For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y'all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education (Race, Education, and Democracy)

by Christopher Emdin

it is natural that the cosmopolitan educator uses hip-hop music as a tool to connect to youth, and as an archive of call-and-response phrases. For example, a classic hip-hop lyric like “Can I proceed?” followed by the response “Yes indeed” can positively transform classrooms. For example, if a teacher is delivering a lesson and stops to say, “Can I proceed?” and then waits for the entire class to respond with, “Yes indeed,” this allows the students to feel a connection to the teacher (because of his or her use of the phrase) and to see that the teacher is concerned with ensuring that all students understand what is being taught. The fact that the phrase is from hip-hop allows youth to see that neoindigenous culture is welcome in the classroom and the fact that the phrase is repeated by all, brings the entire class together under the banner of hip-hop. Another set of hip-hop call-and-response phrases that I have seen used in cosmopolitan classrooms are All for one followed by One for all, and I will not lose, followed by a repetition of the same phrase. All for one and One for all are used in cosmopolitan classrooms at times when a student is at the board solving a problem and feels like he or she needs help. The student who is solving the problem yells out, “All for one,” and anyone in the classroom who is willing to help responds by saying, “One for all.” The student who is having a tough time at the board then enlists the support of his or her peer. This process, where n...