators will learn methods for lesson planning centered around youth culture. This session will share activities for remixing lesson plans with youth culture based elements that allow young people to see themselves in the lessons and promote student voice. Through these strategies, educators will gain valuable perspective on the importance of “switching it up” and foregoing the traditional lesson plan delivery routine.

7. Parents Just Don’t Understand:  Participants are introduced to different perspectives and strategies to strengthen their approach and sustainability when having difficult conversations with their children. Specifically, the concept of using youth culture is presented as a means to procure, nurture and maintain healthy parent-children relationships. Participants will be guided through activities that are designed to give insight on how to have these difficult conversations about sexual activity, internet safety, drugs, alcohol and more. During the workshops, through the use of music, videos and activities, parents leave with resources and motivation to continue to make strides in supporting our children through these difficult times.

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Jason & John