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Gontjes estimated it took her sixth-graders about 15 minutes to come up with the final, collaborative song “on the fly,” part of a warm-up exercise.

“I just said one day, ‘OK, we're gonna work together and we're gonna make a brain-rot version of it,’” Gontjes recalled. “And they thought it was just the coolest thing ever because an adult who's not using this slang all the time is encouraging it rather than banning it.”

The students weren’t the only ones who received the song well. 

Gontjes’ video has since received nearly 4,000 comments, many with positive reactions. 

“Oh no…. It’s in my head forever now 😳 “6-7, 6-7, 6-7, Skibidi. Ohio, a big back Ohio. Alpha, Sigma, Rizzler. Go back to Ohio! SLAY!” 😂😂😂” commented one TikToker.

Another added, “ok they ate that 😭😭.”

As a choir teacher, Gontjes said she regularly encourages children to try different things in the classroom, and even if it doesn’t seem like it at first, it has proven to be a successful teaching strategy.

\"PHOTO:
Taryn Gontjes
PHOTO: Taryn Gontjes’s classroom at Cityside Middle School in Zeeland, Michigan.
>

“I can still teach something but just [use] a silly song like that as a vehicle, and then later on, when we're working on our actual music, I can say, ‘OK, we learned how to do a tall vowel shape in that warm-up so now let's take it and apply it to this,’” Gontjes explained. “It's silly and it's fun, but at the same time, it's really educational and we learn a lot as we're doing those silly things, too.”

Gontjes said since sharing her video and other similar ones on TikTok, she has been heartened to hear from other teachers and schools who’ve been inspired by what she’s doing in the classroom.

\"PHOTO:
Taryn Gontjes
PHOTO: Taryn Gontjes is a choir director at Cityside Middle School in Zeeland, Michigan.
>

“We create things every day and it's a really treasured part of our class period,” Gontjes said. 

“I want people to know that being a part of music is such a good thing for kids,” the longtime teacher added. “Music is important, but being able to spend time with them and build relationships with them and walk alongside them as people is also really important.”

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