The Effect of Hip-Hop Pedagogy on Teacher-Student Relationship, Particularly of Black Boys

Abstract

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore whether the use of hip-hop pedagogy has an effect on the teacher-student relationship and if there is a relationship between the number of years teaching and the teacher-student relationship, as it pertains to Black boys. To answer the research question participants across four southeastern school districts took an online survey with questions pertaining to the teachers’ perceived relationships with students, specifically the Black boys in their classes. Questions such as: “On a scale of 1–5 (with 1 being "Strongly Disagree" and 5 being "Strongly Agree") answer the following: Generally speaking, I believe the Black boys I teach like me”; were measured using a Likert Scale method. The research participants, who used the hip-hop digital learning platform Flocabulary, were interviewed to gain a deeper understanding of their perception of the relationship between them and the Black boys they taught. Data was collected using a researcher developed Qualtrics survey and disseminated via email among 8th grade English Language Arts (ELA) teachers across four school districts. The results of this study found that teachers who utilized hip-hop pedagogy (Flocabulary) in their classroom had a more positive relationship with their students than the teachers who did not use (Flocabulary) hip-hop pedagogy. Jackson (2019) referenced Black and Brown boys as being the most underserved, suspended, and expelled subgroup in education. The author encouraged educators to better understand the challenges Black and Brown students are faced with in order to help them thrive academically. The findings of this study suggest that a uniquely relevant teaching pedagogy, like hip-hop pedagogy, can have a positive effect in classrooms as it pertains to the teacher-student relationship.