The U.S. Must Educate MIND, BODY & SPIRIT |
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The U.S. Must Educate
MIND, BODY & SPIRIT
to Catch Up
with Other Countries
March, 2010
Rev. Marrice Coverson
Pastor, Church of the Spirit
Founder, Institute of Positive Living |
How do the teachers teach? How do our children learn? How do the parents support their children so they can learn? What is the community’s role in our children’s education?
These are important questions. Here are some thoughts:
TEACHERS: Teachers must realize that all children are unique, each with his or her own learning style. This can be very challenging to the teacher who has to teach those children, but it can be done. We have some very innovative teachers who know our children can learn and are willing to work with them to make sure that happens. Today, because of electronic media and all the inventions that are so entertaining in our world, it’s not only difficult to get our children to study when they are home, but it is a challenge for the teachers to get their minds focus in school. It can be done. We have many people who are doing it. – But the teacher has to have the heart to want to do it. A heart, in conjunction with skills learned through continuing education prepares the teacher to actually achieve the goal of helping the child learn.
CHILDREN: Children need to go to school prepared and ready to learn—with their books and the proper attitude. They need to make sure that they have plenty of rest and eat a good breakfast. At school they need to participate in class and in their school community. At home, study and do their homework.
PARENTS: Parents must be an important part of their children’s lives and aspects of their learning. They need to create a learning environment for their kids at home, a quiet place where kids can focus on their studies. Parents must show that they, too, value education. Parents can be role models by working on their own educational deficits. Parents need to talk to their children about discipline and respect. As role models, parents should read—this will encourage their kids to be readers too.
COMMUNITY: As a community as a whole, we need to support our schools and the education of our children. We need to make sure those who are in charge of education are responsive to our children. This means adequate funding for education and making sure that our schools are on the cutting edge of innovative educational practices.
The ideas above represent a basic recipe for success for our children’s educational success. However, even this basic recipe may not be enough in the twenty-first century. All over the United States, children are failing to meet international standards of success. Why is that? It is something for all of us to ponder.
Let’s look at where the United States stands in comparison to other countries in three areas: the MIND, the BODY, and the SPIRIT.
MIND: How does the U.S. stack up in left-brain types of education like science, engineering, math and technology? In November, President Barack Obama pledged $4.35 billion to provide incentives for schools that develop science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs. Today, there is global competition for highly skilled jobs and U.S. students are far behind the rest of the world. For example, in a recent assessment of how well 15-year-old students can use mathematics and science knowledge, U.S. students were at or near the bottom of the 29 nations who are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Why such a big difference? Here is one example that helps explain why: In many U.S. schools, especially those in inner city or rural areas, computer access and usage is still very limited. In Japan, by contrast, kids are riding to school in buses equipped with desks and computers.
BODY: We not only we have to feed the mind, we need to feed the body. Budget crunches have resulted in physical education programs being slashed across the nation. In many schools even recess has been eliminated in the false belief that kids need focus on skills that will help them take the latest test. Statistics, however, show that 25 % of children in the US are overweight and 11% are obese—the highest rate in the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention point out that overweight levels have doubled in the U.S. in the last decade. “Physical education is a critical part of a complete education and every student deserves to be physically educated,” says Charlene Burgeson, the Executive Director of the National Association for Sports and Physical Education, an organization that recommends at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day for children ages 5-12. Also, physical activity and sports have a direct impact on improving academic success. As head of the University of Chicago’s Office of Special Programs, the late Dr. Larry Hawkins, stressed the importance of kids participating in athletics on an ongoing basis. He knew that it is not a matter of either/or, but of both. He know that athletics builds character and creates the desire for youth to achieve their goals in life.
SPIRIT: In addition to feeding the mind and body, we need to feed the spirit. Across the U.S., budgets are being slashed for the arts. Classes in art, music, and writing are being eliminated. But these are the very programs that allow students to reach deep inside themselves and tap that part of their being that inspires them to be creative. These programs have inspired many of those who have become our greatest performers, musicians, artists, and writers. These are the programs that teach our children to think outside of the box, an ability that can be used to stimulate thought and invention in many other areas of education and of life.
In order for the United States to catch up to other countries, it is vitally important that all aspects of education—MIND, BODY, SPIRIT—are valued and funded. A recent report by Common Core, entitled “Why We’re Behind: What Top Nations Teach Their Students But We Don’t,” shows that the nations that consistently outrank us on international comparison tests provide their students with a fulsome education in the liberal arts and sciences. These nations differ greatly with regard to how they accomplish this goal, but this is the common ingredient. In other words, they focus on ALL of the important aspects of education, not just some of theme.
The Institute for Positive Living and IPL’s Open Book Program have witnessed the passion of children as they write, explore literature, and create their own plays and books. We know that our children can learn; that they want to learn. They just need the support and positive atmosphere to learn. They need to have their mind, body, and spirits nourished. Our Open Book participants use their minds as they learn the critical thinking skills needed to read their books. They use their spirits as they write in their journals and create plays based on the books they read. They use their bodies as they act out the skits and dance the dances that they have created. This is the type of fulsome education that is needed for the United States to succeed in today’s global community.
We thank all of those who are supporting the Institute for Positive Living and IPL’s Open Book Program. We thank you for the continued support of our program so that we can continue to help kids tap into their creativity as they enjoy reading. Your support goes far beyond the basic recipe for educational success and helps us focus on developing the minds, bodies and spirits of our young people.
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| It takes BOLD ACTION... |
It takes BOLD ACTION
to Cure the Disease of Violence
November, 2009
Rev. Marrice Coverson
Pastor, Church of the Spirit
Founder, Institute of Positive Living
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Do we have the conviction and courage to work towards transforming our community into a safe place for our children? We know that it is our moral obligation and responsibility to eradicate the disease of violence in our community. But how can we do it?
Recently, I was at the 100thYear Centennial Celebration of the Bloomington-Normal Illinois Branch of the NAACP. I had the pleasure of hearing Keynote Speaker U.S. Congress Person Sheila Lee say, “Nothing comes to a sleeper, but a dream. After the dream, one has to wake up and take action.”
The action Congresswoman Lee is speaking about is BOLD ACTION.
To stop the violence among our youth, we need to wake up. We need to stop dreaming about what can be done to stop the violence and start taking the BOLD ACTIONS that are necessary to stop the violence.
BOLD ACTION does not mean building more jails, locking ourselves in our homes, faulting each other, moving farther into the suburbs, or gathering together and expressing our anger every time an act of violence occurs.
These are not BOLD ACTIONS. They are fearful reactions. They do not contribute to solving the problem of violence. They actually contribute to the climate of violence in our neighborhoods. Each fearful reaction lets those who perpetuate the violence know that they, indeed, do have the upper hand.
BOLD ACTIONS are actions that each of us can take right now, today. They are actions that plant the seeds of hope and love in the hearts of our youth.
Here is my own BOLD ACTION plan: |
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Each one of us or each household can take the BOLD ACTION of adopting a school. And if you’re really BOLD, you can also adopt a youth or even a whole family within the school.
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BOLD ACTION does not require money. It does require love for humanity and a desire to make a difference in the lives of our children.
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BOLD ACTION does not require a college degree. It does require common sense and a great deal of patience.
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BOLD ACTION does not even require a lot of your time. If each household committed to spending at least three hours per month helping their adopted school that would make a difference. If that household also adopted a youth or a family and spent at least three hours with them that would make a difference. What a difference six hours per month could make! And that’s less time than most of us spend talking to our friends on the phone.
Let’s take action! Let’s walk together BOLDLY making a difference in the lives of our children.
And it’s not only individual households that can take BOLD ACTION. I’m counting on all those sororities, fraternities and social groups to lead the way. What if your group adopted a school and each of your members adopted a child or a family?
I an also counting on those who are employed to take the BOLD ACTION of asking your employer to give you an hour or two once a month to go and help out at your adopted school. Let those employers know that it is in their best interest to help us educate our young men and women so that they develop a peaceful state of consciousness.
If you have any ideas about BOLD ACTION that you want to share, send them to openbook@ameritech.net.
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| The Disease of Violence |
The Disease of Violence—
More Dangerous than Swine Flu
November, 2009
Rev. Marrice Coverson
Pastor, Church of the Spirit
Founder, Institute of Positive Living
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On September 24th, 16-year-old Fenger High School student Derrion Albert was beaten to death. This incident brought back vivid memories of my own son Ronald’s violent death and its aftermath—memories of seeing pictures of my son after he had been shot nine times, the victim of gun violence.
I have grieved for years in my lonely silence. Not marching, not speaking out, but trying to help young Black men in my own way. For, you see, I’ve had to walk the long halls of 26th and California for justice. And later, because the higher court overturned the perpetrator’s conviction, I walked those halls for one year for injustice.
Nevertheless, I write not about me, but the violence that is killing our families. I think not just about the children who die from the violence, but about all those young men and women who are incarcerated for their acts of violence. They too are dead—the living dead.
The victims and the perpetrators—they are victims of violence. But they are not the only ones. Their parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends and schoolmates are all victims. But the list does not end there. The community, the city, the nation, the world—these are victims, too.
I remember going to court when my son’s murderer was convicted. I looked into the face of the plaintiff’s mother and saw her deep sadness. I remember, also, the State’s Attorney calling to inform me that the higher court had just honored the plantiff’s appeal and ordered a retrial. I remember so vividly the verdict of not guilty by the judge at the end of that retrial. This time the mother’s face was happy, but tinged with uncertainty over her son’s future. I remember stopping and walking up to her. Her lawyer and her family became silent, thinking that I was going to cause an altercation of some kind. I said to her, “Take care of your son.” They just looked at me and I walked away not waiting for a response. That woman had the gift of another chance to help her son become a productive citizen. I no longer had this gift. An act of violence had stolen my son from me. I was left with memories. There are happy memories of Ronald’s life, of course. But there are also vivid and disturbing memories of his violent death. And there are vivid and disturbing memories of a broken court system that allowed my son’s murderer to go free.
Derrion’s mother and his family have embarked on the journey that every victim’s family must take. They, too, will walk those lonely halls at 26th and California. My heart goes out to them. But my heart also goes out to the youth and families of those who participated in Derrion’s beating.
They are all victims of the disease of violence which has infected our communities and our nation. It is a disease just as dangerous and lethal as the Swine Flu that currently threatens us. And the disease of violence is not just a threat. It is a disease that is already epidemic in our nation. Something must be done about this disease of violence.
As an individual, I don’t have the answer—and neither do you. However, by working together we can develop an action plan of hope. Together we can develop a plan that keeps our children alive and prepares them mentally, physically, spiritually, and educationally to be the productive citizens of tomorrow. This plan will act as a vaccine, protecting our young people, our communities, our cities, and our nation.
Mr. President: The violence in our communities is as dangerous as the violence in Iraq and Afghanistan. You have pulled together the brightest minds to develop strategies to deal with the violence overseas. You have also pulled together the brightest and best to develop strategies and vaccines to deal with the H1N1 virus threat. Now it’s time to tap the brightest minds to deal with the disease of violence that is infecting and threatening the United States.
Mr. Mayor: You have pulled together the brightest minds to ensure that Chicago gets 2016 Olympics. Now it is time to put the same type of energy into making sure our young people are safe.
Mr. Governor, the President of the Illinois Senate, and the President of the Illinois House: You are working with some of the best minds in Illinois to balance the state budget. Now it is time to strategize in order to bring balance and safety to our communities.
Community residents: It’s not enough to react to acts of violence after they occur. It is time for each and every one of us to get involved with the organizations that are working to stop the violence and bring hope to our communities.
Parents: It is not enough to love your children. You must monitor their actions and make sure they are productive in school and in life.
After many sleepless nights, I have decided that I can no longer be silent and work in the background on the issue of violence. I must step out, raise my voice and take action. I invite you to join me in raising your voices and taking the actions that are necessary to bring hope back into our communities. I invite you to join me in working on the action plan of hope—the vaccine—that will inoculate us against the disease of violence and usher in a brighter, better future.
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