When I was growing up we did a few projects at school where they would ask you to name what you parents did for a living. Answering about my Mom was easy, she was a therapist. I always new that. Heck anyone could figure that out just by talking to her for 5 minutes because invariably you would start telling her your life story. She just has that way about her. But my father, well that was a little more difficult. You see, what I knew about my father’s job was that he got up and went to work early in the morning, and came home fairly regularly around 530 at night. Usually I only saw him fleetingly for dinner just before I would rush out the door with my mother and sister to an evening dance class or rehearsal. But nevertheless I did have an answer for people who asked what my father did. He gave away the free cheese! See in Wisconsin there was this program that gave away free cheese to people in need. And though I didn’t know much else about my father’s job, I did know that he had something to do with that program. As I got older I finally got a real title for my father. He was the Regional Director for Health and Social Services for the State of Wisconsin. I still didn’t know exactly what that meant, but it was a great title!
That was his present while I was growing up. His past was something a little more colorful, but truthfully still elusive. From 1952-58 my father was a Harlem Globetrotter. Yes, you heard me right. He was a Harlem Globetrotter. And the only reason I have the dates down pat was because he had this award from the organization that hung in our house and it had the dates in raised characters on the front. I memorized them. I had to, because that was about as much detail as I ever really got about his experience. It’s not his fault totally. I don’t remember if I have ever really asked for detailed memories, I’m embarrassed to say. Amazing how we take the people close to us for granted. Their histories.
Last week I learned something more about my father that I didn’t know. Not from him, but from a newspaper article. (more…)
I started teaching when I was a teen-ager. I always loved working with children and felt that I had something special to share with them. However, I would teach for a session or two and then need to take a break for a few months. I would get burned out. Then I had children of my own and it was as if my DNA changed. (more…)
I gotta tell you I am mad. I am really mad. Just a few weeks ago I wrote about the death of Derrion Albert less than a mile from his school. He was beaten to death on the street by a gang of youths armed with railroad ties. The entire event was captured on video, particularly the absence of help. He was an innocent kid stuck walking a gauntlet of violence to get from school to the bus stop to home. Now we have Gamma.
Gamaliel Toscano actually participated in a safe haven program that helps get kids off of the street and away from gangs. Not far enough apparently, because at 245pm on Thursday, October 22 Gamma was gunned down in an alley on his way home from school.
Why? Well, isn?t that the million dollar question.
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One week ago today my children and countless numbers of other children across the country returned to school. And on that bustling first day President Obama spoke to all of them, whether they were free to listen or not. He charged our children to do right by their school, their family, but chiefly, to do right by themselves, making the most of the education they have before them. I believe whole heartedly that our children want to be excited about school. They want to achieve. They want to succeed. Children have an innate sense of excitement and anticipation about school on the first day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn2–WIsvgM
It is a flame that is either fanned or extinguished based on how we as a community respond to their quest for the fires of knowledge. So now that we are in the second week of school I challenge you, just as President Obama challenged our kids, to step up, embrace and fulfill your responsibility. The responsibility to your kids, your community, your country. Help kids put education first by supporting schools and their efforts to do right by our children and thus pave the way for a brighter future for us all. To inspire you on this journey I share some of my favorite points from President Obama?s school speech.
SMILE On!
Miss Lori
Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com and ChiacgoMomsBlog. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p193w7pT4-c
It’s that time of year again, time to send our children back to school. Which means a whole host of visits to your pediatrician, dentist and optomotrist. Wouldn’t it be great if you could take care of all of your needs in one place. With my crazy schedule that is exactly what I need. Well, this Sunday August 30th, 2009 I can do just that at Resurrection Health Care’s Neighborhood Health Festival
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