relate or get out of the classroom

Today I intro-ed my poetry unit by having our song of the week be Unconditional Love by Tupac and then the students heard an interview of him when he was just 17 years old.  My kids were instantly silent and perfect school boys and girls.  Literally, as soon as they heard Tupac's voice, they were all ears, sitting up straight, and even straining themselves to get their ear closer to my ihome.  Why?  Because they heard themselves.  They heard a voice, another "them" talking through the speakers.  Through rap they are vulnerable.  Through rap they are at home.  Through rap they are calm and comfortable.

Every time there is language in a song, interview, video clip or story I have to give them a heads up and apologize for the inappropriate words being spoken (just in case I get a parent who contacts me and tells me I'm feeding their child's mind garbage).  And each time they say, "Stop Miss Fernandez, this is real life.  This is real."  My kids are the best detectors of fakers.  They even call me out on it sometimes (even though I try to hide it, they know).  Today my most rowdy kid in class who is involved in a family of gangs, violence, and drugs. Who's only outlet for attention is in the classroom when he misbehaves instead of love from his father says to me, with a smile on his face and eyes lit up, "Man, I'm really into this stuff right here, this is real to me.  This is dope."  I stopped for a moment asked him to repeat what he just said not because I didn't hear what he said, even though that's what I told him, but because I was amazed by his attraction to the material when I brought it home to him, simply by having a relatable person speak to the material that must be taught.  I made school relevant, and I won their attention......... for now.