Teaching: the Cornerstone of Being

Here is "the thing wherein to catch the consciousness of the King..." or the Queens in each and every one of us:

no child comes to school to fail.

I don't think that anyone likes being awakened by pressing thoughts. At least I don't appreciate it much. But reflection can't be all bad- especially when prompted by Shakespeare and a basic social justice tenet from my graduate studies at San Francisco State.

I have yet to meet a child that has ever come to school to fail. So when some do, for whatever reason, my senses are heightened. The problem with education is: once you know something, you can't act like you don't know. Also one answer inevitably leads to another question!
One's life can be forever changed with what is often an uncomfortable consciousness. I say 'uncomfortable' because either one is (and I fully speak for myself here...) called to action or left with the sense of inaction.

And although there is a place for inaction in meditation, social justice holds the perverbialy inactive accountable.

One thing I have learned about elementary aged children is that they are more inclined to react than to act out of controlled consciousness. That's sort of the beautiful thing about kids. They are truly present in that way. Such presence and spontinaety brings a freshness that is as inspiring as it is compelling.

All this to say, when students fail, I ask, "Why?"
...not only to continuously inform and update my own teaching practice, but more so out of a sense of social justice.

Here's why.
We are all one degree away from the weakest member in society. Don't believe me? Consider this: in an instant, at any instance, your life- however privileged - can go from what it is... to being in complete jeapardy. Maybe even nonexistent. Well, eventually that happens too!

We are all arguably where we are today because of someone else. We all stand on the shoulders of those less fortunate than ourselves. Whether we like it or not, we are all products of assistance- or lack thereof. And as delicious as the idea seems, no one pulls themselves completely up by their own bootstraps. That's just a colloquialism for 'hard work.' For which there is no substitute. But hard work teamed with consciousness- now there's something!

And if we do not or did not get assistance in some way- we may be in dire need of some. So I liken teaching to living by the hand...of assistance. I teach multiple subject elementary subjects in the public sphere. And when others fail to receive or reflect my objective- I ask "why?"

Ah, the barriers
Along my path to formal instruction, it was impossible not to escape the reflections of Jonathan Kozol and others who have dedicated their lives to educating children and reflecting on the barriers that hinder achievement. I went Berkeley at the height of the Affirmative Action debate; circa 1992. It seems that every era has its suspicions or solutions regarding equity.

The fact is, for many children, from many paths and cultures, there are numerous barriers to education. And it often seems like the odds continued to stack up on those less economically inclined. As important as it is to note that financial well-being doesn't necessarily equate with hard work (we all know that you don't get 'rich' by working hard!) financial support can most certainly afford you focus in a way that is impossible without cash.

But what really sustains us? What sustains a student?

To concentrate and focus on the micro, there are all kinds of 'macro' that need paying for.
But with what type of capital?

I meditate on sustainability often because the essence of its concept is at the core of self- improvement. And I teach, so kids can get somewhere. The idea is that if we get what we need, we get where we need to go. And not every body gets what they need- so the onus is often placed upon teachers to provide equity at a fundamental level.

Young people are not numbers, not pieces that move over time from one grade to the next, nor are they foreign from being simply who they are: young people.

A teacher once shared this quote with me:
"Life is not fair, but people can be."

So we can't control what happens to us, but we can definitely make choices and control what we do as a result of what occurs.

I'm just trying to provide youth with a scientific awareness to feed their curiosity, consciousness and meditations so that they may grow to account for their direction. I attempt to meet students where they are so that they may infinitely go further.

My hope is that my students may eventually sustain themselves as global citizens: beyond race, beyond socioeconomic status, and beyond belief.

Best believe that.
3D is about making connections against the odds.

Jump rope.
Eat well.
Think and dream.

-bd