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Higher Learning!

If you're reading this blog and you're between the ages of 25-35 the title "Higher Learning" may take you back to the mid 90's to the film that featured Omar Epps and Tyra Banks.  If you're like me you flashback to college.  If you're an ECU grad you know our college lives were much like the film.  Just for a moment I wanna take you back a few more years. Let's try elementary school. I'm talking about when you lost your first tooth and the check yes or no if you want to be my girlfriend or boyfriend letters were in.  Yea, those days.  

Higher Learning is what it is.  Stay with me.  Some will agree with me that it's the process in which one retains information and applies it to real life.  

If you agree raise your hand.  Okay all of you can put your hands down now. Raise your hand if you agree that we all needed someone to teach us the alphabet, phonics, sentence structure, math, science and the basic fundamentals of speaking.  Okay you can put your hands down.

I have a ton of friends in the field of Early Childhood Education and from what I've been told they get paid peanuts... Yes, I said peanuts. I don't mean that in the sense that they're broke.  I mean that in the sense that they're in the process of being broken... Earlier I made mention of my fellow ECU Alumni, how many of you know there would be no fellow Alumni if there weren't any teachers and principals that cared for me or you.  Especially, when we didn't understand what "Higher Learning" meant.  By no means am I a writer, but Mrs. Gravlee made me believe I was or could become one. Mrs. Hatcher taught me that "A Raisin in the Sun" didn't mean you had to wither and be lost.  Coach Burke taught me that "Othello" was a hero and not a greek word and that football was a vehicle and not a lifestyle.  

Higher Learning. If mom and dad don't start the process 99% of the time it's someone in Early Childhood Education that supplies a child with the knowledge of what a dream is.  I had a conversation with some friends this past week and they reminded me of my personal responsibility to the world of education.  Like them I can't help save everyone but I have no excuse not to contribute.  So this past Friday I used my vehicle to help remind all of us of what High Learning is. Below are a few stills and captions of what Vision Beyond The Lens means.

Support your local schools. 

Baltimore City School P.S. #63

On my way out of the school this young man ran up to the principal and hugged him and thanked him for caring about him.  

These two little guys said they would be best friends forever.


In the spirit of Black History month and the appointment of President Obama. I saw this one as the American Dream.





Comments

GECWA said…
I love it!

your work is really infusing itself and producing a genre of its own it's more than photography...it's life infused with passion, purpose and respect
February 15, 2009 at 8:04 PM
Anonymous said…
you know I love this post. It is right up my alley. I always think about how much professional athletes and movies stars get paid, and not that they are not talented and don't deserve the $, but without teachers, no one would be where they are today. When you get a chance check out this site about Geoffery Canada, a brother in Harlem that is striving to break the cycle of generational poverty by working with children and families from birth through college. It is wonderful project. http://www.hcz.org/. I often think back to the kids that I worked with in Atlanta and how much potential they have to do great things, they just need someone who believes in them and gives them an opportunity to be great. So I too encourage people to suport your local schools and make a difference in a child's life. You may not see the fruits of you labor right away but that child will forever cherish that time spent with him/her. I always think of this quote when I think of working with children: "To the world you may be only one person, but to one person you may be the world." I have been blessed to be able to help some children realize their potential and they have helped me to do the same. For me, the realization that we can make a difference came through the persistence and passion of 3rd grade students and that is part of the reason I am in grad school now and what keeps me going :)
Thanks for this post!
Selina
February 15, 2009 at 10:45 PM
Anonymous said…
I think you hit the nail on the head when you talked about higher learning and how educators are under paid. I am an up and coming physical educator and i feel that its my obligation to guide individuals in the process of becoming physically active and healthy for a lifetime, however i also feel that my preparation for this journey was hard fought, and well earned so i should reap the benefits of my labor.
February 15, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Erica Davis Little said…
your work is such an inspiration to me! Its a art and its not for every one and that you were truely blessed with this talent! Keep up the good work!! STAY BLESSED
February 17, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Anonymous said…
When you mentioned how ECU as similar to the movie, it took me directly to Scott Hall. In that same vein, it also reminded me of my English classes, especially the one where we were reading African American Authors. Having a sense of pride is one thing, but to have someone teach you and have passion about important writings of the past it helps to push us all beyond "just enough" and embrace "more than enough"! Great blog
February 22, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Eve said…
Very inspiring post. More support for public schools is definitely a must. Our teachers are overworked and growing weary. We cannot afford to lose the good teachers we have. They choose the profession because of their passion, its up to all of us to support one another.
November 9, 2010 at 11:15 PM
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