The Mixtape Volume 1: Culturally Sustaining Practices Within MTSS Featuring the Everlasting Mission of Student Engagement

SECTION I: Step Into a World

• PREFACE
• FOREWORD REWIND: BACK IN THE DAY
• FOREWORD FAST FORWARD: AIN’T NO FUTURE IN YOUR FRONTIN’
• THE PROLOGUE CYPHER: STEP INTO THE ARENA
• THERE ARE LEVELS TO THIS: HIP-HOP, MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT (MTSS), AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
• “IF I RULED THE WORLD”: IMAGINING CULTURALLY SUSTAINING PEDAGOGY IN EDUCATION 
• FOOTPRINTS: AN INTRODUCTIVE EXCURSION WITHIN HIP-HOP PEDAGOGY

SECTION II: ENTER THE 36 CHAMBERS

• VIGNETTE I SHALL PROCEED AND CONTINUE (TO ROCK THE MIC)
• THE MESSAGE: REMIXING HIP-HOP MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT
• VIGNETTE HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CHECK YOURSELF
• “YOU MUST LEARN”: REMIXING THE RHYTHM IN THE CLASSROOM
• “NOW TELL MY MAMA I BELONG IN THAT SLOW CLASS”: RECLAIMING THE GENIUS AND POST-SECONDARY OPTIONS OF BLACK STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
• VIGNETTE SETTING THE STAGE FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY WITHIN THE SCHOOL: THE STORY OF DR. WATSON
• THE HEALER: A MODEL FOR CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICES IN URBAN SCHOOLS 
• VIGNETTE “I WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED, ON MY BLOCK, WE HAVE ROYALTY IN OUR DNA”
• FLOWS, RIFFS, AND FREESTYLES: BLACK FEMINIST REIMAGINING OF MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT

SECTION III: TRILL EDUCATION

• TIER 1 “THE BLUEPRINT”: UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING AND STUDENT SUCCESS
• TIER 1 SHIFTING FROM SOLO ARTIST TO COLLABORATION: ESTABLISHING AN AUTHENTIC LEARNING COMMUNITY FOR CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE STUDENTS IDENTIFIED WITH EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR DISTURBANCE
• TIER 1 FIGHT THE POWER: THE IMPORTANCE OF RECIPROCAL FEEDBACK IN DISRUPTING INEQUITIES IN SCHOOL DISCIPLINE
• TIER 1 VIGNETTE: WHEN I MOVE YOU MOVE (JUST LIKE THAT)
• TIER 1 HOLLER BACK: USING HIP-HOP TO ACTIVATE ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM
• TIER 1 EXCUSE ME, LET ME CLEAR MY THROAT: THE ART OF CROWD INTERACTION THROUGH THE USE OF OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND
• TIER 2 ONE MIC: TEACHING READING LITERACY IN AN INCLUSIVE DIVERSE CLASSROOM
• TIER 2 POSSE UP: UTILIZING GROUP CONTINGENCIES TO ENCOURAGE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
• VIGNETTE LET THE RHYTHM TAKE YOU
• TIER 3 THERAPEUTIC DRUMMING FOR THE CLASSROOM: A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTING AN EXPRESSIVE ARTS ACTIVITY FOR IMPROVING CLASSROOM BEHAVIORS AND STUDENT SELF-REGULATION
• TIERS 1,2,3 BE WHAT I WANT TO BE: IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LESSONS TO INCREASE AGENCY AND SELF- ADVOCACY SKILLS
• VIGNETTE JOOKIN’ MATH STEPS
• TIERS 2,3 “1, 2, HERE’S WHAT WE GON’ DO”: CREATING CULTURALLY RELEVANT MATHEMATICS WORD PROBLEMS ACROSS THE MTSS SPECTRUM
• TIER 2,3 WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE CROSS ROAD: THE INTERSECTION OF BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS, CULTURALLY SUSTAINING PRACTICES, AND MTSS
• VIGNETTE PICTURE THIS

SECTION IV: A BIZARRE RIDE FROM THE FAR SIDE: THE RAP UP

• THE EPILOGUE CYPHER: WHAT’S THE SCENARIO
• ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
• SHOUTOUTS/ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• GLOSSARY
• RESOURCES

Dr. William Hunter is a Professor of Special Education at the University of Memphis. Prior to working in higher education, Dr. Hunter worked as an administrator, special education teacher, and children’s mental health intervention specialist in several school districts in Ohio and Kentucky. His research interests include classroom management strategies, evidenced-based instructional practices in inclusive and self-contained classrooms, positive behavior supports, and culturally responsive teaching.

Dr. Jonte’ C. Taylor (JT) is an Associate Professor at Pennsylvania State University whose research includes promoting positive classroom and schoolwide environments for students, parents, and teachers and STEAM education for students with disabilities. Prior to his university work, Dr. Taylor taught in a variety of settings with diverse student populations including students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Emotional and Behavioral support needs along with students in alternative placement settings, group homes, and in classrooms from preschool to post-secondary.

Dr. LaRon A. Scott is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Diversity Equity and Inclusion for the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development. His research focuses on the intersections of race and gender in attracting, preparing, and retaining special education teachers. His research also focuses on postsecondary transition success of youth with IDD. He has published over 45 peer-reviewed journal articles and his work has been funded in excess of $6 million. He is co-editor of Inclusion, a peer-reviewed journal that focuses on evidence-based interventions and strategies that promote the full inclusion of people with IDD.