The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Horizon Science Academy teacher makes rap video about school
A new rising star will teach fourth-grade reading at Horizon Science Academy in Lorain.
Teacher Lyndsey Maloy posted a video online Sept. 1 of her rapping original lyrics to Cardi B’s hit song “Bodak Yellow.”
Shortly after the release, the video had nearly 2,000 views, all within one day.
For Maloy, the video was met to pump up her students for the school year.
The lyrics took about a month to write, she said.
“I’ve seen other teachers do this as morning songs, and I thought it’d be a great idea,” Maloy said.
She said she wanted to bring students’ engagement to the forefront during online schooling.
“I wanted to grab their attention and want them to get to know me,” Maloy said. “Some of the students don’t even know me, and I wanted them to feel comfortable.”
Although she’s used to being in front of children, Maloy said she was nervous about posting the video.
“I’ve always wanted to do this, but it was something I never did,” she said. “But, then I wrote the lyrics and recorded it.”
Maloy said she practiced for over a month and attempted to record the video 12 times.
She said she never thought her video would receive so much traction.
“It’s being aired on Channel 3 news tonight,” Maloy said. “I wanted to put it on Facebook before I showed my students, but it blew up and I had to share it with them early.”
A benefit of the feedback from the video includes Maloy incorporating music into academics.
“I’m actually working on lyrics about one of our first lessons, story elements to the song ‘Savage’ [by Megan Thee Stallion],” she said.
Maloy said she is excited to incorporate popular music into the classroom and give students a fun and new way to learn and bond.
“I’m just doing what I love, and doing it for the kids,” she said. “I feel like my attitude affects theirs, and so I want to keep being my happy, peppy self.”