SEGUIN, Texas – What did you do over Spring Break? Some Seguin teachers spent their time off learning dance moves to star in a music video.
The video was the idea of Rodriguez Elementary School music teacher, Joseph Cantu, who wanted to create something to motivate students ahead of next week’s STAAR testing.
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Related: What is the STAAR test: Click here for information.
“We came up with the idea around mid-February. I collaborated with two of our first grade teachers, Kim Erlanson and Debora Rideaux, on the concept of the video. We sorted through a list of songs we wanted to parody until we decided on Justin Timberlake's ‘Can't Stop the Feeling.’ We wanted to use a song that our students already knew and could sing along to,” Cantu said.
Cantu said he spent two weeks coming up with new lyrics for the song, called “Can’t Stop the Testing.”
He then assigned parts to various faculty members, who practiced their parts on their own.
They also came up with their own costumes, props and the concepts for their respective roles, according to Cantu.
The finished video, which was edited by Cantu’s wife, Cynthia, who is a nurse at SAAMC, will have you smiling. (I mean, who wouldn’t want to see their teacher doing the running man?) The teachers perform their best moves throughout the school – even on top of furniture in the library – something their students would definitely not be allowed to imitate.
Now those dance moves will live forever on YouTube. The end goal: to motivate kids to do well on the state-mandated assessment tests.
So what do their students think of the video? They watched it during a STAAR test pep rally on Friday and they loved it as they do "anytime the teachers can make fun of themselves (and) make the kids laugh," Cantu said.
“We are just a group of teachers that love our students and want them to succeed (and) help to get other students pumped up and excited for the upcoming testing,” fourth-grade teacher Carlie Tucker said. “We know each and every student can pass the STAAR!”
Great way to start the morning! We are at the Rodriguez Elementary STAAR Pep Rally!
Posted by Seguin ISD - Home of the Matadors on Friday, March 24, 2017
Here's our STAAR Test music video! It was so much fun to make. Thank you Kimberly, Debora, Jackie, Cassie, Norma,...
Posted by Joseph Cantu on Friday, March 24, 2017
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