There isn’t much to say here except “thank you” to all the friends and mentors that have supported my quest in public education. Chief among them are my folks, my dear friends, Congressman Gus Hawkins, and the National Council on Educating Black Children.
Today, August 31, is Hon. Augustus F. Hawkins’ birthday. He would be 103 years old today. When asked what gave him such longevity, he would routinely say, “Just good living, as distinct from ‘living good’.” In observation, he ate oatmeal for breakfast, everyday. We all had oatmeal this morning, in tribute. His simple statement on [...]
1. Schools have the best opportunity and a professional obligation to mediate learning; particularly language, mathematics, and social development. 2. “Effective Schools” research is a reliable and powerful intervention. It is especially powerful when implemented in urban schools by people who understand, thoroughly, diverse cultures. 3. All teachers want to see their students succeed, but [...]
“Ten Vows of Success” by Og Mandino: Never, again, will I pity or belittle myself. I will begin every day with thanksgiving and a plan for the day. I will bathe my days in the golden glow of enthusiasm. Never, again, will I be disagreeable with another human being. I will seek to find the [...]
At the core, if not the center, of the Africans’ experience in America is the vast concept of culture. Defined as “the sum total of the languages, mores, music, art, foods, styles, religions, child-rearing, rituals, achievements, contributions, struggles, faith, and other patterns of behavior and interpretations of reality,” culture both defines the greater Black community [...]
We don’t tamper with Scripture. When it says at I Corinthians 13:13, “And now abideth faith, hope, love these three, but the greatest of these is love.” That’s the truth. I recently learned about a little girl in Charlotte, North Carolina whose name was Hope; Hope Stout. She was twelve years old and terminally ill. [...]
When a former student becomes your doctor or strategist, or financier, or even mentor, you give thanks, count your blessing and then… count his, or hers. Brothaman is such an efficacious business model with such reliable quality, it becomes an essential component of folks’ future success. Whether they know it now or not. Brothaman don’t [...]
“We can whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose education is of interest to us. We already know more than we need in order to do this. Whether we do it or not, must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far.” Ron Edmonds This my [...]
