Where Do We Go From Here?

     This morning, I came across a video about Erin Gruwell, a teacher in an inner city school that used reading and writing to change the lives of her students. According to Library Journal, Gruwell was a first-year high school teacher "teaching the 'unteachables'" After reading, Anne Frank, "students were inspired to start keeping diaries of their lives that showed the violence, homelessness, racism, illness, and abuse that surrounded them." Their experience is detailed in the book, "The Freedom Writers Diary" and was a made into a feature film and public television documentary. My first thought was, "How had I missed this? This sounds amazing!"

     Later I got to thinking about other videos, stories, and such that have taught us about teachers, counselors, coaches, and individuals that do wonderful things to change the lives of kids and adults. Strategies that actually work. 

• Rodney Robinson - a teacher who developed a social studies curriculum centering on the national prison system, especially juvenile justice.
• Jahana Hayes - an educator/congresswoman who feels that more voices are needed from teachers to help shape government and educational policies.
• Chuck Hatfield - a coach who "builds a unique relationship with everyone because he works hard to understand who they are."
• Lou Holtz - a coach who inspired players with a simple sign, "Play Like a Champion".

     Search inspirational teachers, coaches, business people, or whoever, and a plethora of stories are at your fingertips. 

But where are those strategies and lessons? Why are they not commonplace so that more people can benefit? Why are they not a part of everyday learning? Wouldn't these ideas help change our society?

     With my experience in education, I know that what works for one child, doesn't work for another. Education, or rather Learning is not one size fits all. There are many fabulous programs out there that reach students and help them grow to be productive adults. Schools do successfully teach and inspire kids every day. Educators make a huge difference in countless lives. Regular, everyday teachers that are not always recognized publicly like those mentioned. 

     So I guess the real question is, "Where is the breakdown?" Why do we have so much crime, abuse, murder, civil unrest? Why are there so many homeless? This year, 2020, the Coronavirus, has not helped this situation one bit. Families are struggling, businesses are struggling, schools are struggling, so all of this means that our kids are struggling. For our world, things may very well get worse before they get better. Where do we start? What can we do to help?

     Most people don't wake up and decide to become a criminal, an abuser, or homeless. Somewhere along the way, kids experience trauma that later affects their life choices. Maybe each of us needs to start recognizing what is happening to our kids, our future. The strategies, lessons, inspiration are out there. Intervention needs to occur now. Start small. Open a door for someone, be kind, speak nicely, offer a hand, pray. If you have the means, donate. Donate your time, money, services. Be the example that others need to see. Ask, what can I do? You may not think that you can make a difference, but if you can even make a moment of a difference in someone's life, you have done something that matters. "Be the Change that You Wish to See in the World."