The Crisis of Low Expectations for College-Bound Black Students

[shinerbock]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

I think a lot of what I am seeing of entering college Black freshmen is they don't know how to go to college anymore. Their folks never did, so how to go without support, such as actually registering for class on-line, has missed a point.

Also "our kids" are belligerent in college prep courses. Our kids come to my university's summer programs and miss the "special college classes" of how to go to school while getting stipends; whereas, other kids are wondering why we have to have programs like these?

Then, our kids folks--not parents, because they come from different kinds of situations have little understand what a college education provides. Some of our say that all kids should go to a vo-tech school so at least they have some basic skills to have a job. Then some say that all kids need a mandatory military service requirement. Either way, the US has always let people choose the kind of life they want.

One of my work colleagues was telling me at her church, a young man was murdered. At his funeral, there were many kids present who were dressed all kind of ways but appropriate and misbehaving by text messaging friends during the service. The pastor stated, that "Many of you think you only want to live for today, or tomorrow... Well, I don't want to live till tomorrow. I want to live beyond 80...". Then my colleague said a huge "gong, lightbulb" was switched on... It is as if kids 16/17 had kids and now their kids 16/17 are have kids who are now 16/17. It is 3rd generation and we still have not effectively taught our kids that one should want to live beyond a youth.

So the question should be is why is aging feared and hated?

Monet, you know I don't like you, but I hadn't thought about the fear of aging. Interesting perspective.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Monet, you know I don't like you, but I hadn't thought about the fear of aging. Interesting perspective.

You don't like me? Why?

I don't think it is a fear per se. I think it is "lack of exposure" or no experience with the aged. Like, while I was growing up, I had to go to visit my grandmother in a nursing home. So, I came to understand that. But many of the youth today, the only home they see is the lunacy they were born into. It leads to a disrespect toward the elderly.

Historically, when we treasured our elderly we advanced our collective knowledge. But when we bash our elderly, we fall back to repeat the same historical mistakes... Since these kids never really interact with "aged wisdom", the intellect never gets passed on. So, from my understanding, many cultures had councils of elders. This barely exists in modern impoverished society.

[7thSonofOsiris]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Monet, you know I don't like you, but I hadn't thought about the fear of aging. Interesting perspective.

shinerbock..WoW! Clown

Delph, Monet and Jubilance,

Great posts. I think that as a race, what's needed is an enhancement to all things foundational in regards to our children and young people. Everything integral to their educational readiness and preparedness is stringent upon how well we ready them when they are in the most pivotol and impressionalbe stages/ages of their learning...between the ages of 2-8.

We as a collective of parents, teachers and folks in authority positions, or really, a village, must remember to impact the holistic persons that our children are. We must continue to "expect" them to follow the examples of our Christian walks, which will help to foster and empower our teaching them to be good student-citizens, but, this begins at home. As a race we are sort of losing the ability to make our children understand that, a requirement is that they "will" attend college, or join the military, or attend a vocational school, and further, we must foster in them the belief that they can be entrepreneurs, legal entrepreneurs that is.

Once we have re-focused ourselves on imparting what's essential into our children, then they'll have a much better chance at growing up ready educationally. Two of the most major lessons that I learned from gaining an education are, (1.) That it was a blessing to gain an education. (2.) That an education is a statement of your readiness and your ability to compete in this world, which affects one's level of trainability in regards to their chosen profession. Boy do we have work to do...

7th

[delph998]

Originally Posted by 7thSonofOsiris

shinerbock..WoW! Clown

Delph, Monet and Jubilance,

Great posts. I think that as a race, what's needed is an enhancement to all things foundational in regards to our children and young people. Everything integral to their educational readiness and preparedness is stringent upon how well we ready them when they are in the most pivotol and impressionalbe stages/ages of their learning...between the ages of 2-8.

We as a collective of parents, teachers and folks in authority positions, or really, a village, must remember to impact the holistic persons that our children are. We must continue to "expect" them to follow the examples of our Christian walks, which will help to foster and empower our teaching them to be good student-citizens, but, this begins at home. As a race we are sort of losing the ability to make our children understand that, a requirement is that they "will" attend college, or join the military, or attend a vocational school, and further, we must foster in them the belief that they can be entrepreneurs, legal entrepreneurs that is.

Once we have re-focused ourselves on imparting what's essential into our children, then they'll have a much better chance at growing up ready educationally. Two of the most major lessons that I learned from gaining an education are, (1.) That it was a blessing to gain an education. (2.) That an education is a statement of your readiness and your ability to compete in this world, which affects one's level of trainability in regards to their chosen profession. Boy do we have work to do...

7th

Very well said, the7th. And the subject of your post says it best, foundations are very key, and these foundations start at home.

[mccoyred]

Originally Posted by delph998

Very well said, the7th. And the subject of your post says it best, foundations are very key, and these foundations start at home.

Exactly! Which is why I don't get it when people make such a big deal of getting into a 'good' school district. Yes, we want our children to attend somewhere where they are not fearing for their safety on a daily basis but putting your family in financial jeopardy to get into a 'good' school district is IMHO crazy. Working with your child at home will allow them to make the most of almost any school district situation.