when I say that I’m an educator there’s often the assumption that I’ve always
often the assumption that I’ve always
often the assumption that I’ve always had a love for learning my response no
had a love for learning my response no
had a love for learning my response no in fact I can remember when I was in the
in fact I can remember when I was in the
in fact I can remember when I was in the eighth grade
eighth grade
eighth grade my mom would say parent-teacher
my mom would say parent-teacher
my mom would say parent-teacher conferences I waited all evening for her
conferences I waited all evening for her
conferences I waited all evening for her to get home because I knew that she
to get home because I knew that she
to get home because I knew that she would found out that my grades were
would found out that my grades were
would found out that my grades were terrible Bemis is saying when she got
terrible Bemis is saying when she got
terrible Bemis is saying when she got home I was nowhere to be found I tell
home I was nowhere to be found I tell
home I was nowhere to be found I tell people I graduated from high school
people I graduated from high school
people I graduated from high school without knowing the difference between
without knowing the difference between
without knowing the difference between there there and there I don’t think I
there there and there I don’t think I
there there and there I don’t think I read one book in any of my classes
read one book in any of my classes
read one book in any of my classes entirely it wasn’t that I didn’t have
entirely it wasn’t that I didn’t have
entirely it wasn’t that I didn’t have great teachers because I did I just
great teachers because I did I just
great teachers because I did I just didn’t take school that seriously
didn’t take school that seriously
didn’t take school that seriously growing up in fact I would say that any
growing up in fact I would say that any
growing up in fact I would say that any educational accomplishments I had to
educational accomplishments I had to
educational accomplishments I had to that point I could largely credit to my
that point I could largely credit to my
that point I could largely credit to my mother who willed me to be successful it
mother who willed me to be successful it
mother who willed me to be successful it was until I got to college and I took an
was until I got to college and I took an
was until I got to college and I took an african-american studies course in
african-american studies course in
african-american studies course in English literature course that I began
English literature course that I began
English literature course that I began to like learning this might turn to a
to like learning this might turn to a
to like learning this might turn to a love and it’s love turned to my wanting
love and it’s love turned to my wanting
love and it’s love turned to my wanting to be an educator now as a higher
to be an educator now as a higher
to be an educator now as a higher education administrator I’ve spent the
education administrator I’ve spent the
education administrator I’ve spent the past decade thinking about all things I
past decade thinking about all things I
past decade thinking about all things I read things like what is access to
read things like what is access to
read things like what is access to college really mean and who has it how
college really mean and who has it how
college really mean and who has it how do we make the best and most inclusive
do we make the best and most inclusive
do we make the best and most inclusive environments to help our students be
environments to help our students be
environments to help our students be successful how do we help our students
successful how do we help our students
successful how do we help our students learn but also get what they ultimately
learn but also get what they ultimately
learn but also get what they ultimately came for a degree and the most important
came for a degree and the most important
came for a degree and the most important question how do we make sure that our
question how do we make sure that our
question how do we make sure that our students wake up in time for their eight
students wake up in time for their eight
students wake up in time for their eight o’clock classes yeah I know that on
o’clock classes yeah I know that on
o’clock classes yeah I know that on college campuses we have buzzwords like
college campuses we have buzzwords like
college campuses we have buzzwords like educated and well-rounded we challenge
educated and well-rounded we challenge
educated and well-rounded we challenge our students to take ownership and their
our students to take ownership and their
our students to take ownership and their learning both inside and outside the
learning both inside and outside the
learning both inside and outside the classroom but we don’t articulate as
classroom but we don’t articulate as
classroom but we don’t articulate as well as we can sometimes the idea that
well as we can sometimes the idea that
well as we can sometimes the idea that teaching and learning can happen at any
teaching and learning can happen at any
teaching and learning can happen at any moment in more ways that most of us
moment in more ways that most of us
moment in more ways that most of us think about on one side the colleague
think about on one side the colleague
think about on one side the colleague asked me Brandon will you meet with
asked me Brandon will you meet with
asked me Brandon will you meet with students why does it take so long I said
students why does it take so long I said
students why does it take so long I said because every time I meet with a student
because every time I meet with a student
because every time I meet with a student my goal is that they will leave knowing
my goal is that they will leave knowing
my goal is that they will leave knowing something they didn’t know before that’s
something they didn’t know before that’s
something they didn’t know before that’s the same what happened for me he said
the same what happened for me he said
the same what happened for me he said that sounds good but that that takes too
that sounds good but that that takes too
that sounds good but that that takes too much work I said if we’re not doing this
much work I said if we’re not doing this
much work I said if we’re not doing this then what are we here for
then what are we here for
then what are we here for well not leaving the students I make it
well not leaving the students I make it
well not leaving the students I make it a point to give book suggestions to give
a point to give book suggestions to give
a point to give book suggestions to give article suggestions I ask what classes
article suggestions I ask what classes
article suggestions I ask what classes are you taking how can you educate me
are you taking how can you educate me
are you taking how can you educate me and my personal life I ask my friends
and my personal life I ask my friends
and my personal life I ask my friends and family what articles have you read
and family what articles have you read
and family what articles have you read lately what books have you read
lately what books have you read
lately what books have you read you see I believe that everyone should
you see I believe that everyone should
you see I believe that everyone should be a teacher and everyone should be a
be a teacher and everyone should be a
be a teacher and everyone should be a student so how do we get to this place
student so how do we get to this place
student so how do we get to this place for teaching and learning can happen at
for teaching and learning can happen at
for teaching and learning can happen at any moment I believe first we have to
any moment I believe first we have to
any moment I believe first we have to listen I think Stephen Covey was right
listen I think Stephen Covey was right
listen I think Stephen Covey was right when he said we must first seek to
when he said we must first seek to
when he said we must first seek to understand then be understood I once had
understand then be understood I once had
understand then be understood I once had a white student who had to meet with me
a white student who had to meet with me
a white student who had to meet with me as part of his sanction for going around
as part of his sanction for going around
as part of his sanction for going around his residence hall yelling the n-word
his residence hall yelling the n-word
his residence hall yelling the n-word you should have seen this thing his face
you should have seen this thing his face
you should have seen this thing his face when I was a black man said across from
when I was a black man said across from
when I was a black man said across from him and said why do you think it was
him and said why do you think it was
him and said why do you think it was okay to say this word I looked just like
okay to say this word I looked just like
okay to say this word I looked just like that – his eyes were like whoa in that
that – his eyes were like whoa in that
that – his eyes were like whoa in that moment I could have ridiculed him and I
moment I could have ridiculed him and I
moment I could have ridiculed him and I really wanted to part of me wanted to
really wanted to part of me wanted to
really wanted to part of me wanted to but I chose to give him the benefit of
but I chose to give him the benefit of
but I chose to give him the benefit of the doubt I chose to listen by choosing
the doubt I chose to listen by choosing
the doubt I chose to listen by choosing to listen I learned that he had never
to listen I learned that he had never
to listen I learned that he had never had a meaningful relationship with a
had a meaningful relationship with a
had a meaningful relationship with a black person that he thought the n-word
black person that he thought the n-word
black person that he thought the n-word was okay because he had heard it said in
was okay because he had heard it said in
was okay because he had heard it said in popular media by choosing to listen to
popular media by choosing to listen to
popular media by choosing to listen to me he learned about the real impact of
me he learned about the real impact of
me he learned about the real impact of that word and learned about the lived
that word and learned about the lived
that word and learned about the lived experience of a black man we had several
experience of a black man we had several
experience of a black man we had several conversations over the course of a few
conversations over the course of a few
conversations over the course of a few weeks and I honestly believe they
weeks and I honestly believe they
weeks and I honestly believe they impacted him in a positive way listening
impacted him in a positive way listening
impacted him in a positive way listening provides opportunities for teaching and
provides opportunities for teaching and
provides opportunities for teaching and learning to happen but it’s not just
learning to happen but it’s not just
learning to happen but it’s not just about listening it’s about shifting our
about listening it’s about shifting our
about listening it’s about shifting our paradigm and when we think teaching and
paradigm and when we think teaching and
paradigm and when we think teaching and learning can occur Abraham Maslow said
learning can occur Abraham Maslow said
learning can occur Abraham Maslow said if the only tool you have is a Hammer
if the only tool you have is a Hammer
if the only tool you have is a Hammer Every Problem will look like a nail
Every Problem will look like a nail
Every Problem will look like a nail similar if we allow our blinders to make
similar if we allow our blinders to make
similar if we allow our blinders to make us think that teaching and learning can
us think that teaching and learning can
us think that teaching and learning can only happen in a classroom or
only happen in a classroom or
only happen in a classroom or educational setting that’s what will
educational setting that’s what will
educational setting that’s what will happen however if we embrace this idea
happen however if we embrace this idea
happen however if we embrace this idea of a global classroom we can learn in
of a global classroom we can learn in
of a global classroom we can learn in multiple places most people who know me
multiple places most people who know me
multiple places most people who know me will say I have fully embraced the
will say I have fully embraced the
will say I have fully embraced the bowtie movement I like bowties because
bowtie movement I like bowties because
bowtie movement I like bowties because when you lean over fool you don’t have
when you lean over fool you don’t have
when you lean over fool you don’t have to worry about it getting caught I like
to worry about it getting caught I like
to worry about it getting caught I like the style of bowties but most of all I
the style of bowties but most of all I
the style of bowties but most of all I like bowties because I believe they make
like bowties because I believe they make
like bowties because I believe they make me look good
me look good
me look good as a matter of fact that’s the reason
as a matter of fact that’s the reason
as a matter of fact that’s the reason why didn’t wear a bowtie today could I
why didn’t wear a bowtie today could I
why didn’t wear a bowtie today could I see him don’t look too good if I wore a
see him don’t look too good if I wore a
see him don’t look too good if I wore a bowtie before there were bowties there
bowtie before there were bowties there
bowtie before there were bowties there were ties and I mean the first time I
were ties and I mean the first time I
were ties and I mean the first time I learned how to tie a tie
learned how to tie a tie
learned how to tie a tie my stepfather had been trying to teach
my stepfather had been trying to teach
my stepfather had been trying to teach me for several weeks and of course this
me for several weeks and of course this
me for several weeks and of course this was before YouTube so I wasn’t really
was before YouTube so I wasn’t really
was before YouTube so I wasn’t really getting it and one day we were on a
getting it and one day we were on a
getting it and one day we were on a metro Lincoln st. Louis headed to an
metro Lincoln st. Louis headed to an
metro Lincoln st. Louis headed to an event and I was trying to tie my tie you
event and I was trying to tie my tie you
event and I was trying to tie my tie you know the gentleman who came up to me he
know the gentleman who came up to me he
know the gentleman who came up to me he looked to be of lesser means he wasn’t
looked to be of lesser means he wasn’t
looked to be of lesser means he wasn’t wearing a tie he wasn’t particularly
wearing a tie he wasn’t particularly
wearing a tie he wasn’t particularly dressed well and he said I can teach you
dressed well and he said I can teach you
dressed well and he said I can teach you how to tie that time I looked at him
how to tie that time I looked at him
how to tie that time I looked at him like you can’t teach me how to style
like you can’t teach me how to style
like you can’t teach me how to style anymore in a time but I said ok and then
anymore in a time but I said ok and then
anymore in a time but I said ok and then the most random of places I learned a
the most random of places I learned a
the most random of places I learned a skill that I’ve carried with me
skill that I’ve carried with me
skill that I’ve carried with me throughout the entirety of my personal
throughout the entirety of my personal
throughout the entirety of my personal and professional life that was a great
and professional life that was a great
and professional life that was a great moment not just because of what I
moment not just because of what I
moment not just because of what I learned but because of who was there
learned but because of who was there
learned but because of who was there Rayleigh blonde says you can learn
Rayleigh blonde says you can learn
Rayleigh blonde says you can learn something every day
something every day
something every day if you just pay attention I asked myself
if you just pay attention I asked myself
if you just pay attention I asked myself Who am I paying attention to is it only
Who am I paying attention to is it only
Who am I paying attention to is it only the people who I think can teach me a
the people who I think can teach me a
the people who I think can teach me a lesson
lesson
lesson or is it everyone I come in contact with
or is it everyone I come in contact with
or is it everyone I come in contact with lately some of the best lessons I’ve
lately some of the best lessons I’ve
lately some of the best lessons I’ve learned have actually come from my
learned have actually come from my
learned have actually come from my little nieces and nephews I love talking
little nieces and nephews I love talking
little nieces and nephews I love talking to them because they don’t care about my
to them because they don’t care about my
to them because they don’t care about my educational accomplishments they don’t
educational accomplishments they don’t
educational accomplishments they don’t care about what I do at work
care about what I do at work
care about what I do at work all they care about is if I play with
all they care about is if I play with
all they care about is if I play with them if I have gum or if I have money
them if I have gum or if I have money
them if I have gum or if I have money and I tell them I never have money they
and I tell them I never have money they
and I tell them I never have money they often teach me lessons about humility
often teach me lessons about humility
often teach me lessons about humility they teach me how it’s important how
they teach me how it’s important how
they teach me how it’s important how it’s more important to work to live and
it’s more important to work to live and
it’s more important to work to live and not live to work they teach me how to
not live to work they teach me how to
not live to work they teach me how to enjoy the small things in life how
enjoy the small things in life how
enjoy the small things in life how powerful would it be if each and every
powerful would it be if each and every
powerful would it be if each and every one of us tried to teach and/or learn in
one of us tried to teach and/or learn in
one of us tried to teach and/or learn in every moment I think we can do it but we
every moment I think we can do it but we
every moment I think we can do it but we just have to listen we have to give the
just have to listen we have to give the
just have to listen we have to give the benefit of the doubt we have to treat
benefit of the doubt we have to treat
benefit of the doubt we have to treat every place in every space like a
every place in every space like a
every place in every space like a classroom and we have to believe that
classroom and we have to believe that
classroom and we have to believe that each and every one of us has something
each and every one of us has something
each and every one of us has something powerful to say thank you
”
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