The Hip-Hop Education Guidebook:
Due to overwhelming demand for effective Hip-Hop education resources for the twenty-first century school, the Hip-Hop Association, a national organization dedicated to facilitating, fostering, and preserving Hip-Hop culture, announces the release of the much-anticipated book, the Hip-Hop Education Guidebook: Volume One (Lulu.com; February 20, 2007; $20.00).
Michael Cirelli, author of Hip-Hop Poetry & the Classics, Executive Director of Urban Word NYC, says “The Hip-Hop Association represents a crucial movement in the evolution of hip-hop culture–one that values media and education. This guidebook is a testament to their dedication to providing high-quality, relevant and dynamic educational resources for the next generation of hip-hop leaders”
With public schools in the United States in a state of crises, there is a growing need for innovation in the classroom. The Hip-Hop Education Guidebook: Volume One is a groundbreaking book conceived as part of the Hip-Hop Association’s Education Initiative (H2Ed). This smartly arranged guidebook is sure to engage teachers and students alike!
Educators from all over the United States and Canada contributed creative, rigorous, user-friendly lessons that cover a range of subject areas including math, science, geography, civics and language arts and have been used successfully in both formal and informal academic settings. Scholars such as New York University Professor, David Kirkland, author of the forward for the Hip-Hop Education Guidebook explains, “you can learn just as much about language and literature from reading Tupac as you can from Shakespeare. The themes and conflicts present in Shakespeare are all present in hip hop.”
The National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals that Black and Latina/o students continue to lag behind their White counterparts in reading and math standardized test scores (Education Commission of the States, 2005). As this achievement gap persists, the Hip-Hop Education Guidebook provides the context for gathering answers. The Hip-Hop Education Guidebook addresses the tenants of a critical Hip-Hop pedagogy, framing the issues of concern and strength within Hip-Hop culture by providing in-depth analysis from parents, teachers and scholars. And, most importantly, the Hip-Hop Education Guidebook offers an array of innovative, interdisciplinary standards-referenced lessons written by teachers for teachers.
“Finally, a book that deftly (and def-ly) chronicles the history, development and practice of Hip-Hop-In-Education, and more importantly- Hip-Hop AS education. If education is not one of the first ten elements of Hip-Hop, then nobody in Hip-Hop is keepin’ it real except teachers.” Danny Hoch, Writer, Actor, Founder of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival.
“Teachers have no other choice but to learn how to use Hip Hop in the classroom. It’s the language of the children. They have to respect the culture of Hip-Hop.” Talib Kweli, Hip-Hop artist
Available exclusively on-line now at www.lulu.com/hiphop_education
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND/OR ARTWORK PLEASE CONTACT:
Marcella Runell, Director of Education | Hip-Hop Association
marcella@hiphopassociation.org | www.h2ed.net
The Hip-Hop Education Guidebook offers an array of innovative, interdisciplinary standards-referenced lessons written by teachers for teachers