MAYFIELD: That's one - been one of my biggest accomplishments. It was a truly, truly amazing classroom and amazing space to be in.ĮSTRADA: Mayfield says students will produce work if you reach them where they are and take notes on what they're interested in, whether that's music, shoes or sports. Academics and athletes from heels to cleats. MOREHOUSE: (Rapping) Might be a future politician because, see, we're on a mission. Like, it was really a great way to help me make it through math.ĮSTRADA: She's been featured in music videos by Mayfield and credits him for inspiring her to do better in school. PARIS MOREHOUSE: Because I can recall myself at home doing homework and just singing the song in my head, helping me understand, oh, I know what this timetable is. Before fourth grade, Morehouse didn't like math and struggled with it, but paring the difficult subject with music was game-changing for her. She's now in the 10th grade and loves old-school rap. Adjust your screens to her point of view.ĮSTRADA: Paris Morehouse (ph) is one of Mayfield's former students. Seventh-grade science, Texas history, too. Here's one he made for a Texas history teacher. Last year, he was even reaching students nationwide by creating jingles for teachers so they could engage students in Zoom class. Parents were really enthused about coming to different events when we normally didn't see them.ĮSTRADA: Mayfield's district recognizes he's been so good at engaging students, he's now coaching teachers at another Title I school in Fort Worth. Kids started caring more about coming to school. So look out.ĮSTRADA: Learning math through music has been a successful strategy, and Mayfield says he saw results within a school semester. UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: (Singing) We're going to pass the STARR test in the spring, show the world just what we mean. They rap and make music videos about multiplication, decimal point places and motivational songs like passing the big end-of-year exam called the STARR test. One out of 100, we call that a penny.ĮSTRADA: That's Mayfield and some of his previous students. Then we move to the hundredths, one part out of many. Like a dime to a dollar, there's 1 out of 10. MAYFIELD: (Rapping) Now let's break this thing down. It helps to promote a less traumatic experience, and they feel like they're invited and welcomed into the classroom. That's when he got the idea to bring in rap music to the classroom. He wanted to reach students in a way that was familiar and inviting. He grew up going to these types of schools in Fort Worth, too. MAYFIELD: Single-parent homes, incarcerated parents, low financial stability - a lot of that was going on.ĮSTRADA: Mayfield teaches at Title I schools, where more than 40% of students are economically disadvantaged. He took what they were saying to heart and knew it was important to try something new, especially because most of his students were also struggling outside of the classroom. You know, they might say, I don't know my multiplication facts.ĮSTRADA: Those are phrases he heard repeatedly from students. Or I don't know my facts yet, and I'm a fifth-grader. THOMAS MAYFIELD: Oh, you know, I'm not good at adding. In 2010, he had a major problem to solve in his classroom. MIA ESTRADA, BYLINE: Mayfield is a 42-year-old elementary school teacher from Fort Worth, Texas. And as NPR's Mia Estrada reports, now Mayfield is helping other teachers engage with their students, too. But Thomas Mayfield found a way through music. We have a story now about a teacher who used to struggle to find ways for students to like math.
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