Carter in the classroom

Karaoke in the Classroom Helps Students Master Statistics

Whether it's statistics, history, or chemistry, there are some classes out there with plenty of memorizing. They can be hard for students to embrace unless you have a math teacher who also loves music.

Statistic teacher Mary McLellan never forgets watching one of her students struggle.

"I remember seeing her say to her friend, 'How can I remember all this stuff?'" McLellan said. "“I've grown up with music so naturally I went with that."

She majored in both math and music and if Schoolhouse Rock works in elementary school maybe she could try something similar.

So, she married things like the correlation coefficient formula with the tune of Vanilla Ice’s "Ice Ice Baby."

Students Tristyn Fambrough and Autumn Young remember the beginning of the year when McLellan first broke into song.

"Ok I was expecting it, I knew it was happening and I said sign me up for that class," Autumn said.

"I had no idea, but I loved it. I was a little surprised, but I was like I love this teacher," Tristyn said.

Both girls embraced the music saying it’s been a huge help for them in remembering all the rules in statistics.

"You read a question and it's like the y intercept and your head automatically goes (to the song)."

"When the kids get that, then I'm able to get to the in-depth material so much faster, when I can speak the language and they get that," McLellan said.

The students will tell you sometimes you hear the statistics versions of the songs and you forget the actual words.

McLellan teaches an AP stats class and says her students do very well on their AP exams but she says the benefits of the music on a day to day basis, and whenever her students make a common mistake she knows she has to head home and come up with a song to help them through it.

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