Teach the Beat!

Bringing the distinctive D.C. sound of go-go into the classroom.

Teaching for Change is honored to work with D.C.  area schools and the authors of The Beat! Go-Go Music from Washington, D.C. to develop lessons and share teaching ideas for infusing the history and music of go-go in middle and high school social studies, language arts, math, music, and/or D.C. history classes, and to bring renowned go-go performers into D.C. classrooms.

"Go-go has stayed true to time-honored cultural scripts such as live call-and-response, live instrumentation, as well as its locally rooted fashions, slang, dance, distribution and economic systems. Simply put: Go-Go never sold out. There is a grit and texture to the music that gives voice to the communities where it was created." –Natalie Hopkinson

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Oct 12: Sweet Cherie Mitchell at Center City PCS Shaw

Chuck Brown’s influence on D.C. area history and culture cannot be overstated, and it was something that was celebrated during this class visit! Sweet Cherie Mitchell, donning a t-shirt defining what go-go is, led Ms. Grandison’s 1st graders in their learning about the basics of go-go music. In an organic learning moment, art teacher Mr. Jones backed up Mitchell with his own celebration of Chuck Brown with a freehand drawing on the white board while Mitchell played Brown’s iconic song “Bustin’ Loose.” 

Ms. Grandison reflected:

[This class visit] was a rich, memorable experience. Mrs. Mitchell is a gem 💎! 

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Image credits: Thomas Sayers Ellis

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