Education Revolution: Talking Beats, Syntax & Personal Growth with the Legendary Teacher, Poet & Grammar Rapper Sensation, MC Grammar!

Get ready to meet the man who's making grammar come alive, one rap at a time! Our guest for today is the dynamic Jacob Mitchell, better known as MC Grammar. Once a primary school teacher, he's now an international sensation, revolutionizing the way grammar is taught with his rap-based curriculum. MC Grammar is not just about mixing beats with syntax; he's about creating a learning environment that's engaging and unforgettable. His approach is so effective it's propelled his students among the top 50 schools in the country.

You can also Watch/Listen to MC Grammar's episode here: https://vimeo.com/chrisgrimes/mcgrammar

Jacob is not just a teacher, but a man shaped by life's ups and downs. He opens up about his failings in school, the teachers who served as his beacon, and the strong women in his life who served as his rock. Parenthood, he admits, has made him a selfless educator. Beyond grammar, Jacob talks about his love for Arsenal Football Club, his ambitions, and his new foray into the world of animation with his TV Series, Rap Tales. 

Our conversation takes a deep dive into more than just grammar. Jacob imparts his wisdom about the impact of pressure on performance, the power of being true to oneself, and the importance of embracing one's uniqueness. He signs off by giving us a sneak peek into his upcoming product launch, the Cinnamon Bun, and a preview of his Gruffalo rap. This episode with MC Grammar is more than just a discussion about education; it's a reminder that learning can be quirky, fun, and uniquely tailored to each individual. Join us for an episode that's as enlightening as it is entertaining. This is a conversation you don't want to miss out on!

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

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Thanks for listening!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Here we go. Welcome to another episode of the Good Listening To Show your life and times with me, chris Grimes, the storytelling show that features the clearing, where all good questions come to get asked and all good stories come to be told, and where all my guests have two things in common they're all creative individuals and all with an interesting story to tell. There are some lovely storytelling metaphors a clearing, a tree, a juicy storytelling exercise called 5-4-3-2-1, some alchemy, some gold, a cheeky bit of Shakespeare and a cake. So it's all to play for. So, yes, welcome to the Good Listening To Show your life and times with me, chris Grimes, are you sitting comfortably here? Then we shall begin.

Speaker 1: 0:54

Hurrah, a count of four, so I don't have to edit afterwards again. I'm on fire. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a very special episode of the Good Listening To Show. I'm delighted to welcome to the clearing MC Grammer, aka Jacob Mitchell, aka MC Grammer, who was recommended by none other than Michael Rosen, national Treasure, who'd had a meeting with Jacob MC Grammer that very day that I spoke to Michael. But, mc Grammer, I'm really, really excited to have you here. I've loved researching you.

Speaker 2: 1:26

Welcome to the show Thanks for having me, chris, and thank you, michael as well. What honour it is to be recommended by a legend such as Michael Rosen.

Speaker 1: 1:34

And you are a legend yourself. I think of you as being like a primary school rock star, but actually it's actually more specifically rap the coolest teacher in the school. I hope you won't mind this, but I thought of you as being the coolest geezer in the school, the algae of the library, which is probably not what you want to be associated with, but you just have the most spangly MC Grammer garb when you're weaving your magic and it's just wonderful. You support 500 schools across 12 countries. Please tell us how it all got going. I know it's circa 2019 when something you did that you've said you're going to do for us today went viral, so please do tell us how it all began for you For sure, I mean.

Speaker 2: 2:16

Well, it's been an amazing journey, a wonderful story itself. I started off as a primary school teacher in school in year six, five, four, three, two, one. The only year I've not taught is reception, and I loved every moment as a primary school teacher. It was the most fascinating time I actually can remember being at NQT and being given this class, thinking I can teach them the way I want to teach, and it was just the most wonderful opportunity to be given that freedom to express myself as an educator and teach them in a way that I thought would work for that audience. So I went to work in different ways in the classroom to make the learning engaging, memorable and exciting and to ensure they could not just remember this knowledge but also apply it. And, being a big fan of music, I started to make different songs to help with different subjects. So we had a song for maths, we had a song for science, a song for grammar, and there was a grammar test that came out in 2015 called the spag test. Should have a go, chris.

Speaker 2: 3:13

It's an interesting one to assess where you're at in life, because a lot of the stuff is big, big words, lots of terminology and I noticed initially the kids started struggling. And do you know what? I'll be honest with you, as a practitioner educator, I didn't learn that stuff when I was at school. I was part of the Labour government at the time and that was not taught in school at all. Knowing what subordinating injunction is, finding the subjunctive mood, understanding what adverbial phrases are we just wrote stories and texts and letters and journals. We didn't have to pick them apart. So essentially that's what the kids had to do. They had to find all of this complex vocabulary.

Speaker 1: 3:49

I love the fact it's called spag test. It sounds like it's sort of binge pasta eating competition, but it's not. It's not.

Speaker 2: 3:55

It's dance or spelling, punctuation and of course, the big one, grammar.

Speaker 1: 4:00

Which is where you come in.

Speaker 2: 4:01

yes, so 2015 had this class of year. Sixes showed them the test and looked at their faces and said right, we need to do something different here. So I went home that evening and I wrote something called the spag song. Literally, I took the whole syllabus, I looked at the objectives and I turned them into rhymes. Okay, came into school the next day and said right, I've made a lyric video, learn this, and then we'll break down what you learn and apply it so the kids could always have something to rely on. Yeah, so I had. Like, I'll speak about speech, and our speech should always start with a capital letter and a pair of speech marks, and when your speech is complete, you need to punctuate it and close it with your speech marks. There's no other way to make it. So all these little rhymes like that will help them.

Speaker 1: 4:44

Yes.

Speaker 2: 4:45

That's because speech marks anymore, by the way, it's called inverted commas, but at the time we called it speech marks. Yeah, so they would then take that rhyme and then we'd have a look at some examples from the book we were looking at or what we're reading and topic, and then try and apply it. And the kids that year smashed it. They end up in the top 50 schools in the country. So obviously my headteachers said this is amazing. You need to share it with the rest of the school and schools around us if you can.

Speaker 1: 5:09

And what a legendary night that was. That's an epiphany night where you went to bed, you woke up and the world had tilted, I'm sure.

Speaker 2: 5:17

I think that's what primary school teachers do all the time. Yes, they're given this information and your actual responsibilities track to transfer, transmit it to the children Now. A good teacher learns about their audience. They know what their interests are. Whether it's Minecraft, whether it's Lego, whether it's Disney, roblox, whatever it is, you can link this information to that topic, big subject, idea, interest, and then what happens when they're engaged and more likely to remember this information.

Speaker 1: 5:44

By the way, my daughter is a primary school teacher as well, and I drama teacher train, so this is so wonderful. You know what I'm talking about, chris, and shout out to your daughter as well, lovely. What's your daughter's name? Lily Lily Grimes.

Speaker 2: 5:56

Lily, you're a legend. Just put it out there. You do the best job in the world. Yeah, keep doing what you're doing, keep shining. I know it's tough on certain days, but well, do we need primary school teachers? Do we need secondary school teachers? Do we need college educators? We need you. We're doing an amazing job for you.

Speaker 1: 6:12

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to get a big shout out for Lily as well. That's fantastic. Thank you, she deserves it.

Speaker 2: 6:16

She's a legend in my book. I wish I could. I wish I was still teaching actually a lot of the time. I do wish. In fact, once I finish with this MC Grammar journey, I know exactly what I'm going to do Be a teacher again, because it's the best job ever. So, anyway, shout out to the teachers watching. Now, where were we this amazing journey? Yeah, so we had the test, the kids responding so well. I then had the opportunity. I had a fantastic teacher at the time. Rebecca Mota said Hi, rebecca, where she said you need to go and share this magic with other schools in local areas. So I became a consultant one day a week, which allowed me to go out and share my practice. In the meantime, I started developing a YouTube channel and making more succinct songs for just single objectives that would last me one minute. So we had, like the verb song, the noun song really broke it all down.

Speaker 1: 6:58

I watched the adjective song yesterday, loved it.

Speaker 2: 7:01

I loved it.

Speaker 1: 7:02

It's all of it's really hooky, and even you know your world book day songs as well are phenomenal. Wow, I love that one, yes.

Speaker 2: 7:10

So I'm glad you picked that up, chris, because one of the things you'll notice what I notice when I was researching songs for children is they're quite patronizing. Yes, they usually have some hippo American guy going hey, kids, listen to me. On the ground of three years, you see kind of five. Well, if you live in London, that's not going to work for you, because you want a London sound, you want something that's current, you want something that feels like you're listening to the charts. So all of the music that we make here in this camp of MC grammar is to reflect what the children listen to. Now. It might be reggaeton, german bass, jungle, garage, hip hop, r&b. We've done some rock songs for Earth Day.

Speaker 1: 7:47

Whatever it is, did the handle MC grammar just drop into your lap as well? And you're brilliantly wearing the hat as well today, correct.

Speaker 2: 7:53

Yeah, actually it's a good shout. So after that we create this YouTube channel. I said from now on, you're going to have a new teacher to teach you. And the kids came in one day and I was just. I went on Amazon because obviously I was playing on the MC Hammer. You know, mc Grammar, stop it's grammar time instead of stop it's time. A palm reflection went over every kid's head because they didn't even have a clue. The MC Hammer was yes.

Speaker 1: 8:17

By the way, forgive me for going down the alley G of the library. That's my pathetic attempt at a rap. Thank you very much.

Speaker 2: 8:22

But it's funny how we do. We naturally do these generic things that sit in popular commercial culture anyway, because we assume that's what people want, whereas actually, as we've gone further down this road, we've realized it's actually what authenticity is what kids want. Yes, they want a real voice that represents them, which is what we're all about. So, yeah, the kids came in and I was just in this gold outfit start this grammar time and I taught grammar in that outfit from now on Love it and then on sorry. And then what happened? There was, of course, people wanted, as the YouTube channel started to grow, from my consultancy and sharing these ideas, all the schools I was supporting If people wanted live shows. So then MC grammar started going on tour. I'd go to schools all over the country, as far as Bermuda, went to Cyprus, went to Italy, went to the States.

Speaker 1: 9:08

We've been everywhere performing the raps on YouTube and meeting all of MC grammars fans, which are could you please introduce one or two raps as I curate you through the journey of this process. Would that be okay?

Speaker 2: 9:21

Yeah, for sure. So we've got, we've got a VAPs about nouns. So the noun rap is Monday, january London. Mr M, yeah, we call them proper cat, dog, boy, girl, apple, car. Yeah, we call them common, he, she, us them it. We. Yeah, we call these pronouns. Oh no, did you hear that it's about to go down when I say now you say name place, sing now, now Name place sing Chris, name place thing, name place sing Bristol.

Speaker 2: 9:54

Yeah, so face, that's how it works. So we had all these, these, these songs and they the kids were just loving them. The teachers were really feeling the energy and impact it was having and they, because they're so short, you can really put them into a lesson. So you might be looking at a book. I know we've got a graph. We're reading the graph below and we see a noun here Okay, tree, great, brilliant. This is the MC grammars noun song. What type of noun is that name, place or thing? What is a tree? Where does it fall? Is it a capital letter? Is it London, january Monday? No, it isn't, so it's probably not going to have that. So where was it sitting a sentence? So the key is to take that music and then apply it in your lessons, hopefully to your book, and what you have is these lovely short songs that are memorable because everyone loves the mnemonic. Let's be honest, I still remember the colors of the rainbow from a mnemonic.

Speaker 1: 10:41

Do you remember that one? Of course, richard of York game battle in vain was my one.

Speaker 2: 10:45

Yeah, Do you remember the, the, the? What else did I use? Are the planets? Did you have another one?

Speaker 1: 10:50

I didn't manage to nail that one.

Speaker 2: 10:53

I've got it. My very easy method just got I don't know. See, I need to remember that one a bit more. Yes, I know I've got the first four down there and I think there was one for digestive systems for science in your body, is it, mrs Grimm? Well, maybe Sorry Anyway just show you that actually the mnemonic has to be memorable. Guys, make sure it's memorable and connective to the audience, because I don't remember those ones, but Richard of York obviously had us Richard of York.

Speaker 1: 11:24

Game Battle in vain? Yes, of course, absolutely. And what I'd like to invite you to do as we go through if you get an instinct to drop something into the journey I'm going to curate you through, that would be absolutely wonderful. So this is the show in which I invite movers, makers, shakers, mavericks, influencers and also personal heroes. You'll see how you're fitting brilliantly to that, to a story of distinction and genius and your breakthrough. It really did break through in 2019 with the Gruffalo wrap, wasn't it? That was when it went absolutely viral for you.

Speaker 2: 11:52

It did yes. So yeah, fast forward a few years. The name MCGrammar has infiltrated all of the schools, love the country and several countries around the world. It's becoming bigger and bigger. We have this thriving YouTube channel. I'm still teaching and I read the Gruffalo to my daughter on the couch, because she loved the Gruffalo, but loved it 200 times a day, so sometimes we'd have to switch it up. So I decided to wrap it to my daughter one day, because that's a good way of sharing books as well.

Speaker 1: 12:19

And can we bank that for just a little bit further on I'll go. Now is the time to do the Gruffalo wrap, Would that be okay?

Speaker 2: 12:25

Yeah, for sure, whenever you want me to do it, I can do that.

Speaker 1: 12:28

Wonderful. So welcome to the show. It all takes place energetically in a clearing or a serious happy place of your choosing. Then I'm going to introduce a tree to the clearing, shake your tree, see which storytelling apples fall out, and then we've got some alchemy, some gold, a couple of random squirrels, a cheeky bit of Shakespeare, a golden baton and a cake. So it's my absolute pleasure to have you here, so the wrap will come in. I'm sure I'm really excited about this. So trust your instincts to drop it in whenever you want. But what is where is? First of all, let's get you on the open road. Where is what is a clearing for MC Grammar? Where do you go to get clutter free, inspirational and able to think?

Speaker 2: 13:05

Well, I have four children, so it's not at home. I like nothing more than a coffee shop, ideally in the winter, where you've got the condensation on the windows and I can find a quiet corner, usually in a comfy seat. I put my headphones in with noise cancelling and I just switch off and I start to create, and that is where I go to be free. Alternatively, in the summer I like to go for a long walk.

Speaker 1: 13:37

Lovely answers. I love the condensation and also the beautiful irony of a rapper wanting silence whilst you plan your rapping. The stereotype I would have imagined is you'll be bombarded with sound whilst you try and create new sound. But that's so lovely that you're at the coffee shop wanting to do sound or noise cancelling.

Speaker 2: 13:56

Yeah, I mean. Strangely I write a lot without the music. I know a lot of people write too music, but I tend to write them as poetry first, and then I will listen for a song that fits the rhymes. So I have a library of beats or loops that producers will send me and then I will say this one fits, that one I have written, and then it might be a bit of adapting and so on, but generally I like to sit with quiet silence, think of what I'm talking about. If it's an educational song, I'll have a ton of research about, for example, Vikings or Romans water cycle. I'll have all this vocabulary and definitions and then I will just turn them into rhymes and raps and then search for the music.

Speaker 1: 14:35

Often and I so admire your genesis point of when you interpreted an entire spag syllabus overnight in rap. I mean, that's so gifted, that's phenomenal.

Speaker 2: 14:47

I mean, the research was done for me, to be honest, by the government. They just gave me everything I needed to write, so it was just about getting. But how?

Speaker 1: 14:54

to turn a dry government white paper stroke document into something that kids can't get enough of is just sublime. I love that. Oh, thank you?

Speaker 2: 15:03

Yeah, it was a bit of an ask. With regards to grammar, it's a lot harder to teach that some of the subjects they're into. But I think that's the secret of good teacher is knowing their interests, finding something that fits and suits, and understanding that we can't use that cookie cutter method for every child. It just doesn't work.

Speaker 1: 15:20

And in researching you, by the way, I was really struck by the fact that you have your own volition. You struggled at school yourself. You left with two GSEs well, gces probably but it was the discovery of books that set you free too. So you're the most perfect conduit for that, for somebody who's experienced a struggle but then actually managed to use the methodology of reading and interests to get you on the open road.

Speaker 2: 15:44

Yeah, I feel that's what's really motivated me and fueled my journey is that I've been there, done it. You know I felt as a student. I understand the pain you go through and the isolation when you don't understand. And I've been there, you know, two GSEs to then go and become a primary school teacher and then a teacher of teachers. Yes, and now representing education from a commercial perspective on television for me has been a great journey because I know what it's like. It's not a nice place to be when you don't understand.

Speaker 1: 16:13

And to go from that point to your national and London teacher of the year awards is really sublime. I congratulate you. That's fantastic.

Speaker 2: 16:20

Yeah, you know, at the time I couldn't believe I won that award because I was just doing what I thought was right for the children in my class. You know, I was given this information. Now, aren't you supposed to make it fun and engaging and interesting and explore that?

Speaker 1: 16:35

learning. You're at the trailblazer for the power of passion, actually, and how to engage one's heart and life into passion.

Speaker 2: 16:41

Yeah, I believe that, chris, I don't think you can teach really without passion, because, especially as a primary school teachers primary school teacher because you have to teach everything and you're not going to be into everything, so you have to find a way to be into everything. Yeah, that makes sense. For example, you might not like cricket. I don't watch cricket. I don't watch it in my spare time. I watch football. I'm an Arsenal fan, like Michael. But when teaching cricket, for those kids to pick up cricket and understand it and want to play cricket, I've got to be into it. So you do a bit of research and then in that lesson you give it some. You know they need that zest, they need that energy and then they will be on board. You know emotion creates motion. Yes, get them emotional and get them moving and they'll be on board with you.

Speaker 1: 17:28

So here we are in your coffee shop with a condensation on the window. Is it a specific coffee shop or just any coffee shop with a condensation?

Speaker 2: 17:35

Well, it used to be. It used to be a Nero, but now I'm partial to Gales. I do love a Gales. Are you a Gales fan, chris?

Speaker 1: 17:43

I don't know about Gales. I live in Bristol. There isn't one in Bristol yet.

Speaker 2: 17:47

Okay, right. Well, when one comes to Bristol, you will, I think, especially if you're into cinnamon buns as well. Do you like cinnamon buns? I like cinnamon buns. Right, game changer, absolute game changer in Gales.

Speaker 1: 17:58

Okay, just put it out. So could I online now invite myself to go for a coffee with you at some point.

Speaker 2: 18:03

Let's do that. When you're in London, I'm down, or I'm in Bristol, gale well, actually has to be in London because we need the cinnamon bun.

Speaker 1: 18:09

So when you're down, I can take you to Hart's Bakery in Bristol for a cinnamon bun, but I'm coming.

Speaker 2: 18:14

I'm going to be a bit worried if I come and it's not on the level of my Gales cinnamon bun, I'm going to be, you know, slightly.

Speaker 1: 18:21

I shall come to MC grammar for some grammar time of the cinnamon buns. That's great. So here we are in Gales then, enjoying a cinnamon bun. Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom. I'm now going to arrive rather weirdly Now we've said that with a tree in your clearing and shaky tree, to see which story telling apples fall out. So this is where you've been kind enough to have thought about, you've had five minutes to have thought about four things that have shaped you, three things that inspire you, two things that never failed to grab your attention, and borrowed from the film up, that's a bit, oh, squirrels, you know what never fails to grab your attention. And then a quirky or unusual fact about you Jacob stroke, mc grammar, we couldn't possibly know about you until you tell us. So over to you to interpret the shaking of the canopy of your tree as you see fit.

Speaker 2: 19:00

Yeah, I mean, the first thing has to be. My first great teacher shaped me. I can remember and surprisingly this was not a full time teacher in my class we had a teacher that was off one day I don't know if it was PPA or they were sick and the guy came in. His name was Mr Kessler. I was in year three at the time and I just being remember being wowed by the way this guy taught and made me feel as a learner, and to this day I'm still trying to be as good as Mr Kessler. That is my goal. So he was the trailblazer for me as a young boy who looked up to a male role model, and it really, really engaged me and made me want to become all I could be. And now I feel like I'm still not on Mr Kessler yet and I've achieved quite a lot as an educator and is he still with us and still out there, and he knows, I have no clue.

Speaker 2: 19:49

So, mr Kessler, if you listen to this, I was at fold school in high Barnett. If you're still around in London, I will take you for a girls and a cinnamon bun with Chris.

Speaker 1: 20:00

So lovely. I really hope he's out there. I love that and how beautiful that. He probably has no idea what an absolute epiphany to you.

Speaker 2: 20:09

He was amazing, and I don't know if he was there for one day or two I can't remember precisely but all I know is the time I had with him was very special, and I bet if we also include into the mix a queue of people that you've inspired.

Speaker 1: 20:21

No, but we just will be standing room only in Gales and no cinnamon buns will be left.

Speaker 2: 20:27

Listen, we can have half each. No one can have it. A crumb is fine, let's just share, that's lovely. The second thing I'd say is probably the strength of both my grandma and my mom. I was raised by my mom and my grand, who in Greek, in Greek is called a yeah, and it was incredible to see such strong women raising two young boys practically, you know, on their own. And that really inspired me because now, especially now as a parent and how difficult I know it is to be a parent, to manage everything emotionally, socially, financially to know that I came from such good stock and I never felt in my life at all that I went without. I felt like every other child that was around me. I felt included, I felt loved, embraced by my grand and my mom. So, yeah, that's definitely number two, probably should be number one, but these are not in no particular order.

Speaker 1: 21:21

I get that, and may I ask is your dad around still?

Speaker 2: 21:25

or not at all. Yeah, I mean, my dad is around still. We still have a relationship, my dad my dad has also given me a great deal in my life. He taught me all about self development and personal development at an early age. By the age of 11, I was reading books by Tony Robbins. By the age of 13, I already done the fire walk. You know, when you walk across barefoot, across the car, yeah, yeah and stuff like that.

Speaker 2: 21:44

So things like that. I was deeply inspired by my dad, but living in at home with my mom and my my grand was, you know, a firsthand experience of what it was like to have that strong female figure leading the way, both myself and my brother. So I'm very grateful for that, both my parents and my dad as well for the influence he had. The next one, I would say, has to be failing school and not doing well, because when I left school I couldn't get a job because I didn't have any GCSEs. Back then it was a 5A to C. If you wanna get into anything, if you wanted to get into college, you had to have math and English. If you wanted to A-levels math and English, if you wanted to be an electrician or get into apprenticeship, you at least had to have an equivalent, which I believe back then was a GMVQ, which I eventually signed up to do afterwards. So I had the option only of working with my dad, which taught me a lot about life but also showed me how isolated you are without the right credentials and qualifications. And not just having qualifications, but because I didn't have the words to express myself then I wasn't able to let people know how I was feeling or do anything really I couldn't target. Basically I had no voice.

Speaker 2: 23:07

So I decided to go back to school. I met a lovely tutor, my mom, nuku Koni, who said I'll get you into a college I know someone there where you can do those things alongside A-levels at the same time. So I did a math GCSE, a science GCSE and an IT GCSE, to pick up the five, while doing A-levels in media and sociology. And I found another great teacher who was Annie Hall, southgate College, who really showed me all about how amazing sociology is understanding human behavior and introduction to psychology, criminology, all these wonderful subjects and I fell in love with learning, fell in love with reading.

Speaker 2: 23:46

Smash my GCSEs, smash my A-levels or the A and a B, and I was on the route to success. So failing actually made me realize it's not a setback, it's just a step back to evaluate where you are and going out into the big wide world, which is a tough place. If you have the right attitude and the right people around you, you can really reevaluate and redirect after a while. And it's okay to wallow for a little while as well, be like a hippo getting the water for a bit and just disappear and then come back when you're ready, and that's what I did. So a big defining moment. My fourth, I'm number four now.

Speaker 1: 24:25

You are. This is wonderful, by the way, thank you.

Speaker 2: 24:27

It is becoming a father. I think we learn so much about ourselves as individuals when we become parents or guardians or carers in any capacity, because before it's all about the self, and then you give everything, literally everything I give to my kids. You know they eat before me, they drink before me. You know they do everything. We get ready, we do this, and it's all about this compassion and unconditional love that you just never thought. I didn't know where it just comes from. Where does it come from? As soon as they're born, it's just a rush, it's released and suddenly you have this massive purpose in life where it's all about them, every single thing. And also you start questioning what was I doing before with all that time? What did I do Like? How did I not have time for stuff before?

Speaker 1: 25:17

And what's the age range of the full squad now? When I was a 7-year-old, you had two children, so you managed to pop two out more.

Speaker 2: 25:23

Yeah, yeah, one was the COVID baby and one was recently, so I've got a 7-year-old, a 6-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 7-month-year-old.

Speaker 1: 25:32

And you're perfectly poised as MC Grammars. You're perfectly poised to take them through all the reading stuff they need, Exactly.

Speaker 2: 25:38

To be fair, it's a perfect target audience, though I can test all of my material, all of my material.

Speaker 1: 25:44

My eldest has probably got about a few more years before she dips into a new target audience, but yeah, I'm sure you're bathing in that wonderful period of time when there is a psychological development phase where dad is God stereotypically, and I'm sure you're bathed right in the epicentre of that. Anyway, but enjoy that because that's great.

Speaker 2: 26:04

It's amazing, though, how you're just worshiped by these little people and what you say and what you do, and more what you do they will do, rather than what you say, and I think that's why it's so important to be just all you can be as a parent, because they are always watching. I've noticed it. They're always watching. Like even when you think they're not, they are watching. So, just being that model it's a lot of pressure, to be fair, but, yeah, I think the responsibility as a father and a parent has really, really just changed my whole perspective in life. It's all about them. I just want them to be great, because they'll make the world great, and for them to just, yeah, to keep, just to strive and just. I want to provide them with opportunities for them to just unleash all that they can do. I don't want them to have the experience that I had at school, where, at the end of the day, I came into this job eventually, but actually, by providing them with opportunities, hopefully they can explore their passions and interests. Yes, and that's what I can let them do.

Speaker 2: 27:02

I think that you know, when people mention about money brings happiness, money brings change, I think, actually, what it does is creates the opportunity and time and space for people to explore. Yes, you know, if we didn't have mortgages and rents right now, you and I could be like right, I want to play a saxophone. I've got all the time in the world, I've got six months. Every morning I'm going to get up and play a saxophone and you'll probably be great in six months. However, in reality, you have to pay bills. You've got to do this, so you'll squeeze the saxophone in when you can.

Speaker 2: 27:30

So I want to be as a parent now. The reason I'm working so hard, the reason I do what I can, is that I want my kids to have the opportunities that I didn't necessarily have because my mom had to work as a single parent all the time. Luckily, I found my passion, my purpose, my calling, I believe, and now I'm trying to create those opportunities for my kids to find this. So being a father has been a massive defining moment in my life and wow, are they absolutely sublime for shapeages there.

Speaker 1: 27:55

Just before we move away from that was Mr Kessler literally a one day supply. Was he that impactful?

Speaker 2: 28:02

From what I remember, it was one day. It could possibly you know how we distort, generalize our memories a little bit. I think it was one day. He definitely wasn't a full time teacher and he was not there for long. I just remember this guy, just wow, mr Kessler, that's his name.

Speaker 1: 28:18

I just hope we can find. Mr Kessler, what an extraordinary story. Are you out?

Speaker 2: 28:21

there, sir, please tell me you are, because you've had a big impact in shaping my life. Calling Mr Kessler.

Speaker 1: 28:27

Mr Kessler calling. Mr Kessler, you're, a cinnamon bun awaits you in Gales. Now we're on to three things that inspire you. If there's any overlap, don't worry, because this is all very inspirational anyway. But three things that inspire you, jacob.

Speaker 2: 28:40

I have to give a shout out to my wife here. She inspires me. She works tirelessly to raise, help our family, nurture our children, look after our home, keep me grounded, and all of this she does about doing anything for herself. So it's just, yeah, I probably don't say it enough, but it's mind boggling how amazing she is and how she just takes everything in a stride, how powerful and how strong she is. And, yeah, she really does inspire me. I wish I could be like her. I mean, I've probably got 10% of her capacity. So she's a legend in my book, the best of the best. So shout out to my wife.

Speaker 2: 29:24

Next up, my kids, my kids, inspire me. Just look at them every day. I just want to be better for them. I want to do what they do. Sometimes I look at them and I think I just wish I had they inspire me to have a different lens and perspective.

Speaker 2: 29:38

You know I might be bogged down with, just to be honest, a lot of times, irrelevant things that don't matter. You know social media might be getting into my, to my subconscious a bit, even my conscious, making me want things that are necessary advertisements on television and then I look at my kids playing in the park or in the garden or on the slip and slide or playing double, and seeing them just having the best, having the best time. I just think this is what it's about. So being having them in my life and looking at them and seeing them every day really does inspire me, because I think what children give you is the real essence of life, which is about connection, you know, empathy, kindness. They're not, you know, they're not extrinsically driven. There's nothing I want this for. This it's about here. I'm doing this to feel something, and sometimes we should do more of what we feel rather than what we think. So, yeah, super.

Speaker 1: 30:31

Just to ask the question are you stopping on four, or because it sounds like you're on the path to creating a whole primary school classroom environment?

Speaker 2: 30:37

So good question, I mean. I mean I'd love to carry on going, but I think we're done now. We're done. I've been told we're done.

Speaker 1: 30:49

Next, next inspiration.

Speaker 2: 30:52

I've got one more right.

Speaker 1: 30:53

One more yeah.

Speaker 2: 30:56

I think this was a really hard one for me to think about, because obviously I mentioned my mom as well, and my parents, my dad. I think another big inspiration probably to me is the people that I work with, because I have a great team that work now with me as MC Grandma. I've got an amazing manager, chris. I've got some really cool agents, ashley and Liz. You know we're now bringing on board social media managers and so on, and the reason why I say they inspire me is because I have this vision of what I want MC Grandma to be, which is the voice and face of learning for all children to feel comfortable, to feel accepted, to feel included and to have a good time learning. Whereas that's a vision, and to put that vision in place, you need a crew, and now, by building this crew and seeing the influence they have and the opportunities that they have created for me and the teams that I've worked with, they've inspired me to become better.

Speaker 2: 31:50

You know I've never worked in television before, ever in my life. I was a primary school teacher standing in front of whiteboard every day delivering the national curriculum. Now I'm on Sky Kids as an actor performer. I'm performing in arenas in January with a Young Voices tour. You know there's 30 dates, 500,000 people. This, for me, is definitely outside of my comfort zone, if that makes sense. But it's all possible because, one, I believe in myself and I know what the mission is, but and two, because I have the right guidance from an amazing team. So my final one would be the team that I'm working with management agents, creatives as well. They've been brilliant the whole time and I'm very, very, very thankful for the journey I'm on.

Speaker 1: 32:29

And Rap Tales is the forthcoming Sky Kids channel.

Speaker 2: 32:34

Yes, rap Tales is coming out in October, and this is an amazing one for me because we have three seasons on Sky already. So we have one. The Raps, which is about MC Grammar gets sucked into a book, and then Raps about whatever that book is. So there's one about Romans, vikings, the internet, the brain you name it, speed, whatever you want to learn about. But Rap Tales, mc Grammar, is going fully animated, which means I'm going to be immortal, chris Immortal, yes, immortalized in animation. I will stay young forever. So MC Grammar has a crew of four other rappers. They're all kids and what happens is we have reinvented, reimagined your typical and traditional fairy tale to give them a modern spin, make them inclusive and obviously link to music. So you've got great, great ones. I'm not going to give it all away, but you've got one called Rap Punzle, which is brilliant. See what you're doing there. Yeah, rhyming has been banned by the evil Mayonnaise. Yeah, oh, yes.

Speaker 2: 33:34

So this is little girl who likes to rap called Rap Punzle and she's sent to the tower. No one's allowed to rap. And guess what happens? I'm not going to tell you.

Speaker 1: 33:43

You have to watch it in October. Sorry, I saw what you did. Sorry, man, I had you there and I had you.

Speaker 2: 33:48

That was good.

Speaker 1: 33:49

So the fifth character of Krap Rapper, that can be me. I can come in.

Speaker 2: 33:53

Krap Rapper, krap Rapper. Now you put them two together. I like that. I can be MC Krap Rapper, I'll be there. I like that.

Speaker 1: 33:59

C-Rapper, you've done well there, Thank you very much. So I've got a new TV series and a Cinnamon Bun coming my way. I love that Brilliant. And now, thank you so much. By the way, we're on two things that never fail to grab your attention and borrowed from the film. Oh, this is a bit. Oh, squirrels I've actually got a squirrel for you what never fails to grab your attention, irrespective of anything else that's going on for you in your wonderful brain, Right?

Speaker 2: 34:23

This is very simple for me One has to be Arsenal Football Club Boom. Reason being is because I've become a little bit of an Arsenal hater since Arsenal Venga left, because I don't believe in the whole way. Football has gone corporate and it's like a form of entertainment now, just for people are over for a visit to London. It really frustrates me how the traditional fans can't get in the stadiums. Anyway, I'm not going to get into the rant, but even though I'm going through that experience, no matter what I will be checking the score. I could be at a wedding, I have to know. I've got it on my phone, I've got it on the TV. So Arsenal for me.

Speaker 2: 35:03

Since I was two years old, sitting in my granddad's garden who lives in Drayton Park listening to the crowd, we used to write it on the chalk what we thought the score was based on the sounds, yeah, oh yeah, Arsenal. And we'd write it down. And if it was super loud, you'd go one new Arsenal. If it was kind of loud, you know that was one new to do, 18. Very good.

Speaker 2: 35:23

Yes, and then we go on. I don't remember Telly Tex back in the day, I do, I'm that old. Yeah, we checked Telly Tex and we're like, oh, did we get it right? We didn't get right, and so on. So the passion grew. Then I loved everything about Arsenal From a way from high, breathing, invincible. Fell off a little bit since I've become a father, but no matter what, I will always check the score or know what's going on. And sadly, I have to own a shirt as well every year.

Speaker 1: 35:51

Oh, OK. So they've really hooked you because they've got the merch as well going on and it's super expensive now, aren't they they?

Speaker 2: 35:57

are 100 pounds for a shirt.

Speaker 1: 35:59

You should give them to get them to do sponsoring them. So you grab Arsenal.

Speaker 2: 36:03

Do you want to wrap? Do you want to wrap? Give me a shirt. You can never wrap, there it is.

Speaker 1: 36:08

If that comes good we heard it here Fantastic.

Speaker 2: 36:11

So your second squirrel has to be dark chocolate. Lovely squiggles.

Speaker 1: 36:17

Do you?

Speaker 2: 36:18

like dark chocolate. I love dark chocolate. I do Hotel chocolate if I'm going through any station and I see that there is no way I'm swerving it. It's like this gravitational pull. I'm just in there. Next thing you know I'm in and I'm just enjoying some dark chocolate.

Speaker 2: 36:34

And if it's a Saturday, you've got chocolate all over your arsenal shirt. Yeah, I'm not bothered. I take my girl swimming and you know I pack a coffee and some dark chocolate in a little bit of foil and I just sit there and it's quite a lovely moment watching my kid swim and having some. I mean, it's very hot in the swimming pool. I don't know if you've taken your kid swimming back. I definitely have. Yes, absolutely. Gosh, is it hot in there so you've got to eat it quick. But yeah, dark chocolate.

Speaker 1: 36:56

And we've got the reincorporation of condensation there. Please, your coffee shop and your coffee and the chocolate.

Speaker 2: 37:01

Oh gosh, yeah.

Speaker 1: 37:02

That's more like precipitation in there, though, to be fair it's smooth, yes, and you've probably got a rap about that. Oh, that's pretty good. So now it's a quirky or unusual fact about you. We couldn't possibly know about you until you tell us.

Speaker 2: 37:16

Yeah, okay, I can play the ukulele.

Speaker 1: 37:20

Boom, and do you do that as part of the MC Grammar Act as well, or not?

Speaker 2: 37:24

Not really, not really, no, it's just more. Actually, I play nursery rhymes to my kids. I love playing sleeping bunnies. Do you remember the sleeping bunnies?

Speaker 1: 37:30

I do see the little bunny sleeping till it's nearly noon. Shall we go in with the-.

Speaker 2: 37:33

Absolutely that one is. Yeah, my two year old loves that, and now my seventh month, we're getting the whole, like you know, the hands sort of going-. Have you got?

Speaker 1: 37:41

the ukulele to hand, or a quick bang out of see the little bunny sleeping. I get it. It'll take me 10 seconds. We've got 10 seconds. Go for it.

Speaker 2: 37:49

I'm coming yeah.

Speaker 1: 37:52

And Jacob now has gone off to get his ukulele and I think we're gonna be a given, a rendition of see the little bunny sleeping till it's quite literally nearly noon. Shall we go and wake them with a silly tune? I'm feeling for time here. Oh, so still are they ill? Hop, little bunnies, I'll stop now. I've been filling in, you've been doing-. I'm back, he's back, I'm back. I've been filling in with what might be about to come. You hear that I certainly can. I've just. So here we go. I love the fact it's got your icon on there as well, of course. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 38:31

I have to represent. Here we go See the sleeping bunny, sleeping till it's noon. Come and let us wake them with a merry tune. Oh, so still are they ill? Shh wake up soon. Wake up little bunnies. Hop little bunny. Hop little bunny. Hop little bunny, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop little bunny.

Speaker 1: 39:01

Hop little bunny hop little bunny, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop. Marvelous, marvelous stuff. Thank you for doing that too.

Speaker 2: 39:12

Pleasure. I mean I've got quite a wide repertoire.

Speaker 1: 39:14

So at any point, just Well, you gave me the banger we requested, which is Hop Little Bunnies. Hop Little Bunnies by MC Grammar, his own version. So we'll get on to more of your wonderful rapping specifically as well, but now we're gonna stay in the clearing and move away from the tree. Next we talk about alchemy and gold. So when you're at purpose and in flow, MC Grammar, what are you absolutely happiest doing?

Speaker 2: 39:38

Performing 100% where it's in a classroom, on a stage, especially in the moments when it's not rehearsed, or I get someone on stage and they don't do something I've asked them to do, like. I love that because then it gets into me, into. I'm really good at sort of like three, three styling words. Yeah. Yeah, I love being in that position where there's a bit of pressure to come up with something. I feel I really I really thrive then. So, for example, my brother-in-law knows, if we go to a bowling alley or something, don't put pressure on me, jacob, because if he puts pressure on me then I'll be good. If we're just having a casual you know drink and playing bowling, he might beat me. But if he says, oh, can you get a strike here? I'm getting a strike, like that A lot of people respond the opposite way, don't they?

Speaker 1: 40:24

That's quite interesting.

Speaker 2: 40:25

Yeah, it's strange. I love a bit of pressure, so it really enables that. So when I'm on stage, I find myself, I'm really in that state of flow, I'm just doing my thing, and I think it's because of the pressure of the audience, the pressure of the high stakes. Yeah, yeah, make a mistake at any point.

Speaker 1: 40:39

So by the way, that's very relatable. I do a lot of comedy, improvisation, which is just making stuff up with the yes and methodology and mindset and that really informs the way that I do as a speaker and stuff as well. Now it's just. Yeah, you find that works for you as well, absolutely yes, yes, it's just a strange, though yes yes, and what is that?

Speaker 2: 40:57

Is that just because your conscious is just relaxing and opening up, or but?

Speaker 1: 41:00

I think it's the sense of being truly authentically present, because it's unexpected and it's a surprise. Life is a surprise, and how you respond in the moment is exactly what it's about.

Speaker 2: 41:11

Yeah, I never thought about that. But yeah, that's what happens to me. I just find it untapped, unlocks something in me and I just and that's your flow state, absolutely I'm there. I mean, for example, I tour in Dubai quite a bit for MC Grammar shows. I'm going on October. You know they expect you to come to the school with management, entourage, an agent. I literally go on my own, you know, to places I've never been to before because you know I don't need anyone with me on this journey. I enjoy it, I go there, I meet the kids, I have a good time and a lot of the time I find that going on your own is saying you know you can do this and actually it really gives you that belief and purpose that you're doing what you're doing, because you don't need people to hold your hand along the way. If this is your journey, your passion, your purpose, and I imagine that keeps you grounded.

Speaker 1: 41:55

If you get too accustomed to having a squad and an entourage that can eventually make you do riders and all sorts of stuff that makes you busy 100%.

Speaker 2: 42:02

I mean, I always get asked for a rider festival and so on. It's pretty simple Just some water and some fruit. You know they're like what? Yeah, thank you. But I did hear something cool from someone recently Ask for something that you want and just take it home. Love that. So Ask for a bottle of wine and take it home and have it as dinner with you.

Speaker 1: 42:21

It can be in Dubai going. I insist on having a cinnamon bun from Gales. Yeah, or could I have a? Yeah, or a gold bar, please, gold bar.

Speaker 1: 42:29

Love that A bar at first, so that wouldn't make sense. But gold bar. Talking of gold bars, that's what the gold bit was. Thank you very much. The Africanian gold it's also become a theatre show, so I've got some comedy props as well, and now I'm going to award you with a cake, horace, you get to put a cherry on the cake. So I know it's probably a cinnamon bun, but you can choose a different cake if you like. But the cherry on the cake is stuff like what's a favourite inspirational quote that's always given you sucker and pulled you towards your future. So what might that?

Speaker 2: 42:55

be. I've got three. I thought about this and I can't pick one, so I'm going to go with some day isn't a day of the week. I like that because Love that.

Speaker 1: 43:07

Never heard that before.

Speaker 2: 43:09

A lot of people say I'll do it on Monday, I'll start on Sunday. Some day isn't a day of the week, just do it I love that.

Speaker 1: 43:17

Do you know what? It's so simple but brilliant. I've never heard that before.

Speaker 2: 43:21

It's strange I work out diet. They all begin on a Monday, apparently. I'll start on Monday but for me some days, and there we just get on. Another one is a bitter root, produces bitter fruit. Yes, I've got four. Can I go for four?

Speaker 1: 43:37

Oh, go on then.

Speaker 2: 43:38

Yes, Anger does more damage to the vessel in which it is stored than to where it is poured. And the last one you can't spell challenge without change. Ooh.

Speaker 1: 43:53

Yes.

Speaker 2: 43:53

Which is a great one visually to do. You should put the word up challenge and you write the letters of change that are in there in different colours. Yes, you'll see the word change and challenge. Yes, just say that one more time. That last one. You can't spell challenge without change.

Speaker 1: 44:08

Boom, they're all. They're bangers. That's fantastic. Thank you so much. What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given? Just do it. Sponsored by Nike there. That's great.

Speaker 2: 44:22

I love the silence there because you know what you can get really elaborate, you can really elaborate on all of this and get into a paragraph of depth. You know, believe in yourself. You've got this, my man, just go for it. Is this something you want to do? Do you really want to just do it? You know, just do it. You know we're remodeling our social media content at the moment and you know I've just thought about so much and I spent so much time thinking yes, you know what I didn't spend time doing? Doing yes, just go and do it. If it works, it works. If it doesn't guess what, just do it again.

Speaker 1: 44:52

Another way yeah, you've got caught in the vortex of. Someday my social media presence will change, do it?

Speaker 2: 44:56

Yes, exactly, just do it and I'm throwing that out to people out there, teachers who, like me, that want to get into a different world of education do it, make your YouTube channel, create your lessons, create your brand, create your resources, share them. Just do it, don't wait for anyone.

Speaker 1: 45:12

We're ramping up to a bit of Shakespeare in a moment and we're also going to do a little bit of wrapping of your choice. I say we. It's probably you that does it.

Speaker 2: 45:21

You can help me out a little bit. I would have a little bit of help.

Speaker 1: 45:24

I'll do what I can Remember. I can be crap rapper. The fifth character We've already talked about that. I'm down for that. So just before we get to the Shakespeare, this is the pass the golden baton moment. Please Remember Michael Rosen, pass the golden baton on to you. Who in your network would you most like to pass the golden baton on to be given a good listening to in this context?

Speaker 2: 45:40

I would like to pass this baton on to a presenter called Nigel Clark. Nigel Clark, and the reason I want to pass this on to Nigel is because not only is he in the same game as me and does such an amazing job and for me he is an inspiration in that world because I'm new to that world and he's so good, so calm, so collected, so suave with it but also he has a wonderful initiative called Dad's Vengeance, which is all about creating a community among fathers whereby they do weekly walks together with children, with their children and parents. He does sponsored walks to raise money for charities and he provides a network and framework for a lot of people out there that need that support. So I'm sending a shout out to Nigel Clark for being an amazing presenter, incredible at what he does in this world, but also the support and that nurturing skill of his to just bring so many other people on board into his world and make them feel safe, inspired and invigorate.

Speaker 1: 46:43

So, nigel, over to you Very eloquently put Thank you and now, inspired by Shakespeare, woohoo and all the worlds are staged with all the bed of women. Really, players, we're going to go about legacy penultimately, because we're going to do the wrapping moment as well, or the segment. But legacy when all is said and done, jacob stroke, mc grammar, how would you most like to be a remembered? Wooo.

Speaker 2: 47:07

I was waiting for the sound effect to finish there. Thank you very much. I would like to be remembered as the guy who made you enjoy learning again, or, from the moment you saw me, I want to be the guy that has, where you say, yeah, mc grammar's got a song for that. I learned that from MC grammar, you know, and I want you to pass it on to your kids, and your kids will pass on to their kids, because creating these songs, these raps, these rhymes, they are timeless. They can be applicable at any stage in your life, whether you're learning it as a student, whether you're learning it as a parent teaching your kid, as a grandparent, as an NQT, a teacher, whatever it is, I want to be that guy who makes learning fun. So I'm going to keep creating, keep making, keep shaping this journey that I'm on.

Speaker 1: 47:58

Lovely, and where can we find out all about you on the old Hinterweb?

Speaker 2: 48:02

Well, on the socials it's Mr MC grammar, across TikTok, instagram, facebook and on YouTube it's youtubecom forward slash MC grammar TV. There's a ton of educational songs on there, visits to the Natural History Museum and so on, where you can discover about dinosaurs. And also, of course, all of my seasons were on Sky Kids at the moment, which won the raps. And don't forget, the Rap Tales cartoon is dropping on October, soon as well, and there's so much more to come across all of those channels.

Speaker 1: 48:35

So now we can go a bit freestyle. What would you like to do at MC grammar?

Speaker 2: 48:40

Well, I think we should wrap a little bit of the Gruffalo, because this book is an excellent metaphor about what books do for children and adults every single day. So this book I wrapped and it changed my whole life. But a child might pick up a book about space and become an astronaut, or a book about baking and become a baker. You might pick a book up about the saxophone today and think you know what this is a cool instrument and learn it. So I think it's a wonderful testament to how one single book can change the path of your life, as this book did for mine. So it only makes sense for me to wrap this now and have you connected with Julia?

Speaker 2: 49:18

Donaldson. By the way, we have met on a few occasions. Nothing formally has been agreed between us about making this into an actual separate project. Yeah, but it would be wonderful one day if a kid could actually turn on the MC grammar slash, julia Donaldson rap song and rap along to their favourite book, or possibly watch it as a film, because, yeah, you know.

Speaker 1: 49:41

And similarly seminal, as we know, is the Going on a Bear Hunt, which is one of the main reasons I got in touch with Michael Rosen, because I was really struck with what his experience was in the pandemic Can't get over it, can't get under it. We've got to go through it, and my giddy-goody once he went through it. So that was the reason I got in touch with him.

Speaker 2: 49:56

Yeah, he did, and also I've wrapped that book as well. Yes, so, and I've asked an amazing book. That's probably my kid's favourite family book because it's so active You've got to get up and move a bit, so it's just a wonder. I mean, Michael Julia, you name it, Dr Zeus, they have connected with so many young minds, older minds as well. Whatever it is, they're just timeless classics that we'd love to share about.

Speaker 1: 50:23

Forgive my ignorance, but did you do the Dr Zeus ones as well, because that?

Speaker 2: 50:26

hit that. I've done Green Eggs and Ham live on the Ellen show. I've also done what Was I Scared Of, which was for Halloween special.

Speaker 1: 50:32

So which they're all?

Speaker 2: 50:33

available on YouTube. But hey, you can't wrap a book, chris if you can't read a book, so read books. Wrap books at them out, share them, talk about them, get lost in them every single day. They're amazing, right? So we wrap this one now. This is the Gruffalo. You can help me out when I say silly old fox doesn't even know. There's no such thing as you're going to shout Gruffalo.

Speaker 2: 50:54

Right show, show. Should we have a practice? Let's do this. Silly old fox doesn't even know there's no such thing as a Gruffalo. Wow, okay, I'm going to try the music and see if we can get some music here.

Speaker 1: 51:05

Is that all I've got to do, because I think I'm feeling confident?

Speaker 2: 51:08

You've got this man. Can you hear that music?

Speaker 1: 51:13

Bit louder.

Speaker 2: 51:15

That's good. That's good, all right, so here we go. This is the good listening to show MC Grammar Chris Grimes in the house. There's no such thing as a Gruffalo. You've got it, chris.

Speaker 1: 51:55

There it is, that's lovely, and that 2019, before you had everything going on for you had about five million that went viral. That was the big moment, wasn't it?

Speaker 2: 52:06

Yeah, five million. I think it's not 12 million now, but it went viral. Phone call for Ellen DeGeneres. It was a week from wrapping it on my couch to a week later it was on her couch on the show. So she shows you how your life can change with one very special moment.

Speaker 1: 52:20

So home couch to Ellen DeGeneres' couch within a week. That's a journey right there. Also, I was so struck with your overnight epiphany when you decided to do the Spag syllabus. That was just. You've obviously had incredible instincts, which I commend you for.

Speaker 2: 52:37

I mean, I'm not going to take any credit away from teachers because I think that's what they do every day. You know, they look at their planning and they go oh my gosh, I've got to teach a long division tomorrow. What can we do? And they think they have that moment. They think about their audience. They think about their audience and that is what makes good teaching.

Speaker 1: 52:52

Wonderful MC, grammar Jacob Mitchell. Thank you so much for taking the time to grace us with your presence here on the Good Listening 2 Show, as this has been your moment in the sunshine of the Good Listening 2 Show. Stories of distinction and genius. Is there anything else you'd like to say?

Speaker 2: 53:07

Thank you. Thank you for having me, thank you for letting me share my story and for listening. It's been wonderful to speak about my journey and I can't wait to chat next time with a cinnamon bun.

Speaker 1: 53:19

I will take you up on that. I will be there because going somewhere nice and eating something is my absolute dream, wonderful. Thank you so much. A pleasure to have met you and I'll let you know when it all goes live. Don't forget to check out the website www. This isn't for you, this is me just talking to my audience now You'll have got that. The new website is TheGoodListening2Showcom. This has been the wonderful MC Grammar. It's Grammar Time but tragically it's come to an end now, but it's obviously going on and on, and on. I wish you all the very best for all the wonderful things that are about to happen to you, thank you. Thank you, grammar. Goodbye, chris Grimes. So until next time for me, chris Grimes, from UK Health Radio and from Stan, to your Good Health and goodbye.