Monday, January 21, 2008

Show Them The World!


by Yolonda D. Coleman (c) 2008

"When you have hope, you have determination. You have something that pushes you," Tanya Walters said in an Oprah Winfrey special.

Ms. Walters started Godparents Youth Organization (G.Y.O.) in California as a single mother and school bus driver in Los Angeles, California (www.godparentsclub.org). G.Y.O. affords students an opportunity to see the country outside of the classroom. Walters, along with other bus drivers in her district, help drive student achievement simply by exposing them to a world beyond their neighborhood.

To that end, if a simple act of kindness can turn into a community organization that helps our students achieve, why shouldn't your daily interaction with our children matter?

There comes a time when we must educate our children beyond the pages. With so many intelligence levels, let them hear, taste, smell, touch, and see your lessons. Yes, there are administrative duties to complete, curriculum mapping that has to be done, grades that need to be entered, attendance books that need updating, phone calls that need to be made, and professional development meetings to attend, but it only takes a few moments to change a life. Baby steps turn into giant leaps. Build a moment in your lesson planning schedule to open the doors of the world to your students.

REFLECTION TOPICS:

1. What seeds have I planted to help a student grow outside their neighborhood?
2. Explain how your life outside the classroom can inspire a student to explore the wonders of education.
3. Where do I want to take my students to help them apply what I've taught in class? Who do I need to assist me to make this happen? What resources do I need to make the field trip a reality? What is my target date? Budget?

FOR FRIENDSHIP M.O.N.A.R.C.H. Teachers Only:

N.T.A. Session 5
S.E. Academy
615 Milwaukee Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 562-1986
Facilitator: Bianca Mitchell and Zola Donovan
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2008

N.T.A. Session 6
Collegiate Academy
4095 Minnesota Avenue, N.E.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 396-5500
Facilitator: Yolonda D. Coleman
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2008

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