Teachers Ed with Edward DeShazer

How One PE Teacher's DJ Skills Created a Safe Haven for Students

• Edward DeShazer

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Dustin Thomas shares his journey from UPS worker to PE teacher and DJ, demonstrating how to create an inclusive school culture through music and movement in a diverse elementary school setting.

• Overcoming personal dislike of school to become an educator in his 15th year
• Using culturally responsive approaches to connect with 300+ ELL students 
• Learning key phrases in Haitian Creole to communicate with immigrant students
• Replacing traditional whistle-based PE instruction with music as a universal language
• Creating "Rhythm and Roots" program after three students lost their drummer father
• Evolving from bucket drumming to a full recording studio through grant funding
• Transforming school program into "Dropping the Beat" 501(c)(3) nonprofit
• Identifying student interests to develop relevant after-school programs
• Leading from current position without waiting for formal leadership titles
• Finding resources through community partnerships and grant writing

Visit www.droppingthebeat.com to learn more about this innovative program bringing music education to underserved communities.


www.EdwardDeShazer.org

Speaker 1:

I just wanted to recognize you and just, man, take my hat off to you, because that is leadership without having a title, and I think that is what makes a good school a great school when they have people like you that are willing to just make it happen. Like my, love language is execution and you just execute. If you're an educator, that's passionate, but you're tired and you're burnt out and you're wondering what to do next. This is the show for you tired and you're burnt out and you're wondering what to do next. This is the show for you. We're going to learn together, we're going to recharge together and we're going to grow together so you can be the best you and serve your students and your community to the best of your ability. Welcome to the Teachers Ed Podcast, the place where the best and brightest in education come to be inspired, to connect, to learn, to grow. I'm your host, edward DeShazer. I'm excited that you're here, that you've joined us.

Speaker 1:

If you are listening on your favorite podcast platform, I would ask for you to subscribe to the channel. Share this with whoever you think else can benefit it. If you are watching on YouTube right now, a cat just walked in front of me. Hit that little thumbs up button comment. Show some love there and share this wherever and with whomever you think can benefit from hearing this podcast. Today's guest is someone I have had the pleasure to work with over the summer. I met two summers ago. Not only is he a dope educator, he is also a DJ. Today I have on Dustin Thomas, otherwise known as DJ DT.

Speaker 2:

Thanks for having me, Ed. Yeah, hit the horns.

Speaker 1:

Oh man, I appreciate you for joining me. Just to start jumping right in, I want you to just share with everyone listening who you are, where you're located, what you do in education, and just give a little background on what got you in education.

Speaker 2:

Sure. So, like you said, my name is Dustin. I'm an elementary school phys ed teacher. I currently serve in a pre-K to five elementary school. We have just north of 1,000 students where I'm at Very low socioeconomic place, where I'm at. This is my 15th year coming up. I did not always want to be an educator. As a matter of fact, I didn't know what I wanted to be. I hated school. Growing up, never took SATs, kind of did enough to get by in class. The week I graduated high school I started UPS because I wanted to be a UPS driver and I quickly found out that I couldn't drive at 18 years old, so I had to work in the warehouse. So, anyway, as I continued to do that, I had a friend of mine still my very best friend to this day, but he's like you know, go back to school, I'll help you out. Just take one class at a time, so fast forward, I end up graduating. Uh, my man helped me out tremendously. Who's now actually is my principal at my school?

Speaker 2:

so it's very very cool thing once. I once I kind of figured out what I wanted to do and I've always been in the sport, so it kind of just made sense putting two and two together. So, like I said, this is currently year 15 for me. I've been in my current school. This is year 11. That's going to happen. And yeah, yes, that's kind of where I'm at. I'm located on the eastern shore of Maryland, so I'm like an hour and a half south of Baltimore.

Speaker 1:

So yeah, that's where I'm at. For those that are listening, my unsolicited opinion. For anyone that cares, being a gym teacher is the best teaching job.

Speaker 2:

It's a good thing for sure For those that don't know my background.

Speaker 1:

my actually first job at a school was teaching gym. I always worked at a boys and girls club. So when I moved back to Milwaukee and was offered a teaching job, it was just like, hey, would you be a gym teacher and start our gym program at the school my father founded? And that was the first job I took and I was like this is the best. I get to wear gym shorts to work, I get to wear, I get to play basketball, play badminton, like I absolutely loved it. So if I was ever to go back in a classroom, my classroom, I would hope, would be a gym, because that was the best. I don't care what anyone says there's nothing better than getting getting a workout with the kids.

Speaker 1:

Um, especially at the age you're at, because you got, you know, little kids that still look at you like you're a superhero. You're not like in high school, where the kids like really think they can beat you like these kids look at you like you're a superhero, which is like the that's also why I love that kindergarten through fifth grade range I mean our school's k to eight, but that kindergarten to fifth grade range.

Speaker 1:

Kids are big enough. They start getting big enough to like get it, but not big enough to think that they're like an adult yet.

Speaker 2:

So it's absolutely, it's a cool range absolutely.

Speaker 1:

You know some of the stuff when, when you know just the times that we've met, you know talking about culture and we'll get into um, the origin of rhythm and roots. But you know, one of the the things I just really am passionate about is school culture, and I know some people that are in a classroom and I'm just speaking from my experience. Some people that are in a classroom look at a gym as though, oh, it's easy, the kids just play. What I know from my experience was being a special teacher like a specialist teacher is difficult because you don't have just the same 20 to 30 kids. You have different waves of kids all day long that you're building and setting expectations for. So what are some of the elements just for you in the gym and in the phys ed space that help you create a culture in your classroom?

Speaker 2:

Yes, that's a great topic. And also, before I start, I just want to say that right in my region, right now, we have a ton at my school, a ton of ELL kids who English is a second language. As a matter of fact, we have over 300 kids that English is a second language. We have the highest population of schools in our area, ton of Haitian Creole kids coming in, ton of Portuguese kids coming in, of course, our Spanish population. So so, keeping those expectations high and keeping culture in mind, it is difficult, it's difficult to reach everyone and keep that expectation and that bar raised. So I think, for me, what I've always tried to do is try to create ways to kind of make the gym a safe place for these kids to go and to be relevant and inviting to those kids. Just to give you an example, I'm pretty okay with Spanish as far as communicating with my kids, but Creole I was struggling real bad.

Speaker 2:

So last summer we took a trip, a couple people from school, we went around the area and just went and like to see what kind of resources there were in our community for the Haitian, creole and Spanish populations. We we learned things that a normal person have no idea what they go through just to to make it um in their everyday lives. Um, and what kind uh just community outreach supports that they give. Um, you know where do they buy groceries from? Um, kind of uh, you know how did they get cell phones, how they get service, how they pay for things, so uh, from that trip, um, I asked one of the Haitian Creole instructors. I was like hey, like can I, how can I communicate with my kids better? So he's like you know, I'm gonna give you one word, sock passe. And I was like you know what does that mean? He said that's like what's up with how you doing in?

Speaker 1:

Haitian Creole.

Speaker 2:

So I was like, okay, cool, so, like it's funny. Like when I went back to school and started using that the kid From there, I went ahead and created a cheat sheet for me and put on the wall of 10 or 15 different Haitian Creole sayings, just so I could communicate with them. We as a school use the Ron Clark Academy philosophies. We have houses, that sort of thing. When the kids come into gym on their first day of school, whenever that is throughout the school year they spin our wheel to see what house they're getting in. So that's a way for me to communicate with them in their own language. Or it has someone in the class like translate for me, like hey, come on over here and spin the wheel. So I try to create ways that can communicate with them, just to build that culture up and feel relevant. And then for our our you know, our normal English speakers, I think it's important and it might be easier for me than some people because I'm in the dj world, so I know what's popping, I know what's flopping, um, and I can kind of give that lingo to the kids. Um, and they kind of respect that. Yeah, it's corny sometimes, but again, they can relate to that and, uh, I I think it.

Speaker 2:

It probably helps me out throughout the day and, like you said, you know we have I teach six or seven classes a day, depending on the day. And, like you said, you know we have I teach six or seven classes a day, depending on the day. So I mean we're talking like 150 kids to 200 kids a day, that it's a revolving door. So I think being able to pivot and move in different areas, you know some things that you teach in this class and what goes well is not going to go well in another class. You're going to have an hour from now, so I think you got to just you know, stand your toes, pivot and just learn. You know the ins and outs of each class and their dynamics and then what makes them tick.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and I think that you know one of the foundation of what you shared that I think it's really going to be important for people to listeners, to hear and to receive is when you had students that weren't familiar to what you were doing. You went to be familiar with what they were doing and that is something that it was work and it's challenging, but those kids now, when they show up, because you learn something as simple as a phrase that they can connect with, they feel like they belong.

Speaker 1:

And that is something that students, even white students in a white school, students because of the world of social media and comparison and all like there's just this overload of everything students in general are struggling with feeling like they belong because we're so busy comparing us um to everything else. So I love that you shared that, but also that you are relevant to them and you called it corny, which to the kids it is, and I've learned as, because I have a 13-year-old son and when I say anything that is relevant to pop culture, he thinks it's corny. Because I am a grown-up and we were watching Squid Games. We put Squid. He wasn't with us, but my wife and I were watching Squid Games. We put Squid. He wasn't with us, but my wife and I were watching Squid Games and he was like you guys watch Squid Games Like, like buddy. I'm like you. Why are you watching Squid Games, right?

Speaker 2:

right.

Speaker 1:

Like wait, why are you watching that? But I think you know it's. It's OK to be corny because even if you're in the know of what's going on, students just think we're corny because we are the adults, like we're we're on the older end of the adults, we're not the 26 year old teacher that just walked in that they still look at them like oh, they're not that far removed, like we are the we're the unks. At this point that's right Right.

Speaker 1:

Man, a kid called me that the other day. Unks, at this point, that's right. Oh, you're right. Man, a kid called me that the other day. I said I looked I'm like, oh lord, that's where we're at. I can't even be mad because, like, I catch myself doing that, you know, when I was in school and I just gotta stop myself, like man, I became my dad real that's right.

Speaker 2:

That's right real fast, like when I was in school.

Speaker 1:

We didn't, we didn't have this and we didn't have that and we had to walk to the encyclopedias. It's like man, we are worse than our parents. The same stuff they were doing, now we're doing absolutely generation but I want to dive into uh the rhythm and roots uh program and kind of let you share a little bit about uh, what that is and what that looks like um in your school and in your community.

Speaker 2:

Sure. So Rhythm and Roots is a project that it started out with no name. So, basically, in 2019, I had three boys that I taught who lost their dad. He was a gospel drummer in the area, very well known, traveled around different bands. He he passed away of a heart attack in the summer and then, when the kids got back to school that next school year, uh, I can just tell like severe, severe trauma going on. Uh, not not the way they left, for sure, as you know, to be expected. So, um, I just trying to.

Speaker 2:

I don't know why I connected with them so much. I mean, like I said, we have over a thousand kids like I try to be helpful to everyone, but like something just about them, I don't know, just drew me to them. So I, I played drums when I was in, when I was a little kid. I, I quit my middle school year because I just thought it was corny year. Because, uh, I just thought it was corny, um, like that, I hate to say it, but like playing hot cross buns and all those like basic songs. I guess it got old like I got, I got older, like I started, you know, getting into puberty and stuff.

Speaker 1:

I just didn't, I wanted to feel it no more, so anyway, so, um, hold on, before you go any further, was it just like one of the sync, was it was just like the single snare drum that you guys had. You know, it's like you got one little, one little drum in front of you and you're just like you can do with that or we can play the bass.

Speaker 2:

We can play the bass on the sides, but yeah, just very basic, like it just was. I mean, it was cool for a little bit but I was like I'm not doing this, I'm not carrying this with me, so, um, anyway. So like I and where I was gonna go was like I I've always been fascinated with like buskers and like just the, that, how hip-hop just um is just so raw and it could tell stories, um, and I've always been hip-hop. I had an older sister who used to listen to every morning like I don't know, which I think it's called like video music box or something back in the day so she was older than me.

Speaker 2:

It's always like listen to nwa and all these people like growing up and it's I know it just always like resonated with me.

Speaker 2:

So, um, when I saw these boys struggling, I was like you know what, I wonder if you like I could take them after school, um, you know one or twice to it, twice a week, and just like, bang on some drums for a little bit. And at the time time we had nothing but buckets, like five-gallon buckets, just like a busker would. So I was like you know what? Let's just you know, we'll put on some YouTube, let them have a little outlet to release some energy, keep their dad's memory going on, so, anyway, so we started doing that and then more people saw it, more people wanted to join. So from there we ended up getting a full drum kit. So, and then, once we got that drum kit, I could have more kids, blah, blah, blah. And then that turned into okay, let's get a dj board.

Speaker 2:

I knew nothing about djing at the time. I just kind of, you know, taught myself and I had a friend of mine helping me and we learned just how to, you know, start mixing music, that sort of thing. Now we're like, oh, can we lay down some tracks? And then I wrote a grant. Now we have a recording studio in our school.

Speaker 2:

Nice, yeah, so so the kids can go on there and and write stuff and we have we've used it all the time um, so, um. So from there you're like you know what? Let's, let's be legit. So we, we end up calling our group rhythm and roots because, you know, rhythm is is rhythm is the key to every piece of music. And then Roots we're trying to use the roots of hip hop because at the time when I was trying to tell the kids it's like you know that song you listen to right now, like do you know who sampled that back in 1997? It's this song. So like we tried to bring in the roots of it all, just to kind of you know horizon, it's very, what you're listening to is very specific. But let's look globally because you know it's everywhere, it's been everywhere for years. You know talking to them about clive campbell and dj cool herkin migrating from jamaica to the bronx, um, back in the day.

Speaker 2:

So, uh, it's kind of just, it grew into this, this program. I had no idea that it was ever going to grow into, so we just started, you know, rocking with it. People started inviting us from the community. They do different events, that sort of thing. And then, most recently I haven't even told you this, ed, but we go out places. Parents are always like how can my kid get involved? Blah, blah, blah. So we officially made it into a nonprofit. So as of December of this past year year, we're officially a 501 c3, nice. Um, we had to change the name to drop in the beat. So, um, so drop on the beat. Is is pretty much a spot, uh, where all the kids in the community, um, and young adults can, can come in. They can learn how to drum, they can learn to dj, they can record audio, mix and master tune, sing, spoken word, dance, um, so that's popping off. That's going to launch actually in september of this year.

Speaker 1:

So that's kind of where it started and where it's evolved to yeah, is there a website that, and I'll give you an opportunity to share more at the end, but right now is there a website that for that that you can share for anyone that's interested um can check it out yep, it's wwwdropping thebeatcom and that's gonna have it yeah it's gonna have a website and everything on there and what we do and some clips, all that sort of thing nice, and and there's one thing I've I talk about this when, so when I do presentations with staff or with students, I always have music playing

Speaker 1:

as people are coming in and I have only heard of one person and I don't know the person personally but one person that just does not like music. And if there's one thing I know is that now you can say I don't like rap or I don't like rock or I don't like country, but music resonates with people. It can bring out emotions and feelings in people, um, and it's a great way to connect with students, to get just people connecting in general. Like you look at a concert, um, and you know, you, I've been at concerts and you look around and you're like there's so many different people here and we're all singing the exact same song, um, so that's a totally different topic.

Speaker 1:

But I just think there's something special about music that when kids can get involved in that. It is difficult these days to get kids to want to read and do math, but if you can find ways to infuse music into learning, there's some kids that just aren't going to be good at math, but if you give them some drumsticks, they may be the best drummer in the world, absolutely. So I always think those type of programming and unfortunately, when schools do budget cuts, it's stuff like music that gets cut first.

Speaker 1:

But like those are programs that may be the only reason a couple kids come to school, because they know like I gotta do all this other stuff so I can get to my music program, so I can get to my art class, so I can get to whatever that special class is. So I, you know, I just want to make sure that you know anyone listening, you check that out, um, just because you know we want to support good programming because our kids need more than just you know the the basic subjects that we do in school. So you know, hats off to you and your team, um, for that work. And is that in after is? Is this an after-school program or during-school thing?

Speaker 2:

This is going to be after school, so I'm going to keep my so. Usually I practice on Wednesdays with my school kids, so that's going to be Wednesdays directly after school, and then dropping the beat is actually going to be at a site in our community. That's going to be in the evening time, so once parents get off work they can take them in for a couple hours and get that done. So that's where we're at.

Speaker 1:

I love it and kind of running right into music and culture. How is being a DJ and being a musician? Being a DJ and being a musician how has that helped you kind of shape the work that you're doing? As far as you know being a, do you call it a gym teacher? I don't want to like listen, I made a mistake.

Speaker 1:

I made a mistake. I spoke at a counselor conference like three years ago and as a kid I was always told guidance counselor and I slipped and said that they were not having it. Yeah, it's like, but they were cool. Someone came up to me like, just so you know it's counselor and because that's not the call, you know that is not the room I'm in. But I respected that because they do more than guidance. So I, you know, I was like some of them maybe I may say gym teachers. I was like I'm more than a gym teacher, I'm the physical education teacher.

Speaker 2:

No, I don't know.

Speaker 1:

You know I ain't trying to get canceled by all the gym teachers out there. Man, you know I'm trying to try to play.

Speaker 2:

I want everyone to like me, I can tell you, though some people get really offended by it, um, but like I don't, that's whatever man, I'm a teacher, just like anybody else. I just use pe or gym as my, as my vehicle. That's all, yeah, but uh, but yeah, to get back to your question, um, I I think I think what works for me in my school it may not work the same for other people in different areas or school. My school is very musically driven, just based on the culture, just based on things we do as a school. So like in the past, when I first started teaching, just like I'm sure most people can do, like they probably look back on that and like cringe, like I can't believe I used to do that back in the day. But like when I first started teaching, I used to use my whistle like I was a football coach at alabama, like stop, start, like faster, blah, blah, and like I don't even care whistle anymore, like it's not even in my, in my repertoire of anything I will pull from. Um, so I kind of changed that now to music. So like on on my stop and go. I use music all day long, constantly, so that's kind of like my signal. You know, and they know what they got to do when it goes off and when it does go on, they know what they got to do. We use chants and cheers throughout the day constantly. It's just kind of part of our school culture that we do so I would say that it works for me in my current place of setting.

Speaker 2:

If I were to go somewhere else that didn't have that I don't know that I would have the success that I do currently. I would have to reteach to kids my sort of thing. But I feel like, just as you were saying, you met one person that didn't like music but like, just think about the you know the millions of other people that that do like music is a universal language. So I think that using using that language, using those songs that the kids are now, you know, rocking with like I was just having this conversation the other day with somebody else Like you know what?

Speaker 2:

Like I can do a wedding now and I put the wobble on and it's hitting like for a solid four or five minutes. Well, you put the wobble on for these kids today. They have no idea what to do because their tick tock songs are like 15 seconds and that's it and they're moving on to the next one. So it's had to change me as a DJ when I do kids events, like I got to go in and start digging through tick, tock and seeing stuff. You know what's what's relevant to them, um, but you know, I just think that it's funny how like music has evolved. And like when I was a kid, looking at like the bgs, like you know, like that that's probably that's whack, like why you listen to that, and like the kids now look at me like you know, little wayne, like who was that old man?

Speaker 2:

no, I mean but it's just funny how it changes, but it's still music. Music is life, music is the heartbeat. So I just think it's funny how it evolves, but it's still the same thing. You use it to your advantage and you use it to build that climate and culture in your building.

Speaker 1:

Yep, and you know we got a little bit of time left. I want to kind of. We touched briefly on the after school program aspect, but I'm big on, you know, programs and I know there's schools across the country just like we don't have programs. We don't. You know what are. Excuse me, what are some of the strong? Like you know, you've been working and doing after school stuff. What are some of the aspects that you feel can make a strong after school stuff? What are some of the aspects that you feel are can make a strong after school program Cause like for, for example, at our school we had aftercare for our and we made sure to call it aftercare.

Speaker 1:

It was not an after school program because we didn't have the strong and this is just me being honest. We didn't have the structure of like that you're going to go here and do this. We just had a resource for our parents that could not pick their kids up because we didn't have transportation last year. So it was just like your kids stay after.

Speaker 1:

But what are some of the things that schools, in your opinion, can do? You know to have to have an after school and I know it's teachers are tired, they want to go home. You know, I hear that, but there are some teachers that are passionate, and let me stop. It's not that teachers that don't want to stay at the school aren't passionate, like some have families, some are, some are tired, some just want to go home and sit and not hear noise for a bit. But what are some of the things a school can do, or a teacher could do, to implement whatever their passion? Like you did it with music, maybe someone's are? What are some ideas that someone could help implement their idea into an after school program, after school?

Speaker 2:

Well, I think that's a great question, ed. I think. First, I think you have to have solid admin wherever you are. And just being from my county, like I know, for example, like my admin team is very supportive of anything that's going to help a kid out. My admin team is very supportive of anything that's going to help a kid out. But I know other admin who roll out with the teachers at 3 o'clock. Nothing wrong with it. I mean, if you can do it, do it. But they're not going to be as supportive if you have an idea to bring that to life.

Speaker 2:

I also think it's important to I don't think you necessarily have to do a needs assessment for your school, but I think it's important to get the kids involved in what they want to do. For instance, an example we've had this program for years in our county called Nothing but Net. It's a basketball program. The kids have to earn so many points a week, they get strikes, so they get so many strikes they're kicked off and it's to kind of get them to focus that last part of the year to get them through into the next grade. So it's just kind of like an incentive-based basketball program.

Speaker 2:

Well, I noticed a couple of years after I started doing that and getting comfortable in my school, like man, like I got a bunch of Hispanic kids that have nothing to do because they don't like basketball. So I was, like you know, I wonder, like what's something that they could really benefit from? So I started asking some questions soccer, soccer, soccer, soccer, soccer, soccer. So me and another colleague from a different school got together and, like you know, you want to write a grant, um, to do like a indoor soccer, or they call it futsal, which is like a version of indoor soccer I'm not sure if you're familiar or not, but yep, um, it's a, it's a smaller version of indoor soccer. So we wrote a grant. We end up getting that grant funded through our community foundation locally, not to buy us goals, not to buy us jerseys, shin guards, futsal balls, um. And then we actually built a program.

Speaker 2:

I know nothing about futsal, I just pretty much let them do what they want to do. We did some drills that I knew from a kid, from, from just being a pe teacher, and then we actually played them a couple times throughout that little season. But, um, if we had not done the work to do, the work to do that these kids will still have nothing to do. Yeah, so I think it's important to to see what your kids are into and then engage that um, and then I actually had kids come back, older siblings that wanted to help coach that. So I was like, you know, easy peasy, bro, um, and also too like and just other things.

Speaker 2:

Like our school in the past has had jazz, tap, uh, step teams, um, but again, like, I think those all are things that you have to have the right people in place and I think you have to have, um, some sort of ability to gauge your students and see what they like, to even bring that in Because, like some, like you say, aftercare, like that's a parent's choice, like I don't have anywhere for you to go, I'm going to sign you up for this. But if you have something that they're into, like the kids are like hell, yeah, like, sign me up for that, I'm going to do this. So that's kind of what I think needs to happen and I think I think you just have to to be relevant and ask questions and see you know, what were these kids into? That I'd be able to facilitate and help these kids, you know, and further what they want to do throughout the school day.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and I need to point something out for my teachers listening and for my school leaders. One thing that I've just noticed and obviously you know you and I have had conversations, but you know we've never really gotten this deep in a conversation and one thing I want to highlight is you know, one thing I'm hearing from you is that you lead from where you are and I think so often teachers are like how do I get into leadership? And sometimes it's just leading in the where you are and everything you said you were like I had an idea.

Speaker 1:

I went and found a grant. I did this. I didn't know what I was doing and I know part of that is you have an administration that you can go and they're not going to. You know, if something doesn't work, they're not going to be like that's what you get for trying. But I just want to highlight the fact you know and hats off to you that you lead from where you are. I know there's a lot of teachers that do do that, but then there's some teachers that are scared to do that because they're like what if they say no? You know you were like I had an idea. I went and got a grant because money is a problem and, as we know, money's frozen and I mean that's a whole different TED Talks. But like, leading where you are is something that without money, someone could still staff and work and do it. Someone could have been like you know what? I'm just going to go and buy a $7 soccer ball and we can figure it out. We can tape masking tape on the wall for goals if we have to. So I just want to really highlight that of as someone.

Speaker 1:

When I do leadership training, I always encourage school leaders. The best way to have a strong culture is to create more leaders. And how do you create more leaders? It's finding people like you that are doing things and just leading from where they are and finding ways to give them pass if that's something they want, like I know some people are like I don't want to lead with people, I don't want to lead a school because it's a headache which it is. But there are other. You know, I've had one of my teachers that I had all my life, just retired, and he never wanted to get into leadership. He was a sociology teacher and a social studies teacher and he was like I love going to work every day. I just had to worry about the 20 kids in my class and nobody else.

Speaker 1:

And also, really, you know, if you're a teacher listening and you're wondering, like how can I grow as a leader, just start where you are. It doesn't have to be anything big. Maybe it's a program and you love art and you want to do with five kids. Maybe it's something you're passionate about. There's been so many people that I've seen in education that have really dynamic skills and they start a club in a program and next thing you know, they get a grant for 2000 bucks and then it works. And then someone else is like, how do we do that? And then, next thing, you know another grant and then those, uh, you know businesses that are like you know we weren't, uh, an art Institute and we'll fund it, you know. So it's all about starting where you are and not being scared.

Speaker 1:

Um, as a teacher, as an educator, to do something that you're passionate about outside of just teaching, whatever subject or you know topic or matter, you teach. But if there's other, like I love to golf and I would love one day to have a I'm not good enough to be training other people how to call, but but like it's something I love to do and as a, as a black man, there aren't enough people when I go golf that look like me and there's programs out here that are doing that, but but that's for me it's like something I would love. You know, when I fully retire, it's like to be able to golf with kids and spend that time and just teach and open doors. You know kind of what you have done for music. So I just wanted to recognize you and just, man, take my hat off to you, because that's that is leadership without having a title, and I think that is what makes a good school a great school when they have people like you that are willing to just make it happen.

Speaker 1:

Like my love language is execution and you just execute. So, man, I just want to make sure I recognize that. But I know, you know we're, we are running out of time. So what I want to end with, I want to do a little rapid fire, some rapid fire questions for you. So I'm going to end with I want to do a little rapid fire, some rapid fire questions for you. So I'm going to put you on the spot, do this with every guest. The first question is 90s hip hop or 2000 R&B.

Speaker 1:

Ooh 90s hip hop all day. So I had Principal Mo on and what she said and I haven't verified this yet.

Speaker 2:

She said the best time frame for music for our generation was 96 to 99.

Speaker 1:

She said all the biggest hits that we think back and we're like man. That was my jam 96 to 99. So I have not verified it yet but I'm going to, but that was what she shared with me and it stuck with because I'm sure gonna look it up, because I love music absolutely.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's a good years for sure.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely all right next one jay-z or naz oh I gotta go.

Speaker 2:

Jay-z uh, naz uh. New york state of mind great albums, great songs. But I think Jay-Z's a mogul, jay-z. He's still relevant to this day. I was reading something the other day about how Jim Jones was going after Nas, saying that he was more relevant than Nas was, and it just kind of like you know for what? Like you're 50 years old now, like who cares? I just think that Jay-Z is just a mogul that has. He just has hit after hit, selling out the garden in a day. No, he's got Beyonce too. I mean, god Lord, it's a no brainer.

Speaker 1:

A billion dollar family, absolutely um your favorite artist of all time all time wow, this is a tough one.

Speaker 2:

um. So growing up, I, as I started to evolve and like start to understand like different things. I appreciated NWA First of all because they were very relevant for me back in the day. But when Public Enemy came out and started doing the stuff about police brutality and privilege and stuff like that, I always listened to that. But once I started seeing and believing and like, oh, you know what that's, that's deep, that I did not know that that was for real. So they kind of like molded me as a, as a younger guy. But as far as like who would I blast in my, in my vehicle from back in the day? I I'm the East Coast guy, so I think Biggie probably is up there. However, I think Pac just has too many bangers.

Speaker 1:

Oh, you switched on him.

Speaker 2:

Too many, hit after hit after hit. What I love about Tupac is that if you just go on Spotify and just listen to his albums, he has so much music that you've never even of it because it's not suitable for radio. But the stories he tells and just the way that he goes in and out of them, I think that Pac Pac for me is the GOAT. But I'm an East Coast guy so you know I have a love hate with that and Biggie. But I got to say Pac, got to say Pac Ed.

Speaker 1:

All right, cl closing out with Pac. Well, dustin man, I appreciate you for jumping on, I appreciate you for taking time. What I want you to do is just let everyone know where they can find you on social media. Again, if you can, please give them the drop-in. Is it drop-in the beats website or drop-in the beat? I want to make sure that anyone that's listening. If you have an opportunity, go give Dustin a follow, connect with him. I'm just big on this.

Speaker 1:

Education work is not easy for us to do, so it is absolutely critical that we surround ourselves. It doesn't have to be in your local community. Our educational community is worldwide. We need to be connected with the best educators, and that was the purpose of this podcast to bring the best educators together, the best people together, because we need to be connected with the best educators. And that was the purpose of this podcast to bring the best educators together, the best people together, because we need to link arms in the work that we do. So let everyone know where they can find you and then I'll wrap, I'll swing us out.

Speaker 2:

Well, you can find me on Instagram at Dustin underscore DJ DT, and my website is dropping the ROPPIN the beat dot com.

Speaker 1:

Awesome. And to all of our all of our listeners, if this episode hit home, please make sure you like. Please make sure you subscribe on whatever podcast on YouTube. Smash that like button subscribe. Drop a comment. Let me know your favorite music and your favorite song in the comments of this video for the listeners and viewers that we have on there. But again, this is the Teachers Ed podcast. We appreciate you for listening and we will catch you next time. Keep showing up, keep building and keep the rhythm alive. Appreciate y'all.