have you ever wondered what it’s like to be colored
be colored
be colored I used to think about that as a child
I used to think about that as a child
I used to think about that as a child because my dad was colorblind and so it
because my dad was colorblind and so it
because my dad was colorblind and so it with great interest that I found out
with great interest that I found out
with great interest that I found out that there are glasses that are now made
that there are glasses that are now made
that there are glasses that are now made that can help colorblind and color
that can help colorblind and color
that can help colorblind and color deficient people to see color for the
deficient people to see color for the
deficient people to see color for the first time and so if you look on the
first time and so if you look on the
first time and so if you look on the internet you can find those videos of
internet you can find those videos of
internet you can find those videos of people who put on those glasses for the
people who put on those glasses for the
people who put on those glasses for the first time and their friends and their
first time and their friends and their
first time and their friends and their families are watching them and it takes
families are watching them and it takes
families are watching them and it takes a little while they put the glasses on
a little while they put the glasses on
a little while they put the glasses on it takes a few minutes for them to be
it takes a few minutes for them to be
it takes a few minutes for them to be able to see the difference as they look
able to see the difference as they look
able to see the difference as they look around at their surroundings right and
around at their surroundings right and
around at their surroundings right and it’s really emotional to not only see
it’s really emotional to not only see
it’s really emotional to not only see their reaction to see their friends and
their reaction to see their friends and
their reaction to see their friends and family’s reaction as these people are
family’s reaction as these people are
family’s reaction as these people are seeing things seeing the world in a
seeing things seeing the world in a
seeing things seeing the world in a different way for the first time they
different way for the first time they
different way for the first time they say things like oh my gosh that’s red
say things like oh my gosh that’s red
say things like oh my gosh that’s red that’s what red looks like or oh my
that’s what red looks like or oh my
that’s what red looks like or oh my goodness look look how blue that is Wow
goodness look look how blue that is Wow
goodness look look how blue that is Wow whoever knew blue could be like that
whoever knew blue could be like that
whoever knew blue could be like that right so it’s it’s very emotional and
right so it’s it’s very emotional and
right so it’s it’s very emotional and it’s fun to watch the videos and I can
it’s fun to watch the videos and I can
it’s fun to watch the videos and I can relate to that because in a lonely
relate to that because in a lonely
relate to that because in a lonely because when I was a little kid I
because when I was a little kid I
because when I was a little kid I couldn’t see very well I had just poor
couldn’t see very well I had just poor
couldn’t see very well I had just poor vision right and my dad I’ve had this
vision right and my dad I’ve had this
vision right and my dad I’ve had this idea that she should not put glasses on
idea that she should not put glasses on
idea that she should not put glasses on a kid too soon because that might hurt
a kid too soon because that might hurt
a kid too soon because that might hurt they’re hurt their eyes so I went
they’re hurt their eyes so I went
they’re hurt their eyes so I went through many years of my elementary
through many years of my elementary
through many years of my elementary school squinting and messing up my face
school squinting and messing up my face
school squinting and messing up my face so that I could see the board and the
so that I could see the board and the
so that I could see the board and the teachers would put me in the front row
teachers would put me in the front row
teachers would put me in the front row so that I could see better and so when I
so that I could see better and so when I
so that I could see better and so when I finally got glasses when I went to the
finally got glasses when I went to the
finally got glasses when I went to the eye doctor and put on glasses for the
eye doctor and put on glasses for the
eye doctor and put on glasses for the first time I was amazed that people saw
first time I was amazed that people saw
first time I was amazed that people saw the world this way all the time right
the world this way all the time right
the world this way all the time right and I remember standing in the doctor’s
and I remember standing in the doctor’s
and I remember standing in the doctor’s office and looking across the street at
office and looking across the street at
office and looking across the street at the trees on the other side of the
the trees on the other side of the
the trees on the other side of the street and was truly blown away by the
street and was truly blown away by the
street and was truly blown away by the fact that they weren’t lumps like if I
fact that they weren’t lumps like if I
fact that they weren’t lumps like if I drew on my art my art projects but they
drew on my art my art projects but they
drew on my art my art projects but they were actually you could actually see the
were actually you could actually see the
were actually you could actually see the death
death
death issue of the leaves and you can actually
issue of the leaves and you can actually
issue of the leaves and you can actually see the colors better really so that’s
see the colors better really so that’s
see the colors better really so that’s what I think is what’s wrong with
what I think is what’s wrong with
what I think is what’s wrong with education or not what’s wrong with it
education or not what’s wrong with it
education or not what’s wrong with it sorry that’s why I want you to
sorry that’s why I want you to
sorry that’s why I want you to re-envision education with me I want you
re-envision education with me I want you
re-envision education with me I want you to put on a new prescription and that
to put on a new prescription and that
to put on a new prescription and that new prescription with that new
new prescription with that new
new prescription with that new prescription you will see that we need
prescription you will see that we need
prescription you will see that we need to extend student learning in any way
to extend student learning in any way
to extend student learning in any way and every way we can
and every way we can
and every way we can through community involvement we’ve been
through community involvement we’ve been
through community involvement we’ve been looking at education the same way we
looking at education the same way we
looking at education the same way we have for a hundred years when it comes
have for a hundred years when it comes
have for a hundred years when it comes to the structure of it right why do we
to the structure of it right why do we
to the structure of it right why do we have the school day in the school year
have the school day in the school year
have the school day in the school year that we have now it’s because a hundred
that we have now it’s because a hundred
that we have now it’s because a hundred years ago that worked for families they
years ago that worked for families they
years ago that worked for families they put the crop into the bin and then their
put the crop into the bin and then their
put the crop into the bin and then their kids went off to school knowing that the
kids went off to school knowing that the
kids went off to school knowing that the kids would be would come back that the
kids would be would come back that the
kids would be would come back that the school year would be over when they
school year would be over when they
school year would be over when they needed them again
needed them again
needed them again for planting and they did got up and
for planting and they did got up and
for planting and they did got up and they did chores together in the morning
they did chores together in the morning
they did chores together in the morning and then they and then the kids went off
and then they and then the kids went off
and then they and then the kids went off to school knowing that those kids would
to school knowing that those kids would
to school knowing that those kids would come back so they could get the chores
come back so they could get the chores
come back so they could get the chores done before dark so we still have this
done before dark so we still have this
done before dark so we still have this August to May 8 to 3 kind of schedule
August to May 8 to 3 kind of schedule
August to May 8 to 3 kind of schedule and we’re pretending like that still
and we’re pretending like that still
and we’re pretending like that still works for families I don’t know about
works for families I don’t know about
works for families I don’t know about you but I don’t see a lot of families
you but I don’t see a lot of families
you but I don’t see a lot of families that operate under that schedule anymore
that operate under that schedule anymore
that operate under that schedule anymore the reality today is that 50 years ago
the reality today is that 50 years ago
the reality today is that 50 years ago 70% of our families had stay-at-home
70% of our families had stay-at-home
70% of our families had stay-at-home moms right one income families today
moms right one income families today
moms right one income families today it’s the exact opposite over 70% of our
it’s the exact opposite over 70% of our
it’s the exact opposite over 70% of our families our two income families and
families our two income families and
families our two income families and that means that 30 percent of our
that means that 30 percent of our
that means that 30 percent of our children are home alone in the morning
children are home alone in the morning
children are home alone in the morning getting themselves to school and 30
getting themselves to school and 30
getting themselves to school and 30 percent of our kids are coming home at
percent of our kids are coming home at
percent of our kids are coming home at the end of the day to an empty home or
the end of the day to an empty home or
the end of the day to an empty home or parents are shuffling their kids around
parents are shuffling their kids around
parents are shuffling their kids around spending extra money finding babysitters
spending extra money finding babysitters
spending extra money finding babysitters or maybe if they’re lucky grandparents
or maybe if they’re lucky grandparents
or maybe if they’re lucky grandparents to come in and and fill in that gap
to come in and and fill in that gap
to come in and and fill in that gap some things have changed in in the world
some things have changed in in the world
some things have changed in in the world in the in the life of Education right
in the in the life of Education right
in the in the life of Education right technology has changed a great deal
technology has changed a great deal
technology has changed a great deal we’ve heard a little bit about that
we’ve heard a little bit about that
we’ve heard a little bit about that today so the tools that we use to teach
today so the tools that we use to teach
today so the tools that we use to teach have changed quite a bit we are less
have changed quite a bit we are less
have changed quite a bit we are less reliant on paper and pen and we don’t
reliant on paper and pen and we don’t
reliant on paper and pen and we don’t use chalkboards anymore so now it’s a
use chalkboards anymore so now it’s a
use chalkboards anymore so now it’s a world of smart boards and iPads and
world of smart boards and iPads and
world of smart boards and iPads and computers and visual reality and an
computers and visual reality and an
computers and visual reality and an internet learning right so the
internet learning right so the
internet learning right so the technology has changed a lot but we’re
technology has changed a lot but we’re
technology has changed a lot but we’re still using the same system and
still using the same system and
still using the same system and expecting that to work imagine if you
expecting that to work imagine if you
expecting that to work imagine if you will that you’re a parent and you need
will that you’re a parent and you need
will that you’re a parent and you need to get to work at 7:00 to 5:00 in the
to get to work at 7:00 to 5:00 in the
to get to work at 7:00 to 5:00 in the morning and the school building doesn’t
morning and the school building doesn’t
morning and the school building doesn’t open till 7:30 so what you have to do
open till 7:30 so what you have to do
open till 7:30 so what you have to do you again have to find if to spend extra
you again have to find if to spend extra
you again have to find if to spend extra money you have to find somebody willing
money you have to find somebody willing
money you have to find somebody willing to to help your kids into the right
to to help your kids into the right
to to help your kids into the right place you have to provide extra
place you have to provide extra
place you have to provide extra transportation it doesn’t fit with the
transportation it doesn’t fit with the
transportation it doesn’t fit with the family unit to find that extra help at
family unit to find that extra help at
family unit to find that extra help at that time of the morning imagine instead
that time of the morning imagine instead
that time of the morning imagine instead that you could take your you could all
that you could take your you could all
that you could take your you could all get up together and go off to work and
get up together and go off to work and
get up together and go off to work and to school and you could drop your your
to school and you could drop your your
to school and you could drop your your pits off of the school knowing that
pits off of the school knowing that
pits off of the school knowing that you’re first in your third grader we’re
you’re first in your third grader we’re
you’re first in your third grader we’re going to be spending time with the
going to be spending time with the
going to be spending time with the visiting nurses and learning about the
visiting nurses and learning about the
visiting nurses and learning about the importance of dental hygiene and how to
importance of dental hygiene and how to
importance of dental hygiene and how to floss their teeth and at the same time
floss their teeth and at the same time
floss their teeth and at the same time your middle schooler would be at the
your middle schooler would be at the
your middle schooler would be at the green house working with the local
green house working with the local
green house working with the local gardening group who is who is who are
gardening group who is who is who are
gardening group who is who is who are helping them plant tomatoes and at the
helping them plant tomatoes and at the
helping them plant tomatoes and at the same time learning about plant science
same time learning about plant science
same time learning about plant science and about genetics or maybe your that
and about genetics or maybe your that
and about genetics or maybe your that set of parents who is there in the
set of parents who is there in the
set of parents who is there in the morning but it’s at the end of the day
morning but it’s at the end of the day
morning but it’s at the end of the day that’s the problem they don’t get home
that’s the problem they don’t get home
that’s the problem they don’t get home till 6:00 or 7:00 at night and so again
till 6:00 or 7:00 at night and so again
till 6:00 or 7:00 at night and so again there’s shuffling kids here and there
there’s shuffling kids here and there
there’s shuffling kids here and there and finding
and finding
and finding transportation but what is what if
transportation but what is what if
transportation but what is what if instead they knew that there’s their
instead they knew that there’s their
instead they knew that there’s their students were going to stay at school
students were going to stay at school
students were going to stay at school and then the community people were to be
and then the community people were to be
and then the community people were to be coming in perhaps it would be the local
coming in perhaps it would be the local
coming in perhaps it would be the local librarian the local book club people
librarian the local book club people
librarian the local book club people that would come in and discuss a
that would come in and discuss a
that would come in and discuss a favorite novel with their with their son
favorite novel with their with their son
favorite novel with their with their son or daughter or maybe it would be the
or daughter or maybe it would be the
or daughter or maybe it would be the Sportsman’s Club that comes in and
Sportsman’s Club that comes in and
Sportsman’s Club that comes in and teaches something it teaches it since
teaches something it teaches it since
teaches something it teaches it since how to fish or let’s look at the other
how to fish or let’s look at the other
how to fish or let’s look at the other way maybe in this community we’ve got a
way maybe in this community we’ve got a
way maybe in this community we’ve got a lot of elderly people and and there’s
lot of elderly people and and there’s
lot of elderly people and and there’s some elderly people that would come to
some elderly people that would come to
some elderly people that would come to the school so that your middle schooler
the school so that your middle schooler
the school so that your middle schooler could teach them how to set up their
could teach them how to set up their
could teach them how to set up their Facebook page point is and we have a lot
Facebook page point is and we have a lot
Facebook page point is and we have a lot of community people who have a lot to
of community people who have a lot to
of community people who have a lot to share and are willing to do that are
share and are willing to do that are
share and are willing to do that are willing to make a difference in the
willing to make a difference in the
willing to make a difference in the child’s life or simply want to share
child’s life or simply want to share
child’s life or simply want to share their expertise and we have a lot of
their expertise and we have a lot of
their expertise and we have a lot of agencies that are already at work but
agencies that are already at work but
agencies that are already at work but our work but are struggling to find
our work but are struggling to find
our work but are struggling to find access and divide transportation that
access and divide transportation that
access and divide transportation that they wouldn’t have to if they could if
they wouldn’t have to if they could if
they wouldn’t have to if they could if we could keep kids at school and to
we could keep kids at school and to
we could keep kids at school and to provide that mental health or that
provide that mental health or that
provide that mental health or that social service or that big brothers big
social service or that big brothers big
social service or that big brothers big sisters club or the 4-h club or whatever
sisters club or the 4-h club or whatever
sisters club or the 4-h club or whatever it is if this community has to offer or
it is if this community has to offer or
it is if this community has to offer or perhaps there’s a community college in
perhaps there’s a community college in
perhaps there’s a community college in your community with students who are
your community with students who are
your community with students who are studying to be nurses or teachers or
studying to be nurses or teachers or
studying to be nurses or teachers or accountants who need to have some
accountants who need to have some
accountants who need to have some experts some time to spend teaching that
experts some time to spend teaching that
experts some time to spend teaching that and learning it better themselves every
and learning it better themselves every
and learning it better themselves every community is unique and every community
community is unique and every community
community is unique and every community has much to offer to give students that
has much to offer to give students that
has much to offer to give students that opportunity to make that connection to
opportunity to make that connection to
opportunity to make that connection to create that relationship and to extend
create that relationship and to extend
create that relationship and to extend their learn we talk a lot about school
their learn we talk a lot about school
their learn we talk a lot about school choice in this country we talk about
choice in this country we talk about
choice in this country we talk about choosing this route or that school what
choosing this route or that school what
choosing this route or that school what I’m talking about is school choice
I’m talking about is school choice
I’m talking about is school choice within the school so that parents can
within the school so that parents can
within the school so that parents can make better decisions for the families
make better decisions for the families
make better decisions for the families so that students can make interesting
so that students can make interesting
so that students can make interesting choices for their learning and so that
choices for their learning and so that
choices for their learning and so that communities can
communities can
communities can make good choices on what they want
make good choices on what they want
make good choices on what they want their communities to to emphasize when
their communities to to emphasize when
their communities to to emphasize when it comes to education if you squint a
it comes to education if you squint a
it comes to education if you squint a little bit you can actually see that
little bit you can actually see that
little bit you can actually see that we’re we’re trying to do this right so
we’re we’re trying to do this right so
we’re we’re trying to do this right so if we screw in a little bit you can see
if we screw in a little bit you can see
if we screw in a little bit you can see that we have what we call before school
that we have what we call before school
that we have what we call before school and after school programs of course you
and after school programs of course you
and after school programs of course you have to qualify to be in them all right
have to qualify to be in them all right
have to qualify to be in them all right you gotta be low-income or at-risk or
you gotta be low-income or at-risk or
you gotta be low-income or at-risk or qualify academically somehow what if
qualify academically somehow what if
qualify academically somehow what if instead of calling them before and after
instead of calling them before and after
instead of calling them before and after school programs we just called it school
school programs we just called it school
school programs we just called it school right and we offered some choices as to
right and we offered some choices as to
right and we offered some choices as to what could take place in that time
what could take place in that time
what could take place in that time career
career
career squint again and you’ll see that we
squint again and you’ll see that we
squint again and you’ll see that we already do that when it comes to sports
already do that when it comes to sports
already do that when it comes to sports nobody thinks twice about the gym being
nobody thinks twice about the gym being
nobody thinks twice about the gym being open and the community being involved
open and the community being involved
open and the community being involved early in the morning and late at night
early in the morning and late at night
early in the morning and late at night then I’m late at night and with our
then I’m late at night and with our
then I’m late at night and with our sports programs that doesn’t seem
sports programs that doesn’t seem
sports programs that doesn’t seem strange to us at all that we have
strange to us at all that we have
strange to us at all that we have volunteer coaches and that we have
volunteer coaches and that we have
volunteer coaches and that we have people coming in to teach kids how to
people coming in to teach kids how to
people coming in to teach kids how to pitch or to Tom supervised while they’re
pitch or to Tom supervised while they’re
pitch or to Tom supervised while they’re doing weightlifting that doesn’t seem
doing weightlifting that doesn’t seem
doing weightlifting that doesn’t seem strange to us at all but at the same
strange to us at all but at the same
strange to us at all but at the same time our classrooms are dark when
time our classrooms are dark when
time our classrooms are dark when there’s opportunities there to open them
there’s opportunities there to open them
there’s opportunities there to open them up to extended learn and opportunities
up to extended learn and opportunities
up to extended learn and opportunities for our communities to truly get
for our communities to truly get
for our communities to truly get involved and what the future of our
involved and what the future of our
involved and what the future of our community is going to do it’s looking at
community is going to do it’s looking at
community is going to do it’s looking at something the same way we always have
something the same way we always have
something the same way we always have kind of generational it reminds me of
kind of generational it reminds me of
kind of generational it reminds me of that old story that I’m sure many of you
that old story that I’m sure many of you
that old story that I’m sure many of you have heard well what’s the woman is
have heard well what’s the woman is
have heard well what’s the woman is making the pot roast and she cuts off
making the pot roast and she cuts off
making the pot roast and she cuts off the ends of the compost and her son’s
the ends of the compost and her son’s
the ends of the compost and her son’s watching her do that and he says why do
watching her do that and he says why do
watching her do that and he says why do you cut off the ends and she says well
you cut off the ends and she says well
you cut off the ends and she says well oh that’s how you make a pot roast
oh that’s how you make a pot roast
oh that’s how you make a pot roast that’s the way mom taught me so he he
that’s the way mom taught me so he he
that’s the way mom taught me so he he doesn’t like that answer he’s not really
doesn’t like that answer he’s not really
doesn’t like that answer he’s not really satisfied by it so the next time is at
satisfied by it so the next time is at
satisfied by it so the next time is at Grandma’s house and he asks her grandma
Grandma’s house and he asks her grandma
Grandma’s house and he asks her grandma why do you cut the ends of the pot roast
why do you cut the ends of the pot roast
why do you cut the ends of the pot roast off before you put it in the pan
off before you put it in the pan
off before you put it in the pan she says wrong oh no it’s how you make
she says wrong oh no it’s how you make
she says wrong oh no it’s how you make pot roast that’s the way my mom told me
pot roast that’s the way my mom told me
pot roast that’s the way my mom told me so the next time they make a visit to
so the next time they make a visit to
so the next time they make a visit to the to the nursing home he has the
the to the nursing home he has the
the to the nursing home he has the pleasure of talking to his
pleasure of talking to his
pleasure of talking to his great-grandmother
great-grandmother
great-grandmother and he asks her the same question why do
and he asks her the same question why do
and he asks her the same question why do you cut the ends of the pot roast off
you cut the ends of the pot roast off
you cut the ends of the pot roast off for me first and she says well I only
for me first and she says well I only
for me first and she says well I only had one pan and I had to cut off the
had one pan and I had to cut off the
had one pan and I had to cut off the ends in order for it to fit into the pan
ends in order for it to fit into the pan
ends in order for it to fit into the pan we tend to take a look and do the same
we tend to take a look and do the same
we tend to take a look and do the same thing because that’s only it’s always
thing because that’s only it’s always
thing because that’s only it’s always moved in the pans and in the process
moved in the pans and in the process
moved in the pans and in the process we’re cutting things short we’re cutting
we’re cutting things short we’re cutting
we’re cutting things short we’re cutting our students short from the
our students short from the
our students short from the opportunities and the relationships that
opportunities and the relationships that
opportunities and the relationships that they could have we’re cutting our
they could have we’re cutting our
they could have we’re cutting our families short from the opportunities if
families short from the opportunities if
families short from the opportunities if they would have to truly spend more
they would have to truly spend more
they would have to truly spend more quality time and less stressful time
quality time and less stressful time
quality time and less stressful time with their children and we’re cutting
with their children and we’re cutting
with their children and we’re cutting our communities short because of all the
our communities short because of all the
our communities short because of all the ways that what they could get involved
ways that what they could get involved
ways that what they could get involved and truly make their communities a
and truly make their communities a
and truly make their communities a better place so I’m encouraging you now
better place so I’m encouraging you now
better place so I’m encouraging you now to not wait any longer put on those
to not wait any longer put on those
to not wait any longer put on those glasses look around and see how we can’t
glasses look around and see how we can’t
glasses look around and see how we can’t make our communities and our education
make our communities and our education
make our communities and our education system more colorful and brighter
system more colorful and brighter
system more colorful and brighter futures thank you
”
Be First to Comment