Welcome! On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to welcome you to the 32nd METCO DIRECTOR's Association Educator's conference; "Preparing Students of Color to be successful in a global society." Or in the words of the late Rodney King, Can't we all just get along? Such a simple question and yet, as evidenced by the most recent presidential election, now more than ever we are realizing that the answer is just too complicated. While some celebrate the results others are still in mourning wondering what will happen next. What will my life, my children's life, my children's children's lives become? As I look out upon this audience I see a rainbow of colors; I see some who are short , some who are tall, some with red hair, black hair, blonde hair; some with glasses and some without. But yet, you are all seated around the table facing each other and possibly wondering about what do you think about me? We'll never know the answer unless we first ask the question. As I've so often said, it begins with relationships. Us taking the time to get to know those who sit before us in our classes, those who surround our leadership tables, those with whom we interact with every day.
I want you to close your eyes. Remember back to the days of your youth when your mom or your grandma poured you and your sibling a cup of juice. Because you had to have the Wonder Woman cup that was short and wide, and your sibling had to have the Superman cup that was tall and slim, you complained that the superman that had more juice than you. Now it could have had the exact amount but just because the cups were shaped differently, the perception was different. That's our educational system. Our kids ride on the same yellow buses across the city but because the distance to school is paved with different people in single family homes not only is the perception different about what they need, so too is the expectation.
Well guess what? Black lives matter! Lives matter! I need you to, simply matter! Matter to your students! Matter to your families! Matter to, your communities and your districts! I hope that by the time you leave today, that you are inspired, energized, and determined to make a difference. It simply begins with one-- one person who will decide to make sure each one you come in contact with is important, is special, is worth the time to get to know. There is an old negro spiritual that simply says, If I can help somebody as I travel along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living will not be in vain.
Success for our students can only happen if we decide to be the One! Don't let your teaching be in vain, commit to developing those relationships and remember to M A T T E R! Just matter!
I want you to close your eyes. Remember back to the days of your youth when your mom or your grandma poured you and your sibling a cup of juice. Because you had to have the Wonder Woman cup that was short and wide, and your sibling had to have the Superman cup that was tall and slim, you complained that the superman that had more juice than you. Now it could have had the exact amount but just because the cups were shaped differently, the perception was different. That's our educational system. Our kids ride on the same yellow buses across the city but because the distance to school is paved with different people in single family homes not only is the perception different about what they need, so too is the expectation.
Well guess what? Black lives matter! Lives matter! I need you to, simply matter! Matter to your students! Matter to your families! Matter to, your communities and your districts! I hope that by the time you leave today, that you are inspired, energized, and determined to make a difference. It simply begins with one-- one person who will decide to make sure each one you come in contact with is important, is special, is worth the time to get to know. There is an old negro spiritual that simply says, If I can help somebody as I travel along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living will not be in vain.
Success for our students can only happen if we decide to be the One! Don't let your teaching be in vain, commit to developing those relationships and remember to M A T T E R! Just matter!