Real Rap with Reynolds

I want to share with you one of the greatest resources I’ve discovered this year. 

His name is CJ Reynolds, and he runs a YouTube channel all about teaching literature in Philadelphia. He’s even releasing a book in the next few months, and let me tell you, I am excited. 

Why is he special? 

It’s clear Reynolds has a passion, not just for teaching, but also for his students. Actually, maybe even more so for his students. Teaching teenage boys to understand Shakespeare is important to him, but it’s clear that his true desire is to affect the lives of his students in a positive way. He tries to make learning fun and applicable to his students, but he also does everything he can to learn about his students and to build relationships with them. He truly has a talent for building authentic relationships with his students, while balancing an insane about of classroom control with having tons of fun.

He’s been teaching for over 15 years, so all the advice he gives is practical. He doesn’t just talk about theories—he shared what really works in his classes. Even though I’m an ESL teacher, I find that the tips and experiences he shares perfectly fit my classroom as well. 

His Youtube name, Real Rap with Reynolds, reflects the type of content he makes. There’s no sugar-coating here. He’s honest about dealing with difficult students, falling behind schedule, and all the other crazy things that happen when teaching. In one of his more recent videos he said, “Don’t you feel like you’ve just been run over by a run sometimes?” 

Also, he doesn’t take work home, so the advice he gives about classroom management, homework, and assignments have been helping ease my workload as well. And who doesn’t want that? 

Each and every video I’ve watched of his is filled with useful, practical, and relatable information. If you watch just a few of his videos, I promise you’ll find some great information to use in your classes, and you definitely will walk away inspired to influence your students! 

Check out his YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRGA_FqyigEPmh5U37Yn7fA

Follow him on Instagram here: @realrapwithreynolds

You won’t regret it! 

All opinions expressed are my own. I receive no monetary benefit from sharing.