Blackucation
What our school system fails to teach.
Our school systems are lagging behind the rest of the world when, at one time, they all measured themselves by us. As COVID 19 wreaks havoc throughout our communities, it seems our safety is constantly under attack by foreign terrorist organizations, internet hackers, hate- groups, local gangs, criminals, and thugs. Our black and brown students are under constant threat, seen by police as super-predators instead of their kids. While our politicians promise one thing and do another, we see our democratic process failing. While many Americans struggle to make ends meet, corporate entities pay a lower tax rate than many middle-class families.
Our current situations prove a new set of difficulties that lie before us. We must meet these challenges with optimism and a renewed hope in our possibilities as a people. We find ourselves getting further away from our lives and the life we have dreamed possible. Fear has set in on us all. It appears that each of us has climbed into the shell of me and mine. There is seldom any effort to reach across lines of division, see and understand the sameness in our struggle, and recognize that my enemy is fearful. This conundrum lays before us a tremendous opportunity that we have at our doorstep. All of us must re-evaluate what we value and what type of individual we desire to be, what kind of neighborhood we want to be a part of, and what kind of country we wish to call our own. All parents must revisit what kind of future they desire for their kids and what we teach them to value. I am confident that we all can conclude that the status quo is not the answer.
Where do we go from here?
I am intrigued by the elements of leadership and how an individual ascends to favor and power. Many are born into it, and others adhere to the call, while a few are destined. Some lie, or manipulate, kill, and steal for power. However, these individuals struggle to find their footing because authentic power comes from within. Through my own life, I began to understand that the person who is most likely to lead is the person who knows who they are, whose they are, and why they were born. In reality, leadership is an endowment, an impartation, a crowning of sorts given to those that exceed expectations through adversity. As they say, it's not what happens to you but how you respond that is paramount to lasting success. Through these victories, the endowment takes a hold, granting us the ability to lead others to success. The engagement of the next generation is paramount to all future successes. We must find agile methods of educating the mind, the hand, and the heart.
How can we accomplish this?
Here are a few areas that New Tenth Foundation has discovered that are paramount to a student's development, the current education system is failing to address.
Identity: Who are you? We believe the person who can answer that question has a clear advantage. Many of us have spent our lives trying to discover this answer but haven't yet uncovered it. However, there are a few methods to help facilitate that process. The key is to get the student to start asking the right question sooner rather than later. From where did I originate? Who were my ancestors? Why am I here, and What would I like to be or accomplish?
Purpose: Purpose adds direction as well as clarity. Life can be complicated and full of distractions. Therefore, we must help students understand the value of priorities and the dangers of not living up to them. The essential things in our lives deserve our attention, and our goals must first have focus.
Character: We believe that character is the number one indicator of future success. If one is unwilling to put in the work and stand behind the work, then true success cannot occur. Ultimately, the character is what one does when no one is looking. Poor character leaves one unfulfilled and produces poor long-term results.
Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution: Life is a collage of experiences and adversities; how you handle both will significantly affect your outcome.
Spiritual Inclinations: We are both spiritual and physical beings; to neglect one for the other causes one to be unbalanced, and to put the physical before the spiritual creates disorder and confusion. Our thoughts, ideas, visions, and dreams are all spiritual things that require corresponding physical actions to bring them to fruition.
We believe these five things are paramount in developing strong conscientious men and women who will significantly impact their generation.