A special-education teacher at the Academy of Applied Mathematics and Technology decided to help her students remember her lessons through song.

“I had a lot of issues with the students remembering some of the techniques and strategies I was teaching,” says Diann Pena. “So I said guys, drop a beat and I'm just going to freestyle of what I want you to remember. And the kids loved it.”

Her classes create original compositions that correspond with their lessons so the students have a catchy way to get key points stuck in their heads.

Some of their songs are geared to help them with state tests in English and language arts, and they’re planning to compose songs for science and math as well.