Teach The Secret in Schools ? Part 4

Children can be so affected by what they learn early in life; by role models they admire and respect; by adults that have faith and empower them with their words and actions. We've seen this played out so many times... how one person or some experience has dramatically transformed people's lives. Shouldn't this be school, teachers, parents?

Really think about it, look at some of the most successful people who have come from meager beginnings. Why do certain kids overcome major obstacles in their lives- poverty, abuse, drugs, lack of schooling....? I recently saw a 60 minute special on Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice who grew up in extreme poverty. He said his grandfather taught him something very important- he could do whatever he wanted. Oprah Winfrey said her success sprung from the feeling- she always knew she could and would despite what was going on in her life. We’ve seen it over and over – successful adults pointing to their parents or a teacher or some significant person in their life who taught them ‘you can do or be whatever you want to.” They believed it and lived it. We’re back to- to if you think you can you can.

Recently I watched Bill Cosby talking about his book Come On People; about the plight of black people in poverty….demanding them to DO. He urges them to stop being victims: empower themselves and stop accepting the drugs, crime and one-parent households that are so indicative of the black population today. This is a book challenging people to stop living by default, and actually consciously empower themselves and their children by staying on top of them, supporting education. He kept emphasizing how they are not doing this- consciously parenting- stuck in inertia and blaming systemic racism for their plight. The more they point the finger of blame outward to the system (even though its true) the less personal responsibility they have… the more they disempower themselves…. The more stuck they are in their lives.

Similarly the more we point outside the children for the responsibility of learning - to the schools, society, teachers, socio-economic conditions – we disempower them. There is no successful child that I have come across that didn’t believe he had to 'buy in.' For many, the faith and support from another was the 'icing on the cake.' To me this is the KEY: we adults- parents and educators must believe that all kids can be successful with our support. Educate and parent them accordingly.
To be continued....