The Panacea
1. We need more male (especially black male) teachers K–5. As it stands now, 83 percent of teachers are white women and 93 percent of K–5 teachers are white women.
2. Administration needs to appoint teachers who reflect the “distinctive dispositions and temperaments—personality characteristics of successful teachers.”
3. Teachers/educators need to implement the philosophy of Haim Ginott in Teacher and Child and Between Parent and Child, William Glasser in The Quality School Teacher, and Jawanza Kunjufu (AfricanAmericanImages.com) in Black Students. Middle Class Teachers, and Kmt Shockley in The Miseducation of Black Children.
4. Sadly, I think that many cannot think clearly enough to understand that they are not thinking clearly in reference to teaching, learning, schooling, and education.
5. In order to teach children fairly and equally, we must treat and teach them differently. Is it a learning disability or a teaching disability?
6. The indelible words of Arthur Costa—“What was educationally significant and hard to measure has been replaced by what is educationally insignificant and easy to measure. So now we measure how well we’ve taught what isn’t worth learning.”
7. Let’s replace the educationally insignificant to the educationally significant!
Appendix A
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT REFLECTIONS
Instructions: Write the paragraph assigned by the end of class the next school day. Failure to do so will result in a more severe form of reprimand.
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I was given this short paragraph to write as a reminder not to use profanity in the classroom, a violation of school policy and classroom rules. I must demonstrate more self-control and discipline in the weeks ahead. I appreciate this method and this approach to deal with my social and personal development as a responsible young adult. I understand that if this disciplinary action does not appear to control my use of profanity in the classroom, a more severe form of reprimand will follow. However, by demonstrating self-control and discipline, I will not receive another paragraph for profanity and will be able to use my time more efficiently in activities that develop my academic potential and my intellectual growth.
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I was given this short paragraph to write as a reminder not to use racially / nationality insulting terms in the classroom, a violation of school policy and classroom rules. I must demonstrate more self-control and discipline in the weeks ahead. I appreciate this method and this approach to deal with my social and personal development as a responsible young adult. I understand that if this disciplinary action does not appear to control my use of racially / nationality insulting terms in the classroom, a more severe form of reprimand will follow. However, by demonstrating self-control and discipline, I will not receive another paragraph for racially / nationality insulting terms and will be able to use my time more efficiently in activities that develop my academic potential and my intellectual growth.
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I was given this short paragraph to write as a reminder not to disrupt the educational atmosphere, a violation of school policy and classroom rules. I must demonstrate more self-control and discipline in the weeks ahead. I appreciate this method and this approach to deal with my social and personal development as a responsible young adult. I understand that if this disciplinary action does not appear to control my disruption in the classroom, a more severe form of reprimand will follow. However, by demonstrating more self-control and discipline, I will not receive another paragraph for disruption of the classroom and will be able to use my time more efficiently in activities that develop my academic potential and my intellectual growth.
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Appendix B
THE EDUCATOR’S OATH
I solemnly pledge to dedicate my life to the science of teaching. I will give to those who are or have been my teachers the respect and gratitude which is their due. I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity: the well-being of my students will be my primary concern always. I will honor the position of parents and uphold public trust. I will maintain by all the means in my power. (Robert L. DeBruyn, author of The Master Teacher)
I meditated on this oath daily since I started teaching in 1969! The placebo effect?
Appendix C
ELEVEN WAYS TO RAISE A TOXIC CHILD
by Bill Oliver
Reprinted with permission from the Passage Group (www.thepassagegroup.com).
1. Be their lawyer. No matter what they do, defend them. Be their advocate … right or wrong.
2. Be their banker. Finance all of their wants. This will give them a sense of entitlement which will last them for the rest of their lives.
3. Be their insurance company. Any time they make a mistake, you pay the price. They have the party … you have the hangover.
4. Be their agent. Cut the best deals for them. Use your personal contacts and influence to be sure that they rise to the top.
5. Be their mechanic. If anything in their life is broken, you fix it … even if they broke it themselves. That way, they will never have to learn about “consequences.”
6. Be their administrative assistant. Every child needs a personal secretary. Be sure to let them delegate their responsibilities to you. Always do their homework for them … that way, they can make the “honor roll.”
7. Be their butler. Learning how to manage servants will be important as they grow up and become successful. Let them start with you.
8. Be their apologist. Put your best “spin” forward. Make excuses for their bad behavior. Blame the teacher, the school, the community, the Republicans, the Democrats … anybody but your child.
9. Be their emotional doormat. They have a bad day and you pay the price. They want respect from everyone but refuse to give it to you.
10. Be their fairy godparent. Turn pumpkins into coaches. Wave your wand and make it happen. After all, making them “happy” is your primary function in life.
11. Fail to share your belief system with your child. They will
