Ever wondered how a teacher can turn a classroom into a hub of excitement and learning that students can't get enough of? Da'Jhon Jett is that teacher, and he's sharing his playbook with us. He's not your average sixth-grade educator; Da'Jhon is a maestro of engagement, harmonizing music and the latest TikTok trends to reach students on their level. Our chat with him is a journey through the art of making connections that spark enthusiasm and transform the classroom into a vibrant community. You'll hear about his unique ice-breakers and find out how he taps into the interests of his students to encourage a thriving environment for academic discourse.
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Ever wondered how a teacher can turn a classroom into a hub of excitement and learning that students can't get enough of? Da'Jhon Jett is that teacher, and he's sharing his playbook with us. He's not your average sixth-grade educator; Da'Jhon is a maestro of engagement, harmonizing music and the latest TikTok trends to reach students on their level. Our chat with him is a journey through the art of making connections that spark enthusiasm and transform the classroom into a vibrant community. You'll hear about his unique ice-breakers and find out how he taps into the interests of his students to encourage a thriving environment for academic discourse.
Visit the Blog: CurriculumAssociates.com/blog
Follow us on Twitter: @CurriculumAssoc
Follow us on Instagram: @MyiReady
Have feedback, questions, or want to be a guest? Email ExtraordinaryEducators@cainc.com to connect with us!
Curriculum Associates presents the Extraordinary Educators podcast with hosts Danielle Sullivan and Sarah Loveris. Here tips, best practices and successes to improve your teaching and leadership and drive student growth and learning. We're here for you.
Speaker 2:Hello, welcome to the Extraordinary Educator podcast. I'm Danielle.
Speaker 1:And I'm Sarah. This week we are joined by the amazing Dejan Jett, who is an Extraordinary Educator in the class of 2024, and he is a sixth grade teacher in New Haven, Connecticut.
Speaker 2:And whoa, it's a master class. It's a very fast master class in how to connect with students in the year 2024.
Speaker 1:Yes, exactly, and not only does Dejan provide really practical tips and strategies you can use, but also just frame your thinking around. How do you get them to feel comfortable and trust you so that you can do things like have rigorous math discourse in your classroom? So we hope you enjoy our conversation with Dejan as much as we did here. It is Welcome, dejan. Thank you so much for being here with us today.
Speaker 3:Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:So, Dejan, we want to talk to you about a hot button topic that every educator on the planet is curious about Learning more.
Speaker 3:how do you approach and think about engaging your students so really it's reaching them or kind of engaging them through things that are relevant to them. So I think that's a big part of it is really finding things that are of importance or relevance to them and then kind of starting there which I do all that work at the beginning of the year, so then I know what they like, what's important to them or what's the hot topic item for them.
Speaker 1:That's awesome and your students are very lucky to have you, so thank you for doing that. When you mentioned, I do all that work at the beginning of the year. What does that look like? What does that entail? How do you find out what they like so you can increase engagement?
Speaker 3:So it starts, typically our principal gives us or administration gives us, like the first three days my principal usually gives me like a little like a week and a half maybe, going through a range of different things. I mean we start off with like the typical ice breakers but then we move into things that so, like day one, I know kids coming in the TikTok is all the rage and so we get loose or we get comfortable through those avenues. So social media, finding out what's a current TikTok trend, that they're motivated by finding out their music choices, and so I do all that day one. What I start off with is my music day one. And so they come into, like I love 90s R&B.
Speaker 3:So they come in hearing that and they're like, what is this If they've never heard it? Or some of them are like my mom plays this on the weekends or something, and so that's the tone. And then as they come in, I'm finding out more about the music choices they like and then I start that, you know, start with they like. So we just building those relationships. At the beginning it doesn't seem like a lot of work, but I guess when I sat down with previously and with Patty and I was like talking about it, it was like I actually do a lot of work to get to that point.
Speaker 2:I mean, you're building those systems. So let's unpack this a little bit more, Because I think other educators be really excited to learn how you do this. When you say TikTok trends, what does that look like? You paint what that sort of looks like in your classroom, like our kids creating TikToks. Are you like actually doing TikToks or is it everyone dancing Like what's happening?
Speaker 3:So I typically find some like beginning of the school year like TikToks, or I look at what's trending at the beginning of the year. I then use those. We all have smart boards now, so I'll play the TikTok on the smart board. So then they come in like how do you know this? And then I will show them like a TikTok that I created using that trend. Sometimes it's a little cringey to watch myself. Other times the kids are like you do TikToks. I've been doing it now for three years. So actually the kids that then come into me they look forward to it Because my previous students have all told them about it.
Speaker 3:But in the beginning it was very much like what are you doing? And now it's like are you doing the TikTok today? And I never tell them. So I try to switch it up because now they're expecting it. But it's from like we'll watch a trending TikTok. I'll have one that I already did, either that morning or maybe you know, days before, and then I'll show them and it really just it helps them relax. Sometimes we'll do one together. That usually comes a little later.
Speaker 3:That's like what we work up to. Obviously, you know needing releases and all that, but also because I know they're motivated by that. I want that to be like the grand prize. So we do all this other work to get to know them, build relationships within the class. We talk about like being a family, so kind of going through the avenues of what that looks like, and then it's just like our big, like family dinner or our family TikTok that we do so it kind of all leads up to. The big thing is the creating the TikTok. They all want to be featured on my TikTok. I don't know why. I mean, I only have like I think it's like 6,500 followers. It's nothing like crazy, but that's their goal. I don't know. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:It just shows how much they respect and value you, I think, and your family, your community. I was going to ask how have their students responded to this, but I think you touched upon it a bit. But were there any other results of you doing this, that you that were surprised you, or that you just want to share anything positive that happened because of the way that you engage your students?
Speaker 3:I've had a few students was which is what kind of made me continue doing that. A few students said they felt comfortable like day one through this and they really felt like they could trust me because I knew some of the things that they knew or which I don't see the correlation to that, but the fact that they took that activity or these like week long activities and the bigger picture was to be comfortable enough to share things with me. They also acknowledged, like no one's ever taken the time to figure out what we like and really like, apply it. So that part, you know it. Just it continued the why on why I continue doing it.
Speaker 3:You know, if it makes them comfortable, you know that's all. That's all I want. I need you to be comfortable enough and to trust me enough. So then, when it's time for us to do the real work engaging in math discourse then you know you'll be more willing and able to, even if it's something that you don't want to do. It's like. Well, you know, mr Jet, he does. You know he does this, so I'll do it for him. You know what I mean. It's buttering them up for what I really need them to do, which is engaging in discourse.
Speaker 2:I mean you say buttering them up, I just say really effective relationship building. I glossed over this, but I'd like to go back. What are your top three nineties hip hop songs?
Speaker 3:So every student in my class must know Tevin Candles, can we talk? Okay, the one, I, so that's my top, like that's a non-negotiable. The other two, I let them decide. So this year the other two ended up being definitely shout, say my name, and then it was, which is really a little after 2000. And then the other one was Brandy. The boy is mine, so I have a lot more girls than boys.
Speaker 1:I was hoping you were going to say that.
Speaker 3:Boys are like you don't have to, I'm like you don't have to, and then eventually they start singing along. So I had out of 21, I think I only have four boys in the class, so it's we. Our songs tend to lean more to what they like because they're usually in the majority and I let them decide. But the Tevin Candles was the non-negotiable and then the other songs they decide. So usually, like I said, the girls typically win a lot of the arguments because they'll they'll rally each other and then you know they they get the votes, that's great You're teaching them campaigning in math class.
Speaker 2:I love it. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have, but I just want to ask you for other educators who are listening that maybe want to start this what's what's? What's one thing they can do tomorrow to start to connect with students in this really cool, creative way that you're doing.
Speaker 3:I would ask them what you know, what their their favorite music genre is or their favorite song out right now. Or do the work of going on TikTok and just finding out TikTok trending songs and then use like, play it as soon as they walk in. I guarantee you it'll be a hit.
Speaker 2:Thank you for just being you, and your students are so lucky to have you as a teacher.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Thanks again. Get inspired by following us on social media and please tag us in your posts on Twitter, at curriculumassoch, and on Instagram at myirety. If you have feedback about the podcast, a topic of interest or want to be a guest, email Extraordinary Educators at cainccom. Subscribe where you listen to podcasts and if you'd like to help more educators like you, join the conversation. Please leave a review.
Speaker 2:And remember, be you be true, be extraordinary.
Speaker 4:The Extraordinary Educators Podcast is produced by Curriculum Associates. Editing by Whiteboard Geeks, social media by Atstee Hannan, guest booking by Sarri LaBeuris, production by Hailey Browning. This podcast is copyright, material and intellectual property of Curriculum Associates.