A University of Delaware professor has been given a $50,000 grant from the National Academy of Education to fund research at developing ways to use hip-hop as an educational resource. Shuaib Meacham, an assistant professor of education, said that many middle and high school students are surprised to discover that hip-hop and poetry have plenty in common.
“Look at those writers. You will see a lot of literary techniques, strong discipline and craft. And you will see allusions to literary works all the time,” Meacham said.
Meacham, who lists Mos Def as one of his favorite emcees, was one of 36 educators chosen (from 200 nominees) for the NAE’s Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship, which supports “outstanding early career scholars researching important questions about education,” according to the University of Delaware.
