Children's Rights

I created this post to seek and get feedback on the following Children’s Rights presentation that I am preparing to sensitize students and their teachers.

I took on this challenge subsequent to a conversation with children in my daughter’s class about fighting–I realised that 5, 6 and 7 year olds could be informed about Children’s Rights and use the  information to improve student-student and student-teacher relationships.

I just started the process of converting my research notes to the presentation template, so  it is not yet a completed version of what I intend to present. Nevertheless, I felt that I could benefit from your feedback especially concerning some of my core considerations:

1. Colour scheme–I chose a colourful, attention grabbing presentation template, which in my opinion portrays an environment that is safe and fit for, and attractive to children.
2. Language use–I used large, straight texts that can easily be read and with letters that could be identified by the youngest target.
3. Content–was presented using a Q&A format, so that children can create easy connections. Answers are delivered in short phrases/ sentences and separated by bullets or numbers for distinguishing concepts.
4. Activities–child appropriate activities are suggested to  reinforce the assimilation of information.
5. Subject–personal pronouns are used to express children’s basic rights. It is anticipated that this will encourage connection with the content in the presentation.
6. Outcomes–are articulated so that the presenter and other stakeholders can readily identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and measure their success.

So what are your thoughts? Do you have any recommendations? How can I improve it to make it connect with the kids?

Educational Coaching

Over the past week the quality of education has taken center stage in the Jamaican media, with the Minister, Andrew Holness chiding elementary/ primary school teachers for the general ill-preparedness of students for secondary schools.This news comes at the dawn of Jamaica’s presentation of a status report on its achievements towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

MDGs

The Minister’s chiding must come as a surprise to many educators and Jamaicans generally, who have been convinced since the 1980s, when I was a child and growing up, that our education system was superior to even the US. I grew up thinking that there was nowhere around the world where I could get better–a long standing misconception stimulated by the so-called universal elementary access. That was such a Big joke that almost 30 years later we are caught running with our tails between our legs and the dear Minister scrambling to modernize the system that has doomed so many youth.

Before proceeding with my article, I feel it important to articulate my background in education, as it will help you to better understand where my views on this matter are coming from. I am a third generation educator, sprung from a grand mother, mother and aunts who are trained and practiced Jamaican educators. Aside from Jamaica’s so-called universal access, I have always been (un)fortunate to have a household of educators whose interest was tied up with me believing the fabled best quality education. It did not take me long to unravel the myth–as soon as I commenced secondary level education I began to see more clearly–educational success was for the socially privileged, and many of us who dared to make ourselves an anomaly by being too bright, faced the humiliation of teachers  or the lack of will from our parents.

I always wondered why my mother never attempted to help me with maths–”I never went to high school,” “I didn’t do CXC,” she would say. Let me tell you, it was disappointing to hear my mother give these excuses–after all, I was a child who was half her age, with no experience other than primary school and I was able to clear the ominous mathematical clouds, yet she, with her experience preparing youth up to grade six could not help me to figure it out. I was not fearful of calling her mediocre, a label which I gave to many other teachers I later encountered.

So you can imagine that the latest move by the new Minister, in chiding educators, came like music to my ears. “Finally,” I said, “someone at policy level has begun to see more clearly.” But, on closer scrutiny, I realized that the Minister wants to see significant improvements in the education system, while ignoring the need for wider social changes. From the Minister’s statements, captured across the print and electronic media, he espouses that schools, although miniatures of the society, should not reflect its ills. They should therefore be exemplary– a lighthouse in a foggy dawn. Schools are therefore miniatures of what our society ought to be.

Social Stratification

At a press conference at Jessie Rippol Primary, the Minister proposed that those students who are not found to be academically inclined should be placed in schools to promote skills development. This functionalist sees social stratification as normal and natural, modernizing it as a means for ensuring that ‘the most talented and able members of society are allocated to those positions that are functionally most important for our society.’ Education is then the ‘providing ground for ability and hence the selective agency for placing people in different statuses according to their capacities.’ (Haralambos & Holborn, 2000).

Despite the need to keep stratification in tact, the Minister has a desire to reflect the liberal ideals of a progressive education system, which serves the needs of the people and fulfill the expectations of a modern democracy, especially under the watchful eye of the UN. For me it’s like playing with a three card man–there’s no way to win, as a progressive education system is the antithesis of social stratification, which the Minister will retain with his proposed screening system. A word of mouth liberal and die hard functionalist, his arguments are indicative of an ideal in which schools function like the future society–the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business, and where all the social classes accept and are satisfied with where they are placed.

While the Minister acknowledges, through his delivery of Grades F to various schools, that the hidden curriculum contributes to failings, he does not seek to examine the hidden curriculum as something that is functional to society–a covert contract handed down from the society to maintain stratification and the status quo. He proposes that we execute individual assessment of schools and teachers, which inevitably labels them the culprits of failure, rather than the society that infiltrated and intimidated them with its own hidden code on the treatment of people of specific social classes.

I therefore extend a word of caution to the Minister–the whole is the sum of its parts. The education system is merely one part of the whole, which reflects and maintains all the ills that exist within our society–class and colour prejudice and priviliging, abuse, crime and violence, self-hate and skin bleaching, and expectations of failure. To change the education system we must change our society, because it is the whole that influences its parts. We therefore need a multisectoral approach involving private, public, and community entities that are committed to and supportive of wider social changes.

School Search

School searches by teachers and students, in positions of leadership, have always been commonplace and accepted within the Jamaican school system. Searches are seen as critical tools for maintaining safety, discipline and respect for school rules.

I have had the opportunity of being in the position of student, student leader, and school teacher, and as such, I have had the experience of being searched, and executing searches. Even though I have been in both planes, I must admit, I do not like the act of searching. I have always found it dehumanizing and a demonstration of a lack of confidence in students and parents as signatories to the school rules.

In the 2003 to 04 academic year, I taught History and Social Studies to upper secondary school students at a local high school in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Over that year, I was exposed to ‘new’ strategies in the ’school search system’–the use of police officers to augment or execute student searches. It may have been the fact that this learning institution was classified as an inner-city school, but nevertheless I found it pretty extreme to have uniformed members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (with guns) interrupt my Social Studies class, comprised of primarily male students,  to execute a spot check. No contraband was found, but the experience demonstrated a lack of confidence by school leaders in managing discipline and instilling the right values and attitudes in our youth.

The invitation of police officers to search students who were not accused of a crime, despite the presence of a paid security company at the school on a daily basis, goes beyond a mere desire to spot check these children, but demonstrates a will to intimidate them into acceptable behavior. Many Jamaicans seem to believe that fear and punishment are useful tools in behavior modification, but all I found happening amongst my male students–who were overly targeted for searches by paid security and police officers, as well as school personnel–were increasing rebelliousness (overt and covert), fear of and anger towards the police, and distrust of persons in positions of leadership.

Our schools, as key socializing agencies, should seek to motivate positive values and attitudes amongst youth by adopting the Servant-Leadership model, which seeks to put people at the center of leadership by emphasizing such values as: listening, empathizing, healing, increasing awareness, persuading, conceptualizing, providing foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and a desire to build communities (Spears & Lawrence: 2004).  Leadership within the Jamaican society and our schools is too focused on producing acceptable results, at the expense of integrating peoples’ experiences and needs into a customized kind of leadership model that that is mindful of the social environment. As leaders, we must reflect the attitudes and values that we believe are appropriate, if we desire our children to model and mirror them. By practicing Servant-Leadership we will inspire a new generation of Servant-Leaders, who will transform our society positively.

Let’s put force, intimidation, and punishment aside and be mindful that our children live what they learn. Let us teach them the way to show love, trust and respect for others.

Preschooler Reading

This is my first article on early childhood development. I decided to write it because I felt the need to document and share a few personal experiences educating my daughter in a home school environment. The focus of this article will be on the development of cognitive skills in early childhood between birth and six years.

I became a mom, five years ago, in July 2003, and since then I have taken an avid interest in early childhood and human development. As my bible, I rely heavily on Laura Berk’s, Development Through the Lifespan–a keepsake that I discovered in a bookstore a few years ago, which has become a mom’s companion. Call me a fanatic or something, but I am a sucker for tracking my daughter’s development and preparing her for new skills.

In June 2008, I had the joy of hearing my daughter, Taitu, read words from signs off billboards for the first time. Then she was four years. Now, at the end of the year and six months later, she has fully understood the concept of sentences; reads up to five full sentences at a time and makes meaning of them; reads and makes meaning of warning labels on products, titles of stories and books; reads the digital and analogue clock; performs addition and subtraction; and writes letters. All this progress makes me excited and it reminds me of how much attention and effort our children need to develop their full potential. Berk noted in her book that “the more literacy-related experiences young children have  in their everyday lives, the better prepared they are to tackle the complex tasks involved in reading and writing.” For me a literacy and cognitive rich environment translated into ongoing purchases of scrap books, markers, crayon (wax and pencil), chalk, putty, rulers, storybooks with beautiful and catchy pictures and large text, notebooks, pens and pencils, letter cards, and number cards. In addition, the provision of a computer-aided learning environment, lots of clear wall space to promote the child’s creativity on a very large palette, the presence of active conversing in the home, evidence of a love for and engagement by both parents in activities that promote reading and writing, and the constant placement of encouraging signs around the home.

It is indeed hard work, especially for working parents–my daughter is always learning and I am always working to support her efforts. She doesn’t take a break. Her activities are self stimulated, and they depend heavily on the the apparent attentiveness of her parents. Children model all our actions, including our will to learn, read, write, and communicate with the world. As a human rights researcher, I spend significant amount of time reading and researching. I keep a small library in my home and I make it available to my daughter for use. Though she has given me many autographs in my prized possessions, I am encouraged by the fact that she is initiating cognitive opportunities by interacting with my books.

I notice many parents and preschool teachers around me everyday being overly focused on drilling in the ABC’s and 123’s in their kids’ heads, but Berk advises that, “in early childhood, adults need not be overly concerned about the correctness of children’s interpretations of written language. Instead, they can help most by accepting preschooler’s ideas and supporting their active efforts to revise and extend their knowledge.” Berk draws on Bradley and Caldwell’s 1979 publication in articulating a model home environment that promotes cognitive development in early childhood:

1. Stimulation through toys, games, and reading material
2. Language stimulation
3. Organization of the physical environment
4. Expression of pride, warmth, and affection
5. Stimulation of academic behavior
6. Modeling and encouraging social maturity
7. Variation in daily stimulation
8. Avoidance of physical punishment

In Jamaica, parenting is a much discussed topic–in light of the fact that some youth are graduating from the secondary level of the education system and are functionally illiterate, as well as the claim that youth under 18 years are involved in executing major crimes and are delinquents. Teachers in the public system often times complain that parental support of children’s  education is weak, leading to a lack of reinforcement of the value of education by children. With this said, much capacity building is needed to support parental and early childhood development in Jamaica. Good parenting produces confident children with high levels of cognitive development. I leave you with the words of Dr. Dorothy Law Nolte’s (1972) verse Children Learn What They Live, as a guide in raising such children…

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Sen. D. Lightbourn and Dr. Carolyn Gomes

Today is December 10th and people around the world are celebrating international Human Rights Day. In Jamaica, a number of non-government organization (NGO) leaders will mark the event with an outdoor radio broadcast on a popular program Independent Talk. For me, this is a very important day, and its commemoration with a radio broadcast is the beginning of a process of public education and awareness, which will definitely help Jamaicans to start the process of claiming their human rights.

Most importantly, Jamaica, which has a history of human rights breaches dating as far back as slavery, will need a comprehensive human rights education program in order to improve peoples’ capacity to claim their rights. This is a necessity at this time because there has never been a deliberate attempt after emancipation to educate the ex-slaves and their children about their newly gained rights. Without such, there will be persistent apathy of  a large number of Jamaicans towards the development of self, community, and country.

View of head table and audience at IACHR Conversation on HR

I attended an event, ‘A Conversation about the Inter-American System of Human Rights’, earlier this month and was pleasantly surprised by the level of interest and curiosity of Jamaicans about the issue. As a matter of fact, they raised a number of issues, which are indicative of their interest and need for more information and education about human rights and the human rights systems at the national, regional and international levels. The main human rights issues that were raised by the audience included:

1. The death penalty, which is currently being debated in Parliament, and which seems to favor its reinstatement
2. Police abuse, excess, and injustice towards people from poor communities
3. Marginalization of the Jamaican poor from national policy and legislative decisions
4. Systemic denial of the rights of the male child and his associated vulnerability to poor education and incarceration
5. Domestic violence and denial of rights of adult males in their homes
6. Absence of youth participation in national planning and development, even concerning them
7. Discrimination and prejudice against people with differences based on religion, disability, age, and sexual preferences.

The fact that Jamaicans insisted on raising these issues, sometimes against opposition, demonstrates that they are ready and yearning for information and education that will better prepare them to claim their rights. Sir Clare Roberts, IACHR Rapporteur for Jamaica, Peoples of African decent and Racism noted that, “the first protection of human rights by an individual is for him to first be aware of his human rights… There is a need to build the capacity of NGOs in Jamaica, so that they can respond to human rights issues.”

Sir Clare Roberts addresses the audience

With all this said, the arguments coming from IACHR and the Jamaican people, at this time, is that we need to ‘buckle down’ and be really serious about this business of human rights. We often times take it for granted because we are not members of marginalized and minority groups. The funny thing though is that we share a common world and the denial of one persons right affects us all.

Let’s imagine for a moment what life was like in the western hemisphere during the 1700s to 1800s–certainly the enslavement and dehumanization of one race of people in relation to another hurt both races. Both were deprived of the opportunity to learn skills that were essential for their survival. Further, we are left scarred with stigmas about the capacities and mannerism of the other. This holds us all back from progress, not just the individual being denied of his/her rights.

Today, I raise my glass to all the people (unrecognized and recognized) around  the world who keep fighting for human rights, equality and justice. I especially celebrate the achievement of Dr. Carolyn Gomes on being awarded the 2008 UN Human Rights Award for her contribution in the field in Jamaica. Her award is a symbol that serious work has started in our country.

Dr. Carolyn Gomes fields questions from the audience

We need to play our part to lobby Government to support the cause of justice and equality in all spheres of life in Jamaica–through policy, legislation, and available and accessible programming. At the individual level let’s increase our awareness and knowledge about human rights and change personal attitudes and behaviors which perpetuate stigma, discrimination, and low and negative expectations of people who are, prefer or dare to be different.

Let us send a message of one love, tolerance, and respect for all humanity!