In this week's episode, I welcomed hip-hop educator Vernon Thompson Jr. to the podcast to share his personal journey in education, the making of "The Joe Clark Tape", the emergence of hip-hop pedagogy in education, and so much more! To learn more about Vernon's work, you can follow him on Instagram & Twitter (@vernonsthompson). You can also purchase "The Joe Clark Tape" right now on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Joe-Clark-Tape-Explicit/dp/B08V53DZ77) and Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-joe-clark-tape/1550842836).
BIO: Vernon Thompson graduated from Quinnipiac University with a BA in Marketing. He was the school’s first Division 1 walk-on to receive a scholarship. He also served as the Assistant Basketball Coach at Albertus Magnus College leading the school to its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. He received his Masters in Special Education with a concentration in Learning Disabilities from Southern Connecticut State University. He completed his 092 Educational Administrators certification at the University of Bridgeport. He has taught in the Bridgeport Public school district for 14 years. In the 2018-2019 school year he served as Assistant Principal at Hartford Public High School, he is currently the Assistant Principal at Warren Harding High School. As a teacher he utilized community organizing and community relationships to advocate for Bassick students and families. He has made himself known as a Hip Hop Educator, utilizing Hip Hop Visual Arts to send positive messages to the urban community. His videos have received over 120,000 views. His most recent project titled "The Joe Clark Tape" has received nearly 10,000 streams in the last two months.
