Victor Taylor Perry, an English language arts teacher at KIPP AMP Middle School, effectively engages his students using professional wrestling as a teaching tool. During lunchtime gatherings, students passionately discuss wrestling storylines, characters, and the drama inherent in the matches. Perry connects with his students through this 'athletic theater,' encouraging them to analyze narratives while creating a sense of community among the predominantly Black student body. His approach highlights the importance of connecting personal interests to educational outcomes.
When the match concluded with Hayes emerging victorious, the students offered a rousing ovation before Perry raised the lights and grabbed his students' attention with two loud claps.
Perry calls pro wrestling his version of a soap opera. He has found ways to connect with his students through this form of athletic theater, an ongoing series of storylines and characters that appeal to the various emotions of the viewer.
The Wrestling Club has become a burgeoning community at the predominantly Black school in Brooklyn for ELA students interested in professional wrestling to gather, grow and broaden their horizons.
It's a cheat skill that I have as a teacher. You give them something they are interested in and get them hooked so they can learn from it.
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