Students Discover the Power of Poetry Through Rap 

In Week 10 of last term, our Year 7 and Year 10 students recently enjoyed an unforgettable visit from award-winning freestyle rapper, entertainer and creative educator Stian MacShane. Known for his incredible ability to transform almost any topic into an improvised rap, MacShane has built a career combining music, comedy and audience interaction. A WAM Award-winning hip hop artist, experienced MC and TEDx speaker, he is passionate about helping young people discover the power of creativity and self-expression through language.

During his engaging and energetic presentation, MacShane demonstrated that rap and poetry share the same foundations of rhythm, rhyme, imagery and storytelling. Students were amazed as he created spontaneous raps based entirely on what the students could produce from their pockets. MacShane spoke to the boys about how his ADHD was his superpower as it allowed him to think quickly and creatively about multiple things at the same time, allowing him to come up with amazing raps on the spot. The presentation was highly interactive, with students enthusiastically participating in a range of fast-paced games designed to develop their rhythm, rhyming and improvisation skills.

Students from across all year levels also had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on public speaking workshop with MacShane. Through a series of practical activities and performance techniques, he helped students build confidence in speaking before an audience while developing the skills needed to write and deliver engaging, impactful speeches.

Candice Betts

Head of Learning Area (English)