The Blog by Christella indicating that I had been tagged by her Blog 10 Things that make me happy struck a card with me. At 77 years old there are some things that still make me very HAPPY.
1. Seeing a young mother and father with their children having fun. It brings back such pleasant memories of the joy we had as young parents.
2. Seeing grandparents with their young grandchildren reminds me of the fun we had with our grandchildren when they came to Michigan to visit with us or we went to Atlanta to visit with them.
3. Writing, GRANDPA REMEMBERS, a book that was shared with our grandchildren. The book shared with the children sayings that his parents gave to him and his brothers and sister when they were growing up.
4. To hear the grandchildren state some of the sayings in Grandpa Remembers as they attempt to demonstrate that they understand that the world does not revolve around them.
5. To have lived long enough to see our grandchildren become young adults living productive and independent lives.
6. To have lived long enough to see former students and employees making their mark in the workplace.
7. To see nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews making their marks in life.
8. To see Chris through her blog and Art by Christella being encouraged to continue to develop the artist expressions that she has until now not realized or accepted she had.
9. To see young colleagues continuing their work that was started during our time when we were working together.
10. To see the projects that Chris and I started with South Africa still going strong and growing stronger.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Some Things I Have Learned
Seventy-Seven years of living has given me a number of experiences that I would like to share with you. They are not sure fire suggestions for success but perhaps combined with your experiences and those from other sources, it is my hope that you find some of them helpful. I have tried to distill them into some simple saying that should be easily remembered and applied. You will find upon examination that these are not unique to me but you too have had or observed the same or similar experiences in your life or the lives of others.
If you are the only one, it only means that you are surrounded. You probably feel alone and isolated.
If you are the first one you should not act as if you are the last one. You should not act if you are the unofficial gatekeeper. You should act as the gate opener to ensure that others follow you through the gate. There will be enough gatekeeper already there.
We should not have to suffer from the starting from scratch syndrome. Each generation should be able to build on the gains and achievements of the previous generation and not have to start from scratch and suffer the same missteps, stumbles and slips. We should not have to suffer the starting from what I call, "the starting from scratch syndrome".
Each of us needs a mentor and/or a sponsor. None of us got to where we are without a mentor and/or a sponsor. This was never made clearer than my experience in studying Black school superintendents and working in graduate education at the University of Michigan. I guess to be honest my first glimpse of this phenomenon was growing up in Baton Rouge observing the bricklayers, plasterers, cement finishers, painters and other skilled building trade workers training their sons, relatives and sons of friends to work in their trades. Antoine Garibaldi and I talked about doing a study on that Louisiana phenomenon. I don't know if he ever did the study.
Working with a superintendent search firm provided evidence that there were king makers in this field. There were professors of educational administration who mentored and sponsored many aspiring superintendents. It was also made clear that when one reached a certain level on the career ladder that an unsolicited application for positions was like the kiss of death. You do not apply for these positions you are nominated for those positions by your mentor/sponsor. We sometimes have a problem serving as mentors or sponsors for others.
It is my belief that in order to be an effective mentor or sponsor to someone you have to enter that relationship with the hope, desire and expectation that the person that you are mentoring will someday surpass you. If you cannot accept that fact and work to ensure that your mentee will someday surpass you, you cannot truly mentor anyone. Your desire to be top dog forever will get in your way of helping another in his/her career quest.
Forty two years ago when I became interested in studying Black School superintendents I wanted to know what were the conditions necessary in school districts before a Black would be named superintendent. I had a very progressive advisor, mentor and dissertation chair, Bill Hazard, who let me do this unconventional. It was not only unconventional in its subject matter but it was unconventional in the fact that there were only twenty-one Black School Superintendents in the United States out 21,000 plus school superintendents.
The conditions found to be necessary in school district before a Black superintendent was named were:
1. The school district has a financial deficit.
2. An increase in Title I funds received by the school district. Meaning there are more poor or low income students in the district.
3. The non-white student population was in the majority.
4. The non-white population of the community is in the majority or projections indicate it will soon
will be.
5. There is a majority non-white school board.
6. The non-white teaching staff increased significantly prior to the appointment of the Black
superintendent.
7. There is a significant increase in the percentage of Black administrators.
Over the years my wife and I and I guess many others began to observe the conditions that were in place before an African American was elected mayor of a major city, governor of a state or President of the United States of America.
We can honestly believe and have our children and our other mentees truly believe that the sky is the limit as far their career mobility is concerned. Let us pledge to use all of our knowledge, skills and wisdom to move this generation of our young people to the next level. The struggle continues.
If you are the only one, it only means that you are surrounded. You probably feel alone and isolated.
If you are the first one you should not act as if you are the last one. You should not act if you are the unofficial gatekeeper. You should act as the gate opener to ensure that others follow you through the gate. There will be enough gatekeeper already there.
We should not have to suffer from the starting from scratch syndrome. Each generation should be able to build on the gains and achievements of the previous generation and not have to start from scratch and suffer the same missteps, stumbles and slips. We should not have to suffer the starting from what I call, "the starting from scratch syndrome".
Each of us needs a mentor and/or a sponsor. None of us got to where we are without a mentor and/or a sponsor. This was never made clearer than my experience in studying Black school superintendents and working in graduate education at the University of Michigan. I guess to be honest my first glimpse of this phenomenon was growing up in Baton Rouge observing the bricklayers, plasterers, cement finishers, painters and other skilled building trade workers training their sons, relatives and sons of friends to work in their trades. Antoine Garibaldi and I talked about doing a study on that Louisiana phenomenon. I don't know if he ever did the study.
Working with a superintendent search firm provided evidence that there were king makers in this field. There were professors of educational administration who mentored and sponsored many aspiring superintendents. It was also made clear that when one reached a certain level on the career ladder that an unsolicited application for positions was like the kiss of death. You do not apply for these positions you are nominated for those positions by your mentor/sponsor. We sometimes have a problem serving as mentors or sponsors for others.
It is my belief that in order to be an effective mentor or sponsor to someone you have to enter that relationship with the hope, desire and expectation that the person that you are mentoring will someday surpass you. If you cannot accept that fact and work to ensure that your mentee will someday surpass you, you cannot truly mentor anyone. Your desire to be top dog forever will get in your way of helping another in his/her career quest.
Forty two years ago when I became interested in studying Black School superintendents I wanted to know what were the conditions necessary in school districts before a Black would be named superintendent. I had a very progressive advisor, mentor and dissertation chair, Bill Hazard, who let me do this unconventional. It was not only unconventional in its subject matter but it was unconventional in the fact that there were only twenty-one Black School Superintendents in the United States out 21,000 plus school superintendents.
The conditions found to be necessary in school district before a Black superintendent was named were:
1. The school district has a financial deficit.
2. An increase in Title I funds received by the school district. Meaning there are more poor or low income students in the district.
3. The non-white student population was in the majority.
4. The non-white population of the community is in the majority or projections indicate it will soon
will be.
5. There is a majority non-white school board.
6. The non-white teaching staff increased significantly prior to the appointment of the Black
superintendent.
7. There is a significant increase in the percentage of Black administrators.
Over the years my wife and I and I guess many others began to observe the conditions that were in place before an African American was elected mayor of a major city, governor of a state or President of the United States of America.
We can honestly believe and have our children and our other mentees truly believe that the sky is the limit as far their career mobility is concerned. Let us pledge to use all of our knowledge, skills and wisdom to move this generation of our young people to the next level. The struggle continues.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Is America Post Racial?
The more things change, the more they stay the same. I remember as a young boy in the 1930s and 1940s in Louisiana listening to white politicians who were running for public office and were honest enough in the reason for running to say they were going to keep the "nigras" down. Today people have developed code words to say the same thing without having to say it. I have lived 77 years in this country and know that things have changed on the surface but not down at the root. The code words say the same thing and move whites who are willing to work against their own welfare; they cannot or will not see what is happening to them.
My 40 plus years of working on changing schools and other institutions from segregation to integration have given me some insights that I would like share.
First, many of these institutions just want to mix bodies but not change the corporate culture. The outburst and disrespect shown to the President demonstrate to us that there is much work to be done to change the corporate culture of the Congress.
- Are our elected officials strong enough to confront those needed changes head on?
- Are we as a nation strong enough to face the issue of race head on or do we want to gloss over it?
- Are we going to attempt to convince ourselves the election of an African American president has made this country post racial?
- Or are going to come to the realization that this election has brought race to the surface and needs to be dealt honestly? We have to answer this question once and for all.
Since the day President Obama announced that he was running for the presidency people have tried to discredit him and his quest for the highest office that many White men thought that they were entitled to by birth. Was he qualified? Was he strong enough? Now that the majority of the people in America said yes, there are other things that must be done make sure he is not successful. Code words are being used to soil and defeat his presidency. His birthplace is questioned, his friendships questioned, his religion questioned, his motive for wanting to urge students to stay in school was questioned, and his motive to have good health care for everyone is questioned.
Over the years the Black man has been turned into the Big Buck, a demon who is to be feared and kept in his place or destroyed. We cannot let them destroy this intelligent, courageous, caring human being, OUR PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
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