Cap Fashionistas - Please School Me

I must admit, The Critical Thinker is truly ignorant of why caps are worn in this manner. I need some of you "cap scholars" or "cap fashionistas" to school me on this. I see it daily and just continue to wonder. So if you are a cap wearing specialist out there or can forward this to someone who is, I would love to hear the thought process or reasoning behind the wearing of a cap like those in the photos. I hope the answer has more substance than "It's the style." 

Sometimes It's Just Good To Get Away Into The Silence

I just spent a week in a small rural town in Georgia called Louisville. My mom lives there and I went to visit her last week. It is VERY quiet where my mom lives in Louisville and that is one of the reasons I went to visit. Being there was like being on a retreat. It felt great to get out of the daily noise of the city. I literally could sit on her porch and hear "nothing." Total silence. Sometimes it's just good to get away into the silence. As the adage goes, "Silence is Golden."  Make time to go somewhere and be silent. You are invited to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01 and on Tumblr @thecriticalthinker01.tumblr.com

Why We Must Read Causes Some Great Debate and Discussion

The post Why We Must Read (July 5, 2013) garnered so much discussion (I love it by the way), that I featured it on The Reading Circle with Marc Medley this morning (July 13, 2013). I am truly grateful that the post is causing so much debate and discussion as that is the goal of The Critical Thinker.  I invite you to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01, on Tumblr @thecriticalthinker01.tumblr.com and on Instagram (IG) Reading Circle.   Thank you all for your commentary and debate.

WHY WE MUST READ

I was truly saddened as I watched Rachel Jeantel struggle to keep any modicum of pride and self respect that she could as she attempted to soften her letting the world know of her inability to read by stating that she could not read cursive. Ms. Jeantel looked to hold on to just a little bit of self esteem when she tried to make the issue her inability to read "cursive writing" and not her inability to read words.  She did not say that she could not read her friend's handwriting or penmanship as we used to call it, which is maybe what she had hoped to convey, she said she could not read cursive which really meant that she could not read.

Many criticized or poked fun at the situation, but the truth of the matter is, Ms. Jeantel's inability to read is not a laughing matter at all. Someone or many "someones" dropped the ball including Ms. Jeantel because in order to be helped you have to seek it and accept it when it is given. The problem with this though is, Ms. Jeantel could not have been the only one who knew she could not read. Parents? Guardians? Teachers? Principals? Neighbors? Congregants? Pastor? Friends? Ms. Jeantel?  

It is hard to believe that in 2013 we have people who are illiterate and yet we do. I am writing this post not to ostracize or criticize Ms. Jeantel, because the truth of the matter is, it really it not about her; but for those of us who are parents; guardians, teachers, principals, neighbors, congregants, pastors, friends, etc. etc. etc. to read to our children and have our children read to us. I cannot overemphasize the importance of being able to read, enough. There was  no way as an advocate for reading and an avid reader, I could let this opportunity pass without taking it to encourage everyone to learn how to read and then if you know how to read, teach someone else how to read.  I also need to be clear that reading is not just about being able to recognize the words as reading is much more involved than that. I oftentimes hear children say "I can read," and then when I ask them what the passage or story was about that they just read, they cannot do it. They look at me with a blank stare. The ability to decode words is different from being able to comprehend the combination of the words together.  We must teach our children (and adults for that matter) how to decode, be fluent and be able to process the words in order for them to understand the information they are reading.

As an advocate for reading, it was painful for me to watch Ms. Jeantel because she symbolized so many people who will find it impossible to truly function in a society where reading is not an option but a requirement. Have you ever been in line at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) behind someone who could not read or understand the ATM prompts?  How about traffic signs? Menus? Directions? The list of things that must be read goes on and on. What type of jobs/careers will the Rachel Jeantel's of the world be able to ascertain? What type of salaries will they be able to earn? It's all connected and reading is one of  if not the most important pillar.

I host a radio show on Saturday mornings where I interview authors with the hopes that those who are in the listening audience will increase their interest in reading. The intent and purpose of the show is to encourage people to read more. Reading can take you to other countries without you having to leave your recliner or sofa.  There are so many benefits associated with reading such as being a better writer to a recent report in Men's Health News entitled The Pastime That Boosts Your Brainpower extolling how reading now strengthens your memory later in life.

Please share this post with anyone and everyone you can to help get the word out that we MUST read. Talk about it. Think about it. Strategize about how you are going to help someone who cannot read learn how to read and comprehend. The new Common Core Standards will require students to be able to read and comprehend "informational text" and they will not be able to do that by just decoding words. They will have to be able to decode the words, triangulate the information, explain what the writer meant to them and then cite in the text supporting evidence as to how they came to their conclusions. 

This post is my little part in helping us to act to end illiteracy in both our children and adults. I implore all of us to read with our children. I implore all of us to have our children read to us. I implore all of us to turn off the television sets and every other electronic device and to sit down and read an old fashioned hard cover or paperback book.  Rachel Jeantel ought to serve as yet another wake up call. The question for us is are we going to wake up or are we going to continue to hit the snooze button. 

Something to critically think about and act on. I welcome your commentary in the comment section and you are invited to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01 and on Tumblr @ thecriticalthinker01.tumblr.com. You are also invited to tune in to my radio show The Reading Circle with Marc Medley on Saturdays at 6 a.m. ET on gobrave.org and WP88.7 FM. 

http://www.rif.org/

http://www.readingrockets.org/

http://www.firstbook.org/partners-in-ending-illiteracy

http://www.englishliteracyinfo.com/tag/ending-illiteracy/

http://literacy-research.com/

READ    READ    READ    READ    READ   READ READ    READ  READ   READ   READ   READ 

It's Been A Rough Couple of Weeks - What's Going On?

It's been a rough couple of weeks to the point where I haven't been able to figure out my words and thoughts for this post. One of Bob Grant's most popular lines as a talk show host is "It's sick out there and getting sicker"  and there seems to be more and more merit to his statement. Not that any of the events of the last few days are new; it just seems like it has been a bombardment of "sickness" out there. Sickness ranging from the Aaron Hernandez case; to Rachel Jeantel exposing her illiteracy on a worldwide stage; to one of my former students being charged with a senseless murder; to a caller named "Marcus" defending why Black people should be able to use the word "nigger" on the Geraldo Rivera show that was hosted by Larry O'Connor in Geraldo's absence. The sickness seems to abound; to flurry. For once I am truly at a loss for words as I have watched these events unfold.

The caller Marcus actually shared on the air his nonsensical rules with talk show host Larry O'Connor as to who and how the word "nigger" should be used by Blacks and Latinos. It was an absurd conversation. In 1971, Marvin Gaye melodically crooned the question "What's Going On?"  That is still a relevant question in 2013, probably even more so. In fact, since I am at a loss for words, I will close this post with Marvin singing his classic "What's Going On?"  Something to critically think about. I welcome your commentary and invite you to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

Probably The Biggest “Little” Step You Will Take in Your Academic Journey.

The following is my written address in the programs for my upcoming "Moving Up" ceremony for my kindergartners. I intentionally worded the message in a way that lets the parents and the children know that while the little graduation like ceremony is nice and cute, it is a far cry from the end. I have to say that because too many of our parents come to the moving up ceremony with balloons and other trinkets and in an extreme celebratory mode when in actuality it really is only kindergarten. What I am really trying to get at is the work has just begun and I need the same amount of energy that was expended to purchase balloons and new clothing and to yell and scream "OOH My Ba-Baaaayyyy" when it comes time for homework and study in the upcoming years. The same amount of energy for attending PTA/PTO meetings, report card nights, school board meetings, making sure the child is reading and everything else that goes into making a successful student. So indeed congratulations to my kindergartners who are moving to first grade, however, everyone must know that the work has just begun. 

Moving from kindergarten to first grade will probably be the biggest “little” step you will take in your academic journey. I say this because in the grand scheme of your educational career, it is a tiny step; however, unless you were a preschooler, it is your first step in the right direction.  We pause to celebrate this first step with you because we want to make sure that you know that you must take this same type of step at least three more times with pauses at eighth grade, high school, and then college. We also hope that you will pursue additional degrees participating in this process yet another time.  Some may be saying that it is too early to talk about a kindergartner obtaining his or her doctorate degree, and I say to you that I disagree. It is never too early to chart the course. To our kindergarten parents, congratulations, but you have a long way to go in making sure that this is repeated at a minimum of three more times. To our kindergartners, congratulations as you enter the first grade. Don’t ever lose your love for going to school. As your principal, I wish you nothing but the best and I look forward to seeing you in September in grade one.

Something to critically think about. I welcome your commentary and you are invited to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01. 

Show Them All The Beauty They Possess Inside

12/3/87-5/7/13

"Show them all the beauty they possess inside" is a line from the song "The Greatest Love of All" written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed originally recorded by George Benson and later popularized by the late Whitney Houston. I vividly remember accompanying on the piano many high school and Hal Jackson's Talented Teen talent show contestants who chose this song as his/her competition piece in the late 70's and early 80's and by now I am sure most if not all have heard one rendition or another of the inspirational ballad.

10/24/95-5/21/13

If you are an educator reading this post, I believe you will particularly relate to it and even if you are not an educator it ought to resonate with you as well.  The impetus for this post is the worst nightmare for those of us who are in education. We as educators work with thousands of children over the course of a career and it is always our hope that these children will one day become productive members of society. It is our hope that we can learn of, read about, or have a child who has made a success of him/herself come back and visit us letting us know how they have fared in life. To that point, as a school principal myself,  to this day I still keep in touch with my second grade teacher, Mrs. Elma Royster and many others such as Fran Kubian, Marilyn DiMartino, and Peter Nelson who impacted my life as a student and as a person. Mrs. Royster was present at my fiftieth birthday party last August proudly letting everyone know that she had taught me as a second grader.  

Then there is the other end of the spectrum which is what this post is about and that is when we as educators learn of the premature deaths of students we have taught or have had in our midst for a period of time. During the last three weeks I learned of the deaths of two students who were in my care at one point in time or another in their academic careers. One I learned of from a text message from my current vice principal and the other I learned of when scrolling through the obituary section of the local funeral home to learn about the arrangements of the first one. My heart was saddened because I knew both children so well. Both would light up when they saw me around town yelling "Hey, Mr. Medley," as they both had moved along to other schools or had graduated high school altogether. I was saddened even more when I learned that one death was by suicide and the other's cause of death is still pending. 

That's when the song "The Greatest Love of All" came to me and that line about "showing them the beauty they possess inside" leaped out at me. Suicide and a pending cause of death at such young ages................  We are losing too many of our young people; too many of our children. Are we as adults showing these children all the beauty they possess inside? Are we giving them that sense of pride to make it easier?  Children do not ask to come here and in far too many cases we as adults become and are their biggest problem. Too many children have to become adults before their time because of what they are born into. Too many children have to struggle with adult issues as children because of the irresponsibility of the adults who created them and abdicated their parental responsibilities in the delivery room. Too many of our children are angry and don't know what to do with that anger, so they take it out on themselves and others even to the point of suicide or homicide. 

So after reading this post, go out and find a young person and make it your business to help him/her understand the beauty that he/she possesses inside. Do not rest or quit until you have helped him/her to gain that sense of pride to make it easier in order for you to hear his/her laughter and allow it to remind you of how it used to be. If we do that, maybe, just maybe that child will make it to have a fiftieth birthday party to invite us to. Something to critically think about. As always I welcome your commentary in the comment section of the blog and you are invited to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01.