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Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
It’s Only Ever about the StudentsIn today’s educational climate of budget shortages, rigid testing standards, and diminishing autonomy in the classroom, how can teachers bring creativity and passion back into their work? Teach Your Class Off offers educators struggling with these issues and feeling burnt out a way to hit the reset button and reconnect with what energizes them about teaching.
CJ REYNOLDS, well-known to the 45,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, Real Rap with Reynolds, breaks down his methods for learning to teach outside your comfort zone, bringing real-world experiences into your students’ lives, using DJ skills to manage the classroom, and finding a way to make magic in your class despite diminishing resources. The refreshing honesty of Reynolds’s perspective coupled with his infectious optimism make this a great go-to for any teacher looking for much-needed inspiration.
Teach Your Class Off is spoken truth meets slam poetry meets education. Just like Reynolds, this book is real, authentic, and relevant. I couldn’t put it down! —HAMISH BREWER, AUTHOR OF RELENTLESS
Teach Your Class Off is like no other book you’ve ever read, and I guarantee you’re going to learn new strategies, laugh, and probably even cry at some of the stories. Ten thumbs up! —ADAM WELCOME, EDUCATOR, AUTHOR, SPEAKER, CONSULTANT
There are two types of those who simply transmit information and those who facilitate transformation. CJ Reynolds is the latter. He understands the importance of reaching the mind through the heart. —DR. DHARIUS DANIELS, AUTHOR OF RELATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, LEAD PASTOR, CHANGE CHURCH
CJ REYNOLDS, well-known to the 45,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, Real Rap with Reynolds, breaks down his methods for learning to teach outside your comfort zone, bringing real-world experiences into your students’ lives, using DJ skills to manage the classroom, and finding a way to make magic in your class despite diminishing resources. The refreshing honesty of Reynolds’s perspective coupled with his infectious optimism make this a great go-to for any teacher looking for much-needed inspiration.
Teach Your Class Off is spoken truth meets slam poetry meets education. Just like Reynolds, this book is real, authentic, and relevant. I couldn’t put it down! —HAMISH BREWER, AUTHOR OF RELENTLESS
Teach Your Class Off is like no other book you’ve ever read, and I guarantee you’re going to learn new strategies, laugh, and probably even cry at some of the stories. Ten thumbs up! —ADAM WELCOME, EDUCATOR, AUTHOR, SPEAKER, CONSULTANT
There are two types of those who simply transmit information and those who facilitate transformation. CJ Reynolds is the latter. He understands the importance of reaching the mind through the heart. —DR. DHARIUS DANIELS, AUTHOR OF RELATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, LEAD PASTOR, CHANGE CHURCH
214 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 17, 2020
71 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
May 3, 2021
I read this book because I love CJ Reynold's Youtube channel and I respect him as an educator. He is all about building relationships with students. He views teaching as a mission field, not to fix students or anything but just to give them love. He invests in them deeply in a way that is intensely inspiring. He is such a fun, goofy guy, and this tone comes across in his writing. He also offers some practical advice, but the book is much more focused on inspiration rather than practicality. Honestly, though I'd say you're better off to watch his Youtube videos. He offers pretty much the same ideas on his channel as he does in his book, so there weren't too many new concepts for me. And the book called for a lot more teacher martyrdom than I'm comfortable with. In order to mimic his methods, you would have to put 12 hour days and rarely sleep (he openly admits to this), which is just not sustainable for teachers. Many of us just don't have that kind of boundless energy. Definitely worth reading but don't beat yourself up if you can't be CJ. He's one of a kind.
June 9, 2020
This is the book every educator and administrator needs to read.
I’m 28 years old, have a master’s in English (emphasis in literature), and have been teaching for 5 years.
This is the book I wish had existed when I started teaching. But I’m so glad it exists now. I teach in a tiny district; to be clear, I AM the entire high school English department. It’s an extremely diverse school and one in which the majority of students do not come from ‘good’ or stable homes, which means the relationships they build at school mean even more. My students (my kids) are everything to me. And I’ve worked hard to develop those relationships. Yes, I teach my content, but that’s just a small part of it. I’ve had those difficult conversations about life at home, sexual assault, suicidal thoughts, etc. I was called Mom the first time when I was 23–and my student was 17. That first year was so crucial in building those bonds—my kids told me they were used to being left behind so why get attached? But I persisted, I was there.
And once they realized that and saw me at their games, helping with theatre productions, and more, they decided I was okay. And boy did they win my heart.
All this to say, Reynolds has written a book that I wish had been on the curriculum at university. And it’s a book that I’ll be recommending to the new teachers (interviewed some today!) and the veteran teachers in my district. Because it reinforces an idea that I’ve always held firm: relationships are king (or queen—come on, some of the greatest monarchs in history have been women 😉).
I run an eclectic or unconventional classroom that many have scoffed at. BUT I get results—little behavioral problems, kids working their butts off, and most importantly, kids who trust me and don’t hate being at school.
Thanks Reynolds for writing this book. It’s so good to see these ideas and practices in print. 🙏🏻 #TeachYourClassOff
I’m 28 years old, have a master’s in English (emphasis in literature), and have been teaching for 5 years.
This is the book I wish had existed when I started teaching. But I’m so glad it exists now. I teach in a tiny district; to be clear, I AM the entire high school English department. It’s an extremely diverse school and one in which the majority of students do not come from ‘good’ or stable homes, which means the relationships they build at school mean even more. My students (my kids) are everything to me. And I’ve worked hard to develop those relationships. Yes, I teach my content, but that’s just a small part of it. I’ve had those difficult conversations about life at home, sexual assault, suicidal thoughts, etc. I was called Mom the first time when I was 23–and my student was 17. That first year was so crucial in building those bonds—my kids told me they were used to being left behind so why get attached? But I persisted, I was there.
And once they realized that and saw me at their games, helping with theatre productions, and more, they decided I was okay. And boy did they win my heart.
All this to say, Reynolds has written a book that I wish had been on the curriculum at university. And it’s a book that I’ll be recommending to the new teachers (interviewed some today!) and the veteran teachers in my district. Because it reinforces an idea that I’ve always held firm: relationships are king (or queen—come on, some of the greatest monarchs in history have been women 😉).
I run an eclectic or unconventional classroom that many have scoffed at. BUT I get results—little behavioral problems, kids working their butts off, and most importantly, kids who trust me and don’t hate being at school.
Thanks Reynolds for writing this book. It’s so good to see these ideas and practices in print. 🙏🏻 #TeachYourClassOff
May 12, 2020
This book is amazing and super encouraging to me as a future educator! It showed me the value of putting relationships with students first and challenged me to take risks for the benefit of my future students.
Reynold’s stories made me laugh and showed me what is possible in the classroom. At the same time, Reynolds is real about the challenges of teaching and tells what worked for him.
This book has made me even more excited to be a teacher.
Major takeaways:
Be yourself (on level 11) in your classroom.
Your weaknesses (and your quirks) can be your superpowers in the classroom.
Be real and vulnerable with students—listen to them.
Communicate that you care through actions and words.
Take learning outside of the classroom.
Look for ways to bring magic into the day.
Learn about what students are interested and work it into lessons.
And so much more!
For any future teacher, I would 10/10 recommend this book.
Reynold’s stories made me laugh and showed me what is possible in the classroom. At the same time, Reynolds is real about the challenges of teaching and tells what worked for him.
This book has made me even more excited to be a teacher.
Major takeaways:
Be yourself (on level 11) in your classroom.
Your weaknesses (and your quirks) can be your superpowers in the classroom.
Be real and vulnerable with students—listen to them.
Communicate that you care through actions and words.
Take learning outside of the classroom.
Look for ways to bring magic into the day.
Learn about what students are interested and work it into lessons.
And so much more!
For any future teacher, I would 10/10 recommend this book.
July 8, 2020
I'm going into my 5th year teaching, and it's great to read what Reynolds has to say about school culture, class culture, and teacher culture. Real rap: I highly recommend this to my teacher friends and anyone who is thinking about becoming a teacher.
April 10, 2021
“Education was always only ever about the Kids”
As both an aspiring Teacher and a fan of CJ Reynold’s YouTube Channel for some time, I’m so happy that “Teach Your Class Off” was the first book on teaching I decided to read.
“Teach Your Class Off” is certainly not an instruction manual, and Reynolds is sure to remind his readers early on that there are no universal solutions in teaching. Instead the book focuses on showing us, as educators, that sometimes your greatest strength in the classroom is being yourself. The book is full of both sobering and inspiring stories from Reynolds’ own life as a teacher, and contains information on some of the incredible ways he breaks up the monotony of the school day for his students. My favourite chapter, “A Letter to a Young Teacher”, is exactly what I needed to read right now, and having finished the book just a couple of days before I head back to school again, I feel reinvigorated to make my school a better place for staff and students alike.
Reynolds’ core message is that good working relationships between teachers and their students is paramount to any classroom, and through my limited experience as a classroom assistant, I wholeheartedly agree with him.
This isn’t a book about education theory, nor a book that contains an exhaustive list of strategies you can use in your classroom.
This is a book that will remind you why you chose to become a teacher in the first place.
As both an aspiring Teacher and a fan of CJ Reynold’s YouTube Channel for some time, I’m so happy that “Teach Your Class Off” was the first book on teaching I decided to read.
“Teach Your Class Off” is certainly not an instruction manual, and Reynolds is sure to remind his readers early on that there are no universal solutions in teaching. Instead the book focuses on showing us, as educators, that sometimes your greatest strength in the classroom is being yourself. The book is full of both sobering and inspiring stories from Reynolds’ own life as a teacher, and contains information on some of the incredible ways he breaks up the monotony of the school day for his students. My favourite chapter, “A Letter to a Young Teacher”, is exactly what I needed to read right now, and having finished the book just a couple of days before I head back to school again, I feel reinvigorated to make my school a better place for staff and students alike.
Reynolds’ core message is that good working relationships between teachers and their students is paramount to any classroom, and through my limited experience as a classroom assistant, I wholeheartedly agree with him.
This isn’t a book about education theory, nor a book that contains an exhaustive list of strategies you can use in your classroom.
This is a book that will remind you why you chose to become a teacher in the first place.
July 30, 2022
A must-read for anyone in the field of education or associated with that field in any way! I could not put it down, and am looking forward to being able to share and apply what I am learning from this volume! Reynolds is as encouraging in his work as he is challenging. I can't wait to get back into the classroom in a couple of weeks.
April 26, 2020
This is a great read for anyone working in education, teacher, admin, counseling, whatever. If you work with students this is a must read. I've been a fan of Reynolds for over a year and have incorporated so much of his personal philosophies into my own teaching philosophy and views on education. And while he and I couldn't be much more different, this book speaks universal truths.
Reynolds teaches at an all-boys inner-city school in West Philly, full of kids from the projects and the streets, minorities nearly all of them. His biggest barriers to his students include things like racism, poverty, and horrendous family situations. I teach at a suburban school full of middle and upper-middle class white kids, mostly of a conservative, religious culture, and over-involved parents. Reynolds is a veteran of 15 years and I have only been in the game a short while. However, there was so much that I can apply into my own teaching experience that I find this book invaluable. One of the things I learned from this book was that the students I teach are no less deserving of a 5-star education or a loving teacher than the kids from Philly. My students don't face the same threats of gang violence or racial profiling, but they suffer from horrible family situations. My students are from an area of the country with one of the highest teen suicide rates in the country! Reynolds give practical advice for building relationships with your students and learning that education is only ever about the students. With these two truths, there isn't a teacher this book DOESN'T apply to.
Its a fast and entertaining read. I read it in one weekend and throughly enjoyed myself. I'm sending copies to many teacher friends because I want to build a community of like-minded teachers that share these same philosophies. Thanks for writing the book, Reynolds!
Reynolds teaches at an all-boys inner-city school in West Philly, full of kids from the projects and the streets, minorities nearly all of them. His biggest barriers to his students include things like racism, poverty, and horrendous family situations. I teach at a suburban school full of middle and upper-middle class white kids, mostly of a conservative, religious culture, and over-involved parents. Reynolds is a veteran of 15 years and I have only been in the game a short while. However, there was so much that I can apply into my own teaching experience that I find this book invaluable. One of the things I learned from this book was that the students I teach are no less deserving of a 5-star education or a loving teacher than the kids from Philly. My students don't face the same threats of gang violence or racial profiling, but they suffer from horrible family situations. My students are from an area of the country with one of the highest teen suicide rates in the country! Reynolds give practical advice for building relationships with your students and learning that education is only ever about the students. With these two truths, there isn't a teacher this book DOESN'T apply to.
Its a fast and entertaining read. I read it in one weekend and throughly enjoyed myself. I'm sending copies to many teacher friends because I want to build a community of like-minded teachers that share these same philosophies. Thanks for writing the book, Reynolds!
May 9, 2020
This book celebrates that feeling teachers have when they want to create magic in their classrooms. It's something we might especially feel as new or aspiring teachers, but we need to hold onto it!
I've been following Mr Reynolds on YouTube for awhile now and always feel inspired by his passion and joy. In this book, he shares a lot of examples of students, projects, and class trips that I had not heard before in his videos. He gives tons of practical ideas for creating an amazing classroom culture, being happy (and avoiding toxicity) with other teachers, and even decorating your classroom on a budget by making something from nothing. I highlighted a TON of ideas that I liked, and I'll definitely keep this handy as a book of teaching and life advice!
What I appreciate most about Reynolds and this book is the creativity he brings to teaching. After years of teaching, he still seems to work hard to bring the magic to his students. I hope that I will love teaching this much in the years to come too! This book inspires me to believe in my crazy ideas that I think will inspire students, to try new things, to care about every single student, and to not be embarrassed at being truly excited to teach every day.
If you're looking for ideas and inspiration as a teacher, I highly recommend this one. :)
I've been following Mr Reynolds on YouTube for awhile now and always feel inspired by his passion and joy. In this book, he shares a lot of examples of students, projects, and class trips that I had not heard before in his videos. He gives tons of practical ideas for creating an amazing classroom culture, being happy (and avoiding toxicity) with other teachers, and even decorating your classroom on a budget by making something from nothing. I highlighted a TON of ideas that I liked, and I'll definitely keep this handy as a book of teaching and life advice!
What I appreciate most about Reynolds and this book is the creativity he brings to teaching. After years of teaching, he still seems to work hard to bring the magic to his students. I hope that I will love teaching this much in the years to come too! This book inspires me to believe in my crazy ideas that I think will inspire students, to try new things, to care about every single student, and to not be embarrassed at being truly excited to teach every day.
If you're looking for ideas and inspiration as a teacher, I highly recommend this one. :)
December 27, 2020
Teach through a lens kids care about...
With chapter titles like this why haven't you purchased this book already???
Reynolds is a hard-working, adaptable, HARD-WORKING, and like-able educator. I was his neighboring teacher for about 3 years and didn't know 2/3 of the things I found out in this book about him. His methods, his drive, his love, his unselfishness is all laid out in this book.
If you're teaching for the first time, thinking about getting into the profession, or have experience that runs circles around the average teacher, this book is for YOU! I recommend you read it because you'll definitely learn something you didn't know before.
With chapter titles like this why haven't you purchased this book already???
Reynolds is a hard-working, adaptable, HARD-WORKING, and like-able educator. I was his neighboring teacher for about 3 years and didn't know 2/3 of the things I found out in this book about him. His methods, his drive, his love, his unselfishness is all laid out in this book.
If you're teaching for the first time, thinking about getting into the profession, or have experience that runs circles around the average teacher, this book is for YOU! I recommend you read it because you'll definitely learn something you didn't know before.
July 17, 2020
A different take on the often written “How to Teach” book. Mr. Reynolds hammers home the idea that before curriculum, test scores, and every other distraction in the field of education comes the students. Relationships have been and always will be key to teaching kids with our lessons. Reynolds gives a few tips to help new and veteran teachers a way to reach out to all kids, not just the easy ones.
May 6, 2021
I like Reynolds and follow him on YT and Instagram. He has great ideas and is a dynamic teacher. This book has a lot of inspiring stories and outlandish ideas.
Honestly, I'm struggling with how to incorporate many of his ideas in a traditional and conservative school, but that's my limitation not the book's limitation.
But, I'm definitely getting a bubble wand microphone now. :)
Honestly, I'm struggling with how to incorporate many of his ideas in a traditional and conservative school, but that's my limitation not the book's limitation.
But, I'm definitely getting a bubble wand microphone now. :)
July 17, 2020
I feel like maybe I was expecting too much from this. He is Rafe Esquith’s number one fan, so just read Rafe’s books and call it a day. Make school fun, connect with kids, etc etc. Got it.
January 6, 2023
Great literature for a teacher of middle and high school students to get inspired and believe in yourself as a teacher.
July 10, 2022
Must read for teachers. <3
June 27, 2022
Teach Your Class Off is a must read for any educator. It guided me through my first teaching experience by sharing advice on how to build relationships with students and how to teach through a lens teens care about. The author, CJ Reynolds, is a veteran teacher at once passionate and humble. I already knew about him from his YouTube channel, Real Rap with Reynolds, and was excited to read his book.
With honesty and optimism, his stories make you laugh, cry, and feel motivated. On days when I feel drained, I pick up his book to remind myself that education is only always about the kids and that teaching is a communal activity. Reynolds is the teacher I wish I had growing up, and he inspires me to be that for my own students.
N.B. Much of the advice in this book is the same as on YouTube, though I do encourage getting a copy of the book to have the info all in one place to serve as a handbook.
With honesty and optimism, his stories make you laugh, cry, and feel motivated. On days when I feel drained, I pick up his book to remind myself that education is only always about the kids and that teaching is a communal activity. Reynolds is the teacher I wish I had growing up, and he inspires me to be that for my own students.
N.B. Much of the advice in this book is the same as on YouTube, though I do encourage getting a copy of the book to have the info all in one place to serve as a handbook.
July 16, 2020
I've always been a fan of CJ Reynolds, and am a long-time subscriber of his YouTube channel. This book is incredibly inspiring; everything he says is a reminder of why I became a teacher in the first place. The students are SO important and should be at the forefront of all we as teachers do. CJ is the type of teacher I want to - and strive to - be. My favorite quote: Remember to remind your kids every day that you care about them. That they are perfect just the way they are. That they are enough, and that no matter what they've been told by the world, they belong everywhere. I highly recommend this book to all teachers out there who maybe just need a reminder of why we do this very difficult (especially now) job. We all need to go out this year, whether that's virtually or in-person, and Teach Our Class Off.
May 3, 2020
I was nnnnnnnot expecting to read a teaching book during this time away from the physical school building... But then this book was released. I've followed Reynolds on Instagram for a while, and I get a kick out of his big personality. That personality shines through in this book - it's really clear that he creates magical experiences for his students, and this book makes it seem possible for you to do the same (or at least start taking steps to get there). As humans, we need to be reminded more than we need to be taught, and this book was the reminder I needed right now in our world and in my career.
July 27, 2020
Where do I even start? I never thought that a book about education would make me smile, laugh, cry, and simply nod my head in affirmation as much as this one did! There were so many parts that stuck out to me that I have underlined and highlighted so that I can read them again in the future. In particular, the letter to new teachers at the back of the book was exactly what I needed to hear after my first year of teaching. CJ, thank you for the words of wisdom! I’m inspired by your authenticity and passion for educating and caring for kids. This book is full of great advice and is something that I will hold dear to my heart.
January 6, 2021
I have been a fan of CJ Reynolds since my early days of teacher training, believing that my own teaching style and personal pedagogy aligns with his in many ways, evident through his presence on YouTube and in his weekly podcast episodes. When CJ announced he was publishing a book, I was ecstatic.
This book lives up to the hype I gave it. Through story-telling and anecdotes, CJ offers a glimpse into his beliefs of teaching. This book isn’t a “how to be a better teacher book;” rather, it is a “you are called to be a great teacher, so be it” book. I highly recommend this book to any teacher, pre-service or currently teaching.
This book lives up to the hype I gave it. Through story-telling and anecdotes, CJ offers a glimpse into his beliefs of teaching. This book isn’t a “how to be a better teacher book;” rather, it is a “you are called to be a great teacher, so be it” book. I highly recommend this book to any teacher, pre-service or currently teaching.
November 8, 2022
I am currently reading this book and it is life-changing!! First off, I am a huge fan of CJ Reynolds and his style of teaching. When I began my teaching career, I looked to his videos and philosophies for much of my own inspiration. This book is no different. Every page, every sentence resonates so strongly with me as an educator of an inner city charter school and his style of writing matches his "real rap" approach to teaching so well! His stories and advice feel approachable, as they are not filled with the mumbo-jumbo theoretical talk; it's exactly as advertised: "real rap." If you're trying to find your voice as an educator, look no further. This is the book for you. Real rap.
July 30, 2023
I love CJ Reynolds, I've been following him on YouTube for the longest time, and reading this book was just like listening to his voice: passionate, direct, full of ideas & stories. The only missing piece to this great book is some more information about how to apply the concepts & values that Mr Reynolds lives by. I know that his YouTube channel is full of practical ideas already, but I would have loved to read more in his book.
May 4, 2020
Read this, read this, read this if you are a teacher. Reynolds doesn't have 100% fairytale solutions--he is honest to admit when his endeavours fail to connect with every student--but I can't remember the last time I read such a valuable teaching resource. Better than all my PD days rolled into one!
September 4, 2020
I absolutely loved this book.
CJ has such a wonderful and refreshing approach to teaching and I find him so inspirational. His book is filled with stories of how he thinks outside the box and how this way of thinking helped him to support and influence his students in a positive way.
I can see me referring to this time and time again once I'm teaching. I highly recommend it.
CJ has such a wonderful and refreshing approach to teaching and I find him so inspirational. His book is filled with stories of how he thinks outside the box and how this way of thinking helped him to support and influence his students in a positive way.
I can see me referring to this time and time again once I'm teaching. I highly recommend it.
September 8, 2020
Outstanding!
I think the best thing about this book is the unbridled enthusiasm of the author. CJ Reynolds is a man who LOVES teaching! Teaching is harder than ever before, being in the midst of a global pandemic and all, but this book will make you rediscover the sheer joy of teaching and changing lives. Go read it right now!
I think the best thing about this book is the unbridled enthusiasm of the author. CJ Reynolds is a man who LOVES teaching! Teaching is harder than ever before, being in the midst of a global pandemic and all, but this book will make you rediscover the sheer joy of teaching and changing lives. Go read it right now!
March 10, 2021
CJ: A dude with a heart bigger than this world
I recommend this book to ALL teachers. I LOVE all of Reynold's work and this book is full of motivational words that inspire the magic all of us harbor deep within us. I can't wait for next school year (I will be sure to milk the time with my baby until then, though!)
I recommend this book to ALL teachers. I LOVE all of Reynold's work and this book is full of motivational words that inspire the magic all of us harbor deep within us. I can't wait for next school year (I will be sure to milk the time with my baby until then, though!)
April 27, 2021
I started off my mornings before my students came to my classroom by reading a chapter of this book. Best decision I've ever made. The week that it took me to read this book has been one of my most productive in my teaching career. I highly recommend for any teacher who's tired of reading the general self-help books and wants to genuinely make a difference in their students' lives.
July 27, 2022
Hmmmm…what to rate this book? While I certainly admire CJ and his obvious care for students, this book was not practically helpful in the way I was hoping. There were several interesting stories and anecdotes but altogether too many quotes. I would recommend it to teachers just beginning in the profession. Sometimes, it felt like an oversimplification and overall idealistic view of teaching.
April 27, 2020
Reynolds is not promising a revolution here; that's why his book is so effective. As he notes, there is no one size fits all approach to teaching, yet his creative perspective will invigorate new and veteran teachers alike. Now I need to get to the dollar store to buy some bubbles.
November 7, 2020
Well written book about many things not discussed in education and very positive. A great read for anyone thinking about being in education, new, or taught for a long time. I have taught for 23 years and still had many takeaways from this book.
December 26, 2020
CJ has a lot of charisma that can really benefit a new teacher or teacher trying to get the swing of things. This book really goes for a deep exploration to the why you want to teach and how to be the teacher you always wanted to be.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews