What is it Like to Teach Black Students?
- Thread starter ColdBlooded
- Start date
I definitely agree with that.
I agree with this also...to a certain extent. It's 2009, and the only way for ANYBODY to pull themselves out of a hole, is, well, to pull themselves out of a hole. I'm not trying to take away from anybody's hardships, so don't think that. The system was rigged, but now people from all races are doing anything they want...if they get up and go get it.
Surely, the people named are not metaphors for the African-American story...I don't deny that. But really, who is a metaphor for anybody's story? Bill Gates is an exception to the rule, right?
My point is, nobody has to be RICH! In my personal opinion, success is a good family, a job you enjoy, and happiness. In 2009, people can get up and do whatever they want if they put their minds to it. There are black doctors, black lawyers, black business owners, black entertainers, black activists, black car salesmen, a black PRESIDENT! If the latter doesn't speak volumes of what is possible in this country, and how things have changed SO MUCH, I don't know what else to say. Civil Rights leaders made the ultimate sacrifice to make sure folks kept on truckin'...we can't let their sacrifices be in vain.
Again, I'm not taking away from anybody. I know about slavery, I know about the civil rights movement, and I know about racism. The history of this country is DISGUSTING...but we are moving forward. The only thing that we need to do is educate the youth, and make sure they push for whatever they want. The only way a person in the gutter can go, is UP! Those that are stuck in the gutter need people to help them stand up, and show them that they can walk anywhere once they get the ground beneath their feet.
I agree with this also...to a certain extent. It's 2009, and the only way for ANYBODY to pull themselves out of a hole, is, well, to pull themselves out of a hole. I'm not trying to take away from anybody's hardships, so don't think that. The system was rigged, but now people from all races are doing anything they want...if they get up and go get it.
Surely, the people named are not metaphors for the African-American story...I don't deny that. But really, who is a metaphor for anybody's story? Bill Gates is an exception to the rule, right?
My point is, nobody has to be RICH! In my personal opinion, success is a good family, a job you enjoy, and happiness. In 2009, people can get up and do whatever they want if they put their minds to it. There are black doctors, black lawyers, black business owners, black entertainers, black activists, black car salesmen, a black PRESIDENT! If the latter doesn't speak volumes of what is possible in this country, and how things have changed SO MUCH, I don't know what else to say. Civil Rights leaders made the ultimate sacrifice to make sure folks kept on truckin'...we can't let their sacrifices be in vain.
Again, I'm not taking away from anybody. I know about slavery, I know about the civil rights movement, and I know about racism. The history of this country is DISGUSTING...but we are moving forward. The only thing that we need to do is educate the youth, and make sure they push for whatever they want. The only way a person in the gutter can go, is UP! Those that are stuck in the gutter need people to help them stand up, and show them that they can walk anywhere once they get the ground beneath their feet.
Ahem...... SO....... I've been reading this thread for a while. I can relate to a few who have said various things because I can relate to a variety of different backgrounds that are being represented on here.
Bottom line is this. Change doesn't happen unless a seed is planted. My children both attend a high school that is probably 98% of what society calls "minorities". How are they taught? They are taught English, world history, science, math, foreign language, etc. just like any other student at any other public high school would be taught. However, at their school, there is a seed being planted the first day they start their freshman year. One of the Graduation requirements is being accepted into a 4-year college. And the process starts as soon as they step foot in the school. Last year 95% of the students went off to a 4-year college, the other 5 enrolled in either a vocational program or community college. That's 100% of the students who went onto higher education. There are a lot of programs that they enroll in and go through while they are going through their 4 years of high school, but I won't get into that cause I'll be typing all day.
A seed has to be planted somewhere. And a seed can be good or bad. If you are sitting back trying to see how you can hustle your way through life, only doing the minimum and waiting for someone else to bring you some money, then why complain on how life is. If you don't go out and find life, it sure aint gonna find you! All it takes is that one person to plant the seed. These kids need to know about real life, real life RIGHT NOW. History is great, and its important to learn, but history can only get you so far. Relying on what happened to certain groups can educate, but face it, if you were not there, right in the action, there is never a full grasp on what folks had to go through. Yes, there is racism, yes there is discrimination, but it only gets you if you let it. It's a state of mind.
This world is made up of individual humans. Were are all different, yet we all breath, eat sleep, etc. Why is it that people attach onto everything negative that everyone has ever told them? Because there is not enough love in themselves to know that usually you are odd or this or that to someone else, because they just can't do it like you can!
I've been working with children for a long time, from all different backgrounds, races, blah blah blah, they all definitely have one thing in common, they THIRST for more. They are just waiting for someone to tell them they can do it. They are waiting for someone to tell them that they can be more than what they see around them. And they don't want to be treated any different than anyone else.
You can't change other people, you can only change yourself and hope that others see how just loving someone as a person can really change a state of mind. We have to first teach the kids to love themselves and love for others will follow. That is how society changes. Arguments don't change a got dam thing. Everyone on here has their own story, their own life, their own outlook. Everyone has it hard in life at some point, some groups, have it worse than others. I'm sure at any given time, ANY PERSON has dealt with racism on some level whether it be you being on the giving end or the receiving end. What did you do with it when it happened to you? Did it let it change your being or do you love yourself enough to rise above it instead of giving your power to the ignorance.
In conclusion, I wouldn't call athletes, entertainers, etc. successful. I personally know a few who got a full ride to college, and went to the NFL/NBA but now I just see them kickin back in the neighborhood because their time has passed and the owners and managers of the sports world didn't need them anymore. Didn't have anything to fall back on cause they whisked them through college on a scholarship with hopes of "making it" in the NFL.. Thats BS. Money doesn't make you successful it just pays the bills. Being successful DOES mean different things to different people. Being a contributing member of your neighborhood is successful. Giving back in your community is successful. Volunteering your time is successful. Money aint got shit to do with it. Where you came from aint got shit to do with it. I know a grandmother who is taking care of 12 of her grandkids, hell naw she can't work, she has 12 kids to take care of, is she successful. HELL YEA.
In conclusion to the conclusion, this discussion can go on and on and on and on, because there are too many opinions in the mix. That's whats wrong with the way it all works, opinions shade your eyes, nothing ever gets resolved and the kids eventually are the ones who suffer. They can't make it better, they rely on us to, so what are you gonna do about it?
Bottom line is this. Change doesn't happen unless a seed is planted. My children both attend a high school that is probably 98% of what society calls "minorities". How are they taught? They are taught English, world history, science, math, foreign language, etc. just like any other student at any other public high school would be taught. However, at their school, there is a seed being planted the first day they start their freshman year. One of the Graduation requirements is being accepted into a 4-year college. And the process starts as soon as they step foot in the school. Last year 95% of the students went off to a 4-year college, the other 5 enrolled in either a vocational program or community college. That's 100% of the students who went onto higher education. There are a lot of programs that they enroll in and go through while they are going through their 4 years of high school, but I won't get into that cause I'll be typing all day.
A seed has to be planted somewhere. And a seed can be good or bad. If you are sitting back trying to see how you can hustle your way through life, only doing the minimum and waiting for someone else to bring you some money, then why complain on how life is. If you don't go out and find life, it sure aint gonna find you! All it takes is that one person to plant the seed. These kids need to know about real life, real life RIGHT NOW. History is great, and its important to learn, but history can only get you so far. Relying on what happened to certain groups can educate, but face it, if you were not there, right in the action, there is never a full grasp on what folks had to go through. Yes, there is racism, yes there is discrimination, but it only gets you if you let it. It's a state of mind.
This world is made up of individual humans. Were are all different, yet we all breath, eat sleep, etc. Why is it that people attach onto everything negative that everyone has ever told them? Because there is not enough love in themselves to know that usually you are odd or this or that to someone else, because they just can't do it like you can!
I've been working with children for a long time, from all different backgrounds, races, blah blah blah, they all definitely have one thing in common, they THIRST for more. They are just waiting for someone to tell them they can do it. They are waiting for someone to tell them that they can be more than what they see around them. And they don't want to be treated any different than anyone else. You can't change other people, you can only change yourself and hope that others see how just loving someone as a person can really change a state of mind. We have to first teach the kids to love themselves and love for others will follow. That is how society changes. Arguments don't change a got dam thing. Everyone on here has their own story, their own life, their own outlook. Everyone has it hard in life at some point, some groups, have it worse than others. I'm sure at any given time, ANY PERSON has dealt with racism on some level whether it be you being on the giving end or the receiving end. What did you do with it when it happened to you? Did it let it change your being or do you love yourself enough to rise above it instead of giving your power to the ignorance.
In conclusion, I wouldn't call athletes, entertainers, etc. successful. I personally know a few who got a full ride to college, and went to the NFL/NBA but now I just see them kickin back in the neighborhood because their time has passed and the owners and managers of the sports world didn't need them anymore. Didn't have anything to fall back on cause they whisked them through college on a scholarship with hopes of "making it" in the NFL.. Thats BS. Money doesn't make you successful it just pays the bills. Being successful DOES mean different things to different people. Being a contributing member of your neighborhood is successful. Giving back in your community is successful. Volunteering your time is successful. Money aint got shit to do with it. Where you came from aint got shit to do with it. I know a grandmother who is taking care of 12 of her grandkids, hell naw she can't work, she has 12 kids to take care of, is she successful. HELL YEA.
In conclusion to the conclusion, this discussion can go on and on and on and on, because there are too many opinions in the mix. That's whats wrong with the way it all works, opinions shade your eyes, nothing ever gets resolved and the kids eventually are the ones who suffer. They can't make it better, they rely on us to, so what are you gonna do about it?
Livin life and takin furoughs like a champ! I can't complain, life is great, I have two beautiful children (who are almost adults) and a roof over my head.
Thanks for the props but its not all about that, its just about us coming together for a better common purpose. Taking a glimmer of hope from a kids eye and turning it into reality without bogging them down with the negativity that we have all picked up during life. We should be using negativity as a tool to make them better than we ever were, instead of continuing to manifest power of separation and ignorance.
Thanks for the props but its not all about that, its just about us coming together for a better common purpose. Taking a glimmer of hope from a kids eye and turning it into reality without bogging them down with the negativity that we have all picked up during life. We should be using negativity as a tool to make them better than we ever were, instead of continuing to manifest power of separation and ignorance.