by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Apr 29, 2019 | Education, Kids, Parents, Teachers, Teens
Chasing Windmills
By Dr. Marcia Davis-Dawkins
I have often reminded myself that nothing happens in life without a reason and even when it seems odd at the time, later on in life as you are given a chance to think of the lesson/s learned from an encounter, the significance hits you when you have more wisdom and experience. Recently I decided to take a nature walk 
and take care of my body on Earth Day. Whether you might see this has a mere coincidence or not, things just seemed to roll into place and as I walked and talked with a friend, and I realized that again, “nothing happens without a reason.” This time the friend encouraged me to watch a movie, which I promised to watch and I was true to my word. The movie entitled the The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is based on the novel of that title, in which the protagonist and narrator, William Kamkwamba, are one and the same. In his memoir, a young Malawian man grows up in the rural village of Wimbe during the 2000 famines in Malawi. William has an incredible aptitude for science and engineering, though he is unable to stay in school due to a lack of funds. Self-motivated and resourceful, he finds books in his local library that allow him to learn about physics, electricity, and laborsaving inventions on his own. With the help of his friends, Gilbert and Geoffrey, William then builds a windmill so that his family can have free electricity that is not controlled by government blackouts. The windmill earns William the support of a Malawian professor, who helps William gain scholarships to school and a fellowship with TED Global that puts William in contact with other innovators and entrepreneurs across not the African continent, but the world. William embodies the values of hard-work, education, and helping others, maintaining an optimistic outlook on everything, despite the many troubles described in the book.
After I watched the movie I thought about how inspirational it was and especially because it was educational based, I couldn’t help but wonder how much influence we are as educators to help students live out their dreams. In the story, William’s father didn’t think he was capable of making the windmill even though he had made a “mock model” of it. His father thought it was simply a toy and when William asked for the use of his father’s bike to help to make the windmill, William was told to go help him in the field and to stop chasing a dream that would essentially take him nowhere. In essence, he sent him on his way and said he was wasting his time.
The school system also didn’t believe in William and had suspended him from school because his family was unable to pay his school fee. One of the things that resonated with me after watching the movie was how much some of our students take going to school for granted. Some of the students aren’t even aware of the fact that in some parts of the United States, or other parts of the world, because of poverty or other socioeconomic issues students/children aren’t able to attend school. Yet, they have the opportunities and are often wasting their time and energy. Then again, are they aware of how others in history fought to get them the opportunity to attend school? It also begs the question, are we teaching students their history? It is easy to say that it is not the educators’ job to teach the students their history, but to place it in the hands of their parents, but are the parents aware or are they qualified to do so? Yes, I know we have to wear many hats, but as we try to educate the whole student, I firmly believe that this is part of our charge. I also say that if we don’t know enough about the topic for instance, then we could read more about it so we can share. Essentially, since we are supposed to be life- long learners, then we can learn as we teach – which in turn, can make our teaching fresh.
In the book, William said and I quote, “I’m ashamed to see this school broken in such fashion. We should tear the whole place down and start from scratch, build it again strong and proud! Teachers’ houses also need to be shipshape, and students need new desks and books!”
The aforementioned book reminded me of another somewhat similar story, Don Quixote written in the late 16th century. In that selection, the character of Quixote is a 50ish rather myopic man, seemingly deranged and obsessed with tales of knighthood, fantasy and chivalry. He battles illusory monsters, which are actually windmills. The stories are comparable in that perception is everything. The way we see the world is how it shall be. Both main characters accomplished what they set out to do because they believed that they could! If we choose to see good, there will be good. Great changes in life don’t happen by settling for what is in front of us. They happen by looking at the world in unique ways.
It sent home another message that I had read from Hebrews 13:16, (NIV) “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” This further encouraged me to put into action my dream of helping students from my homeland Jamaica, who are less fortunate and very talented, and would also appreciate the extra assistance to push them further so they can run with their dreams, go on and, who knows, maybe build windmills like William. Give the students an opportunity to, as they say, “Chase windmills,” the glorious journey of chasing ideas bigger than themselves and remaining optimistic in the face of cynicism!
Work Cited
Mueller, B. (2019). “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Plot Summary.” Lit Charts.LitCharts LLC, June 2017. Web. 21 Apr 2019.
I Can Do All Things
by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Apr 18, 2019 | Education
Misunderstood
By Dr. Marcia Davis-Dawkins
Have you ever felt as if you are misunderstood and cannot get anyone on your side? How does that manifest itself? One thing I can tell you is that it is frustrating, especially when trying to prove one’s innocence. Being misunderstood can mean being incorrectly interpreted and it can be with anyone, anywhere, even with closest friends and relatives. Ultimately, that stings even more because one is trying to prove one’s self and get on good footing. Most times it is because of lack of communication. To put it another way, it can cut to the core and feel as if no one cares. There are times when being misunderstood hurts so badly that it feels like disrespect. Other times it’s a feeling of inadequacy and makes one wonder, “Why can’t I get things right?” Then there are moments when one senses that nothing is ever good enough, and deep down it feels likes one is always giving. “Why is my point of view not accepted?”
As always, I constantly wonder what my students are feeling. There might be times when I misunderstand them. Could it be that they had an issue at home that caused stress and or pain that in turn bought them to school in what seems like an apathetic way? Am I, as an educator, conscientious to look beyond the students’ outward appearance? Can I detect not what they appear to be, but truly grasp who and what they really are? Being misunderstood can be so hurtful that it may cause suicidal thoughts. The students might be thinking that if they are not around that no one would care and they won’t be missed. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, there are five basic human needs, which drive behavior, and they consistently apply to school settings. As humans our basic physiological needs include the need to survive as individuals. We all want to feel wanted, accepted, and special. Being misunderstood can squash our self-confidence. I know that if I am misunderstood, I feel worthless. Do I make my students feel unworthy or my opinion of them diminish their worth? It’s interesting that if we as educators don’t consider our students’ feelings then the consequences can cause negative effects. Things that we seldom think about, including weight gain, possible eating disorder, sleeplessness, or reduction in the quality of work that the students produce can result. They might not be able to give of their best and we yell at them for not working to their maximum potential, but we don’t understand their underlying tribulations.
Being misunderstood can be very painful, and victims can fall into deep depression as the misunderstood may feel as if others are being judgmental and might lead to getting into unhealthy relationships, which could eventually cause more hurt. In the long run, there can be lack of trust and the persons hide their feelings and refrain from opening up to others.
Imagine going to a class or a school where English is the primary language, but it isn’t for the student – think for a moment of the fear that child faces, the challenges and the communication needs of those students. More than likely this student will be misunderstood primarily because of the language barrier. What can we as educators do? 
We often refer to fear as phobia and in this case, the fear is referred to as agoraphobia which encompasses being misunderstood and means simply a fear of leaving home, however, this is not quite accurate. Agoraphobia is a phobia of being in a situation where escape would be difficult or impossible, or help would be unavailable if a panic attack should occur. But could it be expanded further to include students who are fearful of being misunderstood, having anxiety attacks among other things and wanting to run away? I say there is a major possibility. I will quote from Lee Harper’s, To Kill A Mockingbird, “People generally see what they look for and hear what they listen for.” It’s also been said that there are some people who could hear you speak a thousand words and still not understand you, while there are others who will understand you without you even speaking a word. Aspire to be the latter, as being misunderstood is no joke!
Fear
by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Mar 27, 2019 | Education
Empowerment
By Dr. Marcia Davis-Dawkins
Empowerment is “the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights.” It also encompasses authority or power given to someone to do something. Our role as educators definitely includes a deep sense of empowering our students. It means maximizing our students’ potential, as well as getting the best out of them and in doing so empowering ourselves.
I recently saw one of my students at a nail salon and after greeting me, she informed me that she was going to move to another state to pursue her graduate studies and eventually do her doctorate. I grinned with pride as she continued to say that I have been such an inspiration to her as a teacher that she wanted to follow in my footsteps!! Imagine my joy as I thought about my mantra of “if I can reach one student of the many that I have taught, then my work would have been 
done.” What an honor it was to hear those words from her. Even though this student was a joy to have in class and it wasn’t challenging to teach her – it still made a difference that I made an impact in her life and I empowered her. This student was, and I imagine is still, respectful and hardworking. I am sure this student had days when she thought “I will never get through this!” But she stuck to it and continued (and will continue to stick with) tasks as she embarks onto other challenges.
In general, I think that part of empowering someone includes helping the person to make the best of his/her time and assisting the person to keep on the goal at hand. This also includes staying focused and avoiding this that may distract or derail. Empower and teach students to be courageous and adventurous. They should be taught to persevere and put the pedal to the metal and move forward. It also entails picking up when you fall and understanding that sometime you have to get knocked down before you can stand taller than ever. They must accept that failure is an important aspect of growth and developing resilience and not fear it. In the classroom, teachers can empower students by incorporating lessons and activities that allow them to make decisions independently so they can gain knowledge about various role-playing. With the many hats that teachers wear, one of them also includes teaching students how to be empowered through decision-making, which is part of life’s lessons. In these lessons, there should be various tools, materials and school supplies available at the students’ disposable so they can experiment and work to improve their skills.
In the classroom, the students should feel empowered when they are told they are smart and they can conquer any fears or climb any mountain (especially with the teacher’s support). They should not feel intimidated, but with respect be able to express their feelings or opinions. It is also the teacher’s role as a leader to empower students so they can gravitate towards the teacher, and, in essence, acquire leadership roles.
Oh, when I think of the joy the teacher/student relationship can be when the student feels empowered as my former student feels! It is indeed an amazing feeling! So I lift my hat off to this particular student and all the other students who have been empowered by their teachers. The sky is the limit, my dear student. Continue to do your best – you are the epitome of the notion that we can shine even though we have problems or face issues, we can be empowered and succeed. As J. K. Rowling said, “Anything is possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”
I Can Do All Things
by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Feb 22, 2019 | Education
Love for Everyone
By Dr. Marcia Davis-Dawkins
In a world of turmoil and upheaval it seems difficult to talk about love since most people are so mean to each other through words and deeds. People are hurting. People are sad, frustrated and discouraged. It hardly seems possible for there to be Valentine’s Day. The word “love” can be misused and misunderstood. Love is on my mind simply because we celebrated Valentine’s season a few weeks ago and since it is so commercialized I can’t help but think of it. With the constant ads, 
it appears as if it is simply lip service.
We also recently celebrated Civil Right’s leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and one of his primary objectives was to get more equal treatment for all Americans, not just white Americans. Which in essence, was to show love for everyone. All we need is love of life and self. Lack of love is also one of the reasons students bully each other in the classroom. Students find it easy to give evil for evil instead of responding with kindness even when someone gets under their skin. Yes, that is so difficult to do, as our inner selves are weak and we want to lash back. We must understand that people who are usually mean and nasty have dark, deep wounds in their lives. Love is mentioned several times in the Bible, as in Matthew 22:35-39 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love is necessary for the students, especially when we are trying to be sensitive to the students’ needs – the things we say, how we say it, when we say it or in front of a class or group of people. According to Julia G. Thompson, in an article titled How to Show Your Students That You Care About Them, Thompson suggests how to show love in the classroom. The following are some of her suggestions: –
- Set responsible behavior limits for everyone, and be fair when you enforce these limits.
- Use a kind voice when you speak with your students.
- Listen to all of your students. Encourage them to share ideas and opinions.
- If one of your students is in the newspaper for something positive, clip out the article and display it.
- Stress the things that you and your students have in common: goals, dreams, and beliefs.
- When a student speaks to you, stop and listen.
- Respond to emails from your students promptly and courteously.
- When you display student work, don’t just display the best. Display everyone’s work.
- Make it very clear to your students that you want to help them achieve their dreams.
- Ask about a student’s family. If you know someone is ill, show your concern.
- Show your sense of humor. Laugh when funny things happen in class—especially when they happen to you.
- Speak to every student each day. Leave no one out of class discussions.
- Write notes to your students. Use plenty of stickers, and write positive comments on their papers.
- Make a positive phone call home when a student’s effort is paying off.
- Pay attention to your students’ health. If students need to go to the nurse, send them. When students have to miss several days because of illness, call to see how they are doing, or send a get-well card. Be prompt in sending work to the student’s home
- Use this sentence to convey your concern: “What can I do to help you?”
- Talk with students when you notice a change in their behavior. For example, if a normally serious student is neglecting his or her work, find out why.
- Take the time to tell your students what you like about them.
As educators, we can change the atmosphere in a classroom to a world of love and kindness. Rumi once said that, “Love is the bridge between you and everything.” Frankly speaking, I believe that some of our students don’t get love at home, so they might be seeking love from our classroom. “Let’s show love!
Work Cited
Thompson, Julia G. (2019). Teaching Monster, http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/10210-how-to-show-your-students-that-you-care-about-them
The Hurt Child
by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Feb 5, 2019 | Education, Kids, Parents, Teachers, Teens
Loneliness and Mental Wellness
By Dr. Marcia Davis-Dawkins
Have you ever felt alone? It is often said that we can be in a crowd, but still feel alone. Some skeptics might even ask, “How is that possible?” But truth be told, it is possible for people to feel left out in a crowd or even in the classroom. Take for instance the student who is new to an area or a school and because he/she has no friends in the environment then, he/she feels as if he/she doesn’t belong. There is also the case where the student has had some emotional issues in the family, now he/she feels isolated because there are hidden pains in the student’s life.
“Why doesn’t anyone want me?
At times, there are students who might have been abandoned by their parents so the students definitely feel unwanted and unloved. Their first thoughts might be, “Why doesn’t anyone want me?” or “Why me?” This type of loneliness might even lead to students inflicting pain on themselves or even lashing out at their fellow classmates. They might be verbally abusive to those around them in an attempt to mask their lonely feelings. Still another example, students might feel alone when going through puberty and are trying to figure out themselves, as sometimes is the case for students who are in the middle school (ages 11-14).
For adults, being lonely or being alone can be a time of reflection where one can take stock of where they are coming from, where they are now and where they plan on being for the future. Plus, for those who are religious, it can be a time of meditation with God – He usually reveals Himself to the meditator and gives plenty of understanding to life. Reflection can lead to understanding of oneself, so that there is no room for depression or anxiety. But, like most things, there should be balance where you should not dwell too much on the negatives in the past but learn from the past and use with moderation. It might be a time to ask not why is this happening to me , but rather, what is this teaching me?
In the long run, what we don’t want is to mask our feelings or hide our identity because of being hurt. Find someone you can confine in or use alone time to read a book or write your thoughts so you are not consumed with them. It is important to be yourself and not compare yourself with another person, thinking you are not smart enough, you are not beautiful/handsome enough, not rich enough, not outgoing enough. There are people who feel like they are so insufficient and aren’t satisfied with who they are.
Loneliness for Adults
Also for adults, loneliness can come because of a lost spouse or loved one and things seems like your world in about to end because the person is grieving. For some, it can be a sense of confusion. Some might question themselves, even question God, or “Why did this happen?” “How will I survive without my spouse?” “Where do I stand?” “What will I do in the weeks, months, years to come without my spouse?” These, of course, are legitimate inquiries without immediate answers, but the interesting thing is that there is usually help, whether through family/friends support or from counselors. Whatever the situation, fear of being alone or the feeling that we will never make it – there is always hope.
We might be lonely simply because people have disappointed us so much that we just want to be by ourselves and enjoy our own company. At times, we go through a period of loneliness because this time is needed for reflecting where we can assess ourselves and set new goals. Frankly speaking, we shouldn’t fight this aloneness, but embrace it and develop something that you might never have. It could be a time where we can get to know ourselves. At whatever cost and at whatever stage in life we are, loneliness is real and it affects our psyche. Whether we want to admit it or not, it can play a big part of our lives (young or old). It is no wonder why what Maya Angelou said is so poignant, “Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.” What is vital to remember and remind our struggling students is that if you’ve ever had feelings of loneliness, you are far from alone. Loneliness is one of the most common, if unpleasant, emotions that millions of people experience. For some it is passing, for others, it is recurring. But for all of us, it is a part of the human experience.
Emotions/Feeling
