RIVERVIEW, MICHIGAN -- When the school doors open this fall the distinct sound of rap music not only will be drifting down the hallways but Schoolhouse Hip Hop will be heard in the classrooms of American schools.
That’s because more and more educators are learning about a Southgate, Michigan middle school teacher who uses Hip Hop in his classroom to teach students history, math, science and English.
And teachers and principals who view the educational Hip Hop videos and listen to the CDs are becoming very excited about D.J. Duey, aka Mr. Duey, who is setting the world on fire with his new educational rap CD that has had a tremendous impact on students in his school.
The rush by educators to hear Mr. Duey’s “Class Dis-Missed” CD is such that more than a quarter-million have viewed his hip hop video on TeacherTube.com, placing it amongst the top ten most viewed videos on that site.
Each of the 17 rap songs on “Class Dis-Missed” explores an important math, language arts, science or social studies topic through fresh rhymes and funky rhythms that make it fun and easy to understand and remember. And that is Mr. Duey’s greatest success – making learning engaging and fun!
Educators who have missed the rush can see for themselves some of the excitement coming out of Detroit by visiting www.mrduey.com and listening to the clean, educational, captivating lyrics.
Middle school students can easily spot a fake but they are quick to realize that Mr. Duey is the real deal. D.J. Duey studied and performed Hip Hop for years, competing in battles with some of Detroit’s elite rappers and releasing three solo albums between 2000 and 2004. During that same period, Mr. Duey pursued his educational goals, earning a teaching degree and a job in the classroom – and then his two worlds creatively collided.
Mr. Duey and longtime friend Andrew Yando interviewed teachers and researched educational guidelines before writing and producing “Class Dis-Missed.”
Mr. Duey’s revolutionary approach to learning also has captured the attention of the national media, including NBC affiliate WDIV-TV in Detroit, WIBW-TV 13 in Kansas City, KTKA 49 News in Topeka, WMC-TV 5 in Memphis, National Public Radio, WTIC in Hartford, WHFS-FM in Baltimore, WOCM FM in Ocean City, MD, WBT in Charlotte, NC, WTOC in Savannah, GA, WJR-AM and WWJ in Detroit, as well as Japan’s Kyodo News Service and South China Morning Post in Hong Kong.
Studies have shown that teachers using music in the classrooms have increased the national averages on standardized tests. Since Mr. Duey’s instructional CDs have been made available in the classroom teachers have enjoyed a marked increase in student performance on tests and in mastering academic subjects.
Educational leaders promoting innovative teaching interventions have described Mr. Duey’s CD as a revolutionary tool to advance academic learning.
Deborah Pappas, math department head at Southgate Public Schools in Southeast Michigan, reports that test grades have improved by 15% since Mr. Duey’s learning tools have been introduced in her school. “I jumped at the chance to have a tool like this at my disposal,” says middle school English Teacher Sam Childs.
The “Class Dis-Missed” CD is available on iTunes or at www.mrduey.com.
About Mr. Duey
Mr. Duey, a 6th grade math/science teacher for Southgate Public Schools, holds a teaching degree from Eastern Michigan University and is certified in math and science education. He is the recipient of the Greatest Teacher Award (from his students). A rap musician, Mr. Duey has cut three solo rap albums and was previously signed to a small indie label in Detroit. He has joined with longtime friend and music producer Andrew Yando to write and produce educational rap music to advance the learning skills of elementary students. Go to www.mrduey.com to preview songs from “Class Dis-Missed” or for more information on Mr. Duey and Andrew Yando, including testimonials
