| I work with high risk youth, the majority of whom are | | | | rope.Traditionally when you are jumping double dutch |
| African-American, and I often have to assist them with | | | | you sing a tune to the rhythm of the rope while you |
| their homework assignments. Helping the youth with | | | | are jumping. Together, the girls and I create a story |
| their homework assignments can be very stressful at | | | | using their spelling words and they retell the story and |
| times because they get frustrated easily when they | | | | spell the words while they are jumping rope. |
| are not able to pick up on the concepts quickly.What I | | | | Tip #3 Play Superman |
| have learned about working with African-American | | | | When I am assisting the younger children with their |
| youth is that they traditionally will learn easier if they | | | | homework, I make learning less stressful, by holding |
| have a rhythm. So, when I am assisting the youth with | | | | their attention and pretending to play Superman. I |
| learning how to spell their spelling words I use rhythm | | | | actually let the younger children put on a red cape and |
| to teach them. For instance, I know that the youth | | | | I place a great big "S" on their chest using construction |
| enjoy hip hop music so I use hip hop music to show | | | | paper. I assist them with learning their spelling words by |
| them how to memorize their spelling words. | | | | pretending that they are Superman and that they have |
| Tip #1 Make a Hip Hop Song | | | | to save the spelling words. |
| 1.Get the youth to make a story out of their spelling | | | | How to Play Superman |
| words. Most likely, the story relates to their situation | | | | 1. Write the spelling word on a flash card. |
| and it is on their level. | | | | 2.Pretend that the villain has taken the flash card. "Help |
| 2. Let the youth choose their favorite hip hop song. | | | | me, Help me Superman" |
| Make sure that there is an instrumental version of the | | | | 3. Superman has to save the word on the flash card |
| song | | | | 4. Before "Superman" can save the Word, he/she has |
| 3. Allow the youth to rap their story and spell the | | | | to pronounce the word and then spell it. |
| words over the beat | | | | 5. When "Superman"is able to pronounce and spell the |
| 4.If they are able to spell the words while they are | | | | word correctly, only then can Superman can save the |
| rapping then they would have successfully learned | | | | word. |
| how to spell their spelling words. | | | | Assisting youth with their homework can be very |
| 5.Sometimes it might be necessary to make more | | | | stressful but it does not have to be. Helping the children |
| than one song. | | | | just requires creativity and lots of patience. If you want |
| Tip #2 Play Double Dutch | | | | to make learning less stressful, you just have to figure |
| When I have to assist the African-American girls with | | | | out how to hold the youth's attention and then make |
| their spelling homework, one of things that I do is show | | | | learning interesting and fun. |
| them how to spell their words while they are jumping | | | | |