Testimonials

"This is School House Rock for the next millennium!"

- M. Schiller
Teacher, Kenwood Academy HS

"I can remember these words now because the song is stuck in my head, and I learn better from music."

- Tiesha Bausley
8th Grader, Chicago

"Test Tracks is initiating the first widespread hip-hop education project I have seen. This project is timeless and could go down in the annals of greatest and most innovative educational projects in the history of American education. Test Tracks shows that educators are seriously thinking about their students and constituents, and creating material that is accessible to all youth. I can't wait to be part of this very relevant and exciting initiative."

- Lavie Raven, PhD
Columbia University School of Ed.

"The rap helped me learn the words because of the beat and the rhyming. It helped me because it was catchy, it got my attention and I liked the music."

- Jade Mackey
8th Grader, Chicago

Quotations from Teach For America Teachers Workshop
(Integrating Hip Hop into the Language Arts)

Curriculum: 5th-12th Grade
Temple University, Philadelphia
All feedback was anonymous.

"This workshop was incredibly helpful. I will use the cartoon, worksheets, and songs! I will definitely use Test Tracks. They are an excellent way to engage different types of learners and are incredibly catchy!"

"I love the songs and rubrics for projects. Everything was great. Love it! Can't wait to get the songs- I think the theory behind the rhyme/songs is right on."

"The raps and strategies were great-I loved the crossword puzzles, raps, posters, and political cartoons. I might use the songs in my classroom depending on the content and grade I teach- but I want to learn them myself!"

"I will use the songs, they will help with memorization."

"I will certainly use Test Tracks- there is a lot of content in an engaging way- it is an informative way of making it stick"

"This is very cool! I will definitely use it. Very Engaging."

"Test Tracks is sooo cool! Very catchy, memorable, and accessible for students."

"This workshop gave me creative and purposeful strategies. I will have students create rhymes as a strategy for vocabulary. Test Tracks seems incredibly innovative and engaging."

"This is a great and interesting way to teach material that can otherwise be monotonous!"

"I love the music and want to use it in my classroom. I can't wait to use rhyme as a memory device. "

"This was so helpful and definitely something I didn't think I could do! Now I can. I loved the synonyms songs, although I will probably use the Presidents songs, even for my second graders." "I did find the workshop helpful. The songs were great. They will be excellent tools. The idea of music and rhyme for comprehension makes so much sense, I don't know why I never thought of it! I loved it! It is a great hook and a great way to summarize a large amount of information."

"This is so different than my teaching style, but now I have new ideas to incorporate. The only reason I won't use Test Tracks is because I will be teaching Spanish. Get some Espanol in your mix and I will jump on that band wagon!"

" I will use so many of your ideas in my classroom. I am leaving your workshop feeling so excited! It was so useful! I will definitely use the songs, I can't wait to check out more!"

"This was so helpful and creative! I loved the prefix/root word rap. This is a wonderful idea that will definitely get students hyped and motivated."

"This was great, I personally learn better with rhythm and rhyme!"
" I will use Test Tracks- rhyme helps comprehension so much. And the 'polished' song quality is so much better than just a teacher rapping!"

"This is totally not what I expected- I thought it would be about mainstream hip hop. But I loved the Presidents song, It is hip hop rhyme that is catchy and non-controversial. It changes things up!"

- Andrew Unger, November 2006