Teacher inspires student

What, exactly, is "special ed"? When I was growing up, we had a "LD" (learning disabled) class. But I only remember it being for the severely physically and mentally challenged. Today it seems that children are labeled special ed for behavior problems, refusal to learn, "emotionally disturbed," and everything else. I think a lot of times it's just easier for us to get the "problem children" out of our classroom rather than figure out a way to work with them.

Maybe this says more about me, the subconscious messages I received over the years, and the overwhelmed nature of having some students in our After-School Academy who are easier to push aside than figure out ways to work with them.

I don't know Hakeem Bennett. All I know is that he is in a special education class. But I know when he was given the opportunity to express himself, he did so in a way that won him the honor of his story being turned into a book.

I wish we had more staff to spend time with individual students at our After-School Academy. I bet we would find we have a lot of Hakeem Bennetts who, if given the opportunity, could also have some award-winning ideas.





Brooklyn boy's prize essay to become a book dedicated to blind teacher

Matthew Brown, a blind special education teacher in Brooklyn, is the inspiration behind a student's essay lauding his daily determination and patience.

A new Superman book is drawing inspiration from a Brooklyn special education student and the blind teacher he considers an everyday hero.

Eighth-grader Hakeem Bennett, 13, won a national essay contest and will appear as the title character in the upcoming title, "The Kid Who Saved Superman."

His teacher, Matthew Brown - who is blind in one eye, has tunnel vision in the other and takes a guide dog to school - will also be incorporated into the story line.

"I was going to cry," Hakeem said of the moment he found out he won the contest sponsored by Stone Arch Books. "I was happy - happy for Mr. Brown to get recognized."

A student at Public School 36 in East New York, Hakeem was encouraged by his guidance counselor to enter the contest about real-life heroes last month.

It didn't take long for him to decide Brown, 38, would be the subject of his essay.

"My teacher Mr. Brown is visually impaired," he wrote. "That [is] not what makes him a hero. It is because he takes public transportation every day with Stanley his dog to school. That is why he is a true everyday superhero.

"In our class we had a project of being blindfolded and trying to find our way around the class. It was hard for me. ... I feel sad he can't see the beautiful things around. That bothers me."

Brown said he was "very touched" that one of his students would heap such praise on him and called it "humbling."

"It just reminds you why you do this," he said.

He wasn't at school Tuesday because a car ran over his foot Monday on the way to work. The injury will keep him at home for a few days.

Nevertheless, Brown calls his blindness a "gift."

"It allows me to see people for who they are," he said.

Hakeem said his teacher's qualities go beyond his disability.

"He makes sure you understand. If you don't, he'll work with you one-on-one," he said.

"When you're angry, he calms you down. He knows how to treat you fairly."

Brown has worked at the school for six years. His principal, Johanna Schneider, called him "an awesome person."

She, too, will be featured in the story line of the chapter book, which comes out June 15.

"I've always been a fan of comic books," she said. "I'm just sorry it's not Wonder Woman."

tconnor@nydailynews.com

The capacity is in the community

The goal of inner city ministry is to help a community. "Helping" can be defined differently depending on the organization. Some believe that Christianity is the foundational principle so they focus on Bible studies and Christian principles. Others believe that equipping people with skills is important so they focus on life skills training, job skills, academic preparation, among other things. Some are a combination of the two.

Over the last several months, we have run into some situations that make me wonder if we should begin focusing our efforts differently and how to go about doing that.

Through Sylvia's efforts with our Educational Outreach Center, we have found that people want jobs. Yet, when we have tried to hire people for jobs at our After-School Academy, we continuously run into obstacles. Some can't pass a drug test...some don't have a driver's license...some have outstanding tickets that have turned into warrants for their arrest...some don't communicate well and try to show up to orientation on their own time schedule...some decide what part of the job is important and put in half-hearted effort.

The barriers are often deeper than just finding someone a job.

People can advocate for change in their community, but unless they get help for their drug issues, they won't be able to get...or maybe keep...a job, which affects the economic viability of the community. Sometimes it's financial issues where people may want to make a change but they have made a bad decision or two in the past to ignore a ticket or an outstanding loan because they didn't have the $300 to pay at the time and it continues to exponentially increase. Sometimes people make bad decisions, but then want to change...but because of their past decisions, their obstacles seem insurmountable.

What we're beginning to find is that the real problem is not just helping people find jobs…it’s helping people deal with drug habits so they can maintain a job. It’s not just getting them to a point of making more money, it’s helping them learn how to manage what little money they currently have and begin paying off some of the things that may have accumulated because of past decisions. It’s not just getting them a car, it’s helping them to get a license and work with them to make sure when they get a car, they understand all of the financial costs associated--like insurance and driver's license--so that if/when they do get a ticket, it’s not multiplied by getting extra tickets for no insurance, no license, etc. It’s helping people understand that although they may not feel they have the money now to pay off their ticket, their credit card, their loan, etc., it only multiplies over time so they need to get started now (or don’t take on that expense in the first place) in order to save them money later.

Though it can be extremely frustrating, I continue to tell myself that these things take time. I continue to focus our efforts on hiring people within the community, because I know that there are good people out there who simply need an opportunity. There are others who need an opportunity as well as someone to help them work through their obstacles.

Hiring someone outside of the community who may have better organizational or communication skills and may have a squeaky clean record often seem like it would decrease my work load substantially, but it takes away the opportunity to work with a potential leader in the community. It takes away the hope that the community has the capacity right in front of them.

The quick fix is easier. Problem is, it often leads to long-term dependence.

Though the immediate relief of hiring someone who already possesses all of the skills and iniative needed for the job may seem like a great solution today, I continue to believe that the long-term solution...and belief that the capacity is in the community...is the answer.

Seek out the assets, not the deficits

Spend a little time in an inner city neighborhood. Talk to the people. Get to know people. I would bet after getting to know them you would find out that they rarely talk about what they don't have or what obstacles they have overcome. Instead, they focus on their hopes and dreams for themselves and their children.

Before living and working down here, I didn't get it either. I visited the inner city to do "mission trips." I loved leaving after a day or a week knowing I had "made a difference." I liked hearing the stories of huge turnarounds. I wanted to hear how tragedy turned into some big success story. I wanted to know how this or that organization or person had done something good for people. I wanted to hear about heroic efforts. It made me feel good.

But living and working here is much different.

I have known some people for years before finding out that they were sexually abused as a child or that they were once homeless. I've known kids who have grown up in crack houses and some who raised themselves because their parents weren't willing or able to take care of them. Most of these things were learned inadvertently. The kids knew I knew, the adults knew I knew, but we rarely ever talked about it. It was life. It was reality. We didn't need to dwell on it. They didn't want to dredge up their past...or present...situation for some woman who wouldn't understand what they were dealing with. They did, however, need access to resources so they could move forward.

That's what Central Dallas is all about. People are valued because they are people. I don't have to know their "story." I do, however, want to know where they are headed.

In the After-School Academy, we talk about "noticing" kids. We seek out areas in which they demonstrate talent or interest. We tap into the potential we see. It doesn't matter how much adversity they have or haven't faced. Our concern is for their future.

• I have no idea how much "adversity" Jordan has faced. What I do know is that he is very observant, that he is quick to pick up technology and that he thinks a lot and processes what he is learning.
• I have no idea what "adversity" Kendell has faced. But I know in 2nd grade he became a great chess player and did an amazing job developing those skills.
• I have no idea what "adversity" Kashia has faced. But I know she is a very talented ballerina and I know that even though she has moved from Turner Courts, her mother continues to keep her connected and continues to enroll her in ballet.

It's the same for the parents...or others in the community. We don't ask...or need to know...all about their past and how many trials they have faced. If they want to confide in us, they will, but that is their choice. It's not something I probe for.

• I have no idea what "trials" or "adversity" Sylvia has faced, but I know she is an amazing person with amazing people skills, which is why I hired her to run our computer lab. Because her job requires her to supervise the computer lab, she has sought out and taken advantage of computer classes and is constantly learning new things so that she can teach friends and neighbors in the community.
• I have no idea what "trials" or "adversity" Ms. Haynes has faced, but I know she utilizes the computer lab every time the doors are open and, with the help of Sylvia, learns something new every day about how to utilize the internet. I know that having that resource available has allowed her to have knowledgeable conversations with her grandkids because she now utilizes the internet just like they do!

The "story" isn't that people have overcome adversity. The "story" is that resourced neighborhoods and communities provide opportunities for people to achieve and develop the capacity that already exists in these communities.

Our job is to ask the question, "What do you want for your family?" (and think about what we would want for our own families) and then seek out the resources needed to connect people with they want in order to raise their children in a safe and healthy environment...whether that be a reasonably priced grocery store, lighted streets, job readiness training, academic preparation, adequate policing, etc. That's what I want for my own community. I should expect no less for an inner city community.

Instead of sensationalizing people's lives, we need to do our part to build relationships, find out what people in the commmunity want and need, assist with the resources in whatever way we can, and recognize that with the right resources and with ongoing relationships and support, people can and are moving toward their future.

Wish I had my camera

I've got to start bringing my camera into my office! I sit upstairs by a window and every once in a while I see some pretty neat stuff.

Today as I was working, I heard the sounds of a small child. As I looked out my window I saw a man on his bike riding in front of a small child on a bike with training wheels. The man seemed to be going rather slow, pedaling in a very measured way. I assumed they must be on an afternoon stroll and he didn't want to get too far ahead. The more I watched, I saw the child's bike jerk as if something were pulling it. As I looked closer, I realized that the man had tied a rope from his bike to the little child's bike, perhaps so she could learn to ride. As the man made a u-turn with his bike, he slowed to a complete stop so as not to topple the child.

It made me smile to watch the child being pulled by her dad/uncle/friend of the family...whoever he was.

I know there are many stereotypes of our inner city communities. And I'm not going to lie and say that none of them hold water. I know there are drug houses, absentee fathers, addicted mothers, and so much more.

But I also know there are moments like these.

Moments of joy. Moments of normalcy. Moments of quality time.

I have no idea what role that man plays--where he works, if he works, where he lives, if he is consistent in the lives of his children...I have no idea. But I know that was a special moment.

I wish more people had the opportunity to see those "special moments." I wish people wanting to change our inner cities would observe first...before going in with new programs and new ideas. I'm not saying there doesn't need to be change. I just wish we worked harder on tapping into and building on the community that is already present in our inner cities. We might discover some interesting dynamics that are already at work. We might discover that our best bet is to listen to, learn from, and partner with the people who are already there.

Each one, reach one

Greeting.

Helping.

Teaching.

Hugging.

Learning.

Laughing.

Experiencing.

Interacting.

This is what I saw when I walked into the After-School Academy this week.

Jasmine McMillon, an 8-year old who has traditionally been one of our "handfuls" at times, leaned over, wrapping her arms around a 6-year old to help him write his letters.

Kids greeted visitors with a smile, a firm handshake, and a pleasant greeting.

Parents sat with children and helped them with their homework.

Sixth graders, in their new volunteer role, cleaned, taught, assisted, guided, and facilitated.

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Tuesday we found out we didn't have as many teachers as we thought we had. We needed a teacher for the 5th grade Book Club group.

You would think that I would have learned by now that the answers are right under our nose.

The solutions are simply in focusing on the capacity of the community.

After stressing over the lack of available adults for about 10 minutes, it dawned that we had what we needed at our fingertips! The sixth graders we had in the volunteer training on Saturday were doing an amazing job in assisting. Now all we had to do was to bump up their leadership role. With the right training, they can be our facilitators!

Jhor-Dai, a sixth grader who has been in the ASA for several years now, agreed to be the facilitator. She is reading the book in her 6th grade reading class. So, not only do we get a teacher, but I know from experience that teaching helps you learn. I'm convinced her preparation for this class through our weekly meetings and her own research can only deepen her knowledge and enhance what she's doing in school.

Clarence, a new volunteer...also in sixth grade, also was a key helper in the class. Jeremy* (not his real name) is in the fifth grade book club but struggles to read even the easiest books. In an attempt to be discreet, I asked Clarence to pair up with Jeremy since we were short on books. The next time I checked on them Clarence was doing most of the reading and they were both discussing. Clarence informed me that he was helping Jeremy with his reading. Without me saying a word, Clarence had recognized Jeremy's struggle without judgment and both were ok with the nature of the relationship.

The capacity is in the community.

Opportunities in the Communities

My job over the past couple of years has shifted in a way that has me structuring our education programs more and implementing them less. I actually have really enjoyed the shift; however, being in the office more doesn't allow me to be as connected with people.

Since our Children's Education Coordinator resigned, I have had the opportunity to restructure our programs and hopefully expand my opportunities to interact with people. In the gap between her leaving and our new coordinator coming aboard, I have gotten to talk to several returning parents and meet several new parents.

Talking to parents always reminds me of the capacity and the quality people who live in low-income neighborhoods.

The three new parents who enrolled their kids were eager to enroll their kids in an affordable, educational after-school program. Of the three parents, one is looking for a job, one is trying to go back to school, and one is a cancer patient. All of them are in situations where they need our affordable, $5/month program because of their own meager finances while in the process of working toward their goals. All of them voiced a care and concern for their children.

I am excited about the possibilities this year.

I hope during our parent meetings each of the parents will meet so we can begin pulling together the efforts of caring and concerned parents.