The 4th Marking Period
A Memoir of an African American Male Guidance Counselor
by
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Sunday, April 13, 2008 It’s Sunday evening and yes I am mentally preparing myself for work tomorrow. I know, some of you may say “Why don’t you just relax and worry about work tomorrow?” Well, I can’t. I can’t wait until the end of the school year. That is our last day of school. I have to tell you, I haven’t written in my journal in a while and so much has happened but there is one thing I have to mention to you. I did a workshop for my sixth graders who did not go on the overnight trip and I have come to two conclusions: one, either our kids are plain brainless; or two, there is no, I mean NO education going on at home! Some of you are saying right now that our kids are just plain stupid, but I disagree. We are missing the education and discipline at home. Let me give you some examples of how our kids “missed the boat.” “Missed the boat” is an expression I used to describe people who don’t use common sense, or the answer is right in front of them and they still get it wrong. I started the workshop with a fun activity, just to get them loose. It was a common sense quiz with questions like “How many curves are in a standard paper clip?” Three right? Yes, there are three. I asked the question, “In which hand is the Statue of Liberty holding the torch?” “Ooo Ooo Ooo!” one student shouted. “Mr. Wilson it depends on where you are standing. It could be the left or the right.” Huh? She “missed the boat” and it’s sailing right in front of her. It doesn’t matter where you stand sweetheart, it’s still in her RIGHT HAND! Wait, don’t laugh too hard yet, that’s not at the top of the “I Think I’m Mentally Challenged” charts. The teacher in the workshop with me asked the class, “In what year did Christopher Columbus discover I asked the class “How many states are in the “Mr. Wilson there are 23 states!” one girl said firmly. Oh… my… God! We are in trouble. If Whitney Houston really meant what she said when she sang the song “I believe the children are the future...” no wonder she was interviewed by Barbara Walters and asked for receipts for crack purchases on national television. Just say “no” to drugs and being stupid! I told them there were fifty and I needed them to list at least twenty-five. One girl asked the teacher in a quiet voice, “Ms. Teacher, is
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About the Book
The 4th Marking Period: A Memoir of an African American Male Guidance Counselor is a day to day account of a Guidance Counselor who is overwhelmed by a task that he feels he is called to do. This text, however, alludes to several deeper themes that plague American education. Researchers have pointed out that our education systems should recognize the need for collaboration among professionals in our educational communities.
Mr. Wilson’s feeling alone in his efforts, in part, suggests the same need. Staff should feel free to express concerns without feeling intimidated or scorned. Staff should be given a safe place to confess biases without being labeled. This brand of honest transparency will break down barriers that appear in this case, to prevent collaborated success for the students. Another underlying issue revealed in this text is the frustration most education professionals feel when they are unable to tap into the causes for the symptoms of underachievement among students.
These memoirs open the door for genuine self-examination of why one goes into education, what continued professional development should be employed, and a genuine evaluation of systemic problem solving. This honest account of one’s feelings should be a beginning to open dialogue that would result in genuine help for the students and professional development for those involved. This open and honest assessment of the situation and portrayal of ones feelings lends itself to the next phase, earnest pursuit of solutions and deliberate application for the advancement of the students that this concerned African American Male Guidance
Counselor has portrayed.
- Written by Mrs.
About the Author
Richard L. Wilson, Jr. grew up in
Visit me at www.myspace.com/richwilsonjr
Email me at the4thmp@gmail.com