Teaching Video

Teachers, Try This: Beyoncé's ‘Mute Challenge’ to Get Students’ Attention

By Sam Mallon — January 4, 2024 2:22
FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2016 file photo, Beyonce performs at a Get Out the Vote concert for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland. Jay-Z is on top of the music world this weekend as the leading Grammy nominee. So it was fitting that he held his annual Roc Nation brunch, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, on the top of New York City's World Trade Center. And even though Beyonce made an even later entrance by minutes, she was still queen of the party. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

“Look around, everybody on mute.”

It’s a line Beyoncé uses during her performance of “Energy” to get the crowd to go silent, and it’s one teachers have started incorporating into their classroom management practices.

Here, one teacher shows how she uses the phrase in her class, and talks about the benefits of incorporating pop culture into the classroom to improve student engagement.

Sam Mallon is a video producer for Education Week.

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