7 Questions With Matt Beat, AKA Mr. Beat

 

Matt Beat is a teacher, video producer, podcaster, and musician based out of Kansas. He has taught various subjects in the classroom from grades 7-12. His YouTube channels, Mr. Beat and The Beat Goes On, have accumulated more than 630,000 subscribers and over 100 million views, helping expand his "classroom" to around the world. Beat's specialty is American history, but he also has a big passion for geography and economics. He has a band called Electric Needle Room, which is most known for original indie-pop songs about all of the American Presidents. Matt co-hosts an iHeartMedia podcast called Jobsolete. Finally, he is a coffee snob who unironically wears khaki shorts.

1.          How and when did you get  hooked on history?

I had a great American history teacher in 7th grade (shout out to Mr. Emmett) who inspired me, but I also was heavily influenced by the film Forrest Gump. Finding out that much of what the movie covered actually happened completely blew me away. 

2.          What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?

For starters, I taught history in the classroom at both the middle school level and high school level for 12 years. I ended up getting a master's degree in history while teaching and realized that I actually knew very little about history up to that point. Now, I make history videos for various platforms, so I am always consumed by it. One of my favorite things to do is dig around in online archives...particularly looking at old photographs. I even make original songs about historical topics. Whenever I travel, I make an effort to go to all the historical markers I can, and I often drag my family along with me. :) 

3.          How does history play  a part of your professional life/career?

I am now a "professional" YouTuber, so every day I am researching, writing, filming, and editing a video about some historical topic. It plays a huge role. 

4.          Why is studying/knowing history important?

Studying history causes us to have more context. It forces us to critically think, and to reflect, analyze, and evaluate. It also inspires us to try new things, but also learn which things not to try. History is also the quickest way to learning anything. It keeps us curious and empathetic. 

5.          What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?

The 1960s since it was such a turbulent time. So much was changing in a good way, and studying that decade is a quick to see the old worlds and new worlds clash in this dramatic way.

6.       How did you become Mr. Beat?

When I become a teacher in the classroom. The first videos I posted were meant to only be for my students in real life, and I was surprised when I found out later that other teachers had been playing them in their classroom. Mr. Beat is my name, and it also happens to be this weird brand now. And no, I am not Mr. Beast. He is a little bit more successful than me. :)

7.      What do you hope followers of your videos take away with them?

My biggest goal in life is to spread empathy and to expose people to ideas, cultures, and places they would otherwise know nothing about. The more we understand each other, the less afraid we are of each other, and the more willing we will be to work with each other for the sake of preventing our species from going extinct.