Jazz and Blackboards

Oct152020

National Kindness Week

There comes a time in every life when change is necessary. Whether the change is a result of something that has happened existentially, or a change due to biological make-up, only you can determine how it will ultimately affect your life. The pandemic, social injustices and what I’ve seen of a percentage of American political leaders has affected me significantly. I never thought that I would see the day when content that I have read in history books are right here in the present, too real for anyone to deny. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere;” I gave myself more credit than I should have when I assumed that I understood the power of these words. Today, I understand the power, firsthand.

Although I understand–at some level– how difficult this pandemic has been on a worldly scale, I have yet to grasp the full scope of our brothers and sisters who have lost a loved one to this virus; I have yet to understand the magnitude of loss that some may feel having lost dream businesses, or not having enough to pay the rent/mortgage. I do not yet understand-nor do I wish to–the suffering and pain that the mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, and children have endured and continue to endure having experienced the loss of a loved one due to police brutality.

I’m here on this torn leather office chair, after 10pm, on a school night, trying to grapple with understanding why human beings are in such a divided state in the United States of America. Why is the school system inequitable, why? Why do citizens distrust each other, why? And what systems are in place to keep us in this revolving conundrum of inequities, inequalities and racial tensions? If the system was set in place by the founders, why are we still upholding their system when the world has drastically changed? My cellular phone requires regular updates, my laptop requires regular updates, my pedagogical approach and lessons plans are not as effective if I do not remain centered on my class dynamic and focus on what approach and plan individual students require. Similarly, our country requires modifications/alterations/unification, and perhaps, updating.

I have no grand scale solutions regarding what can be done to solve the issues at hand; I utter these words with the deepest sorrow. Instead, I write this evening to offer advice that may begin to move us in a direction of community and learning how to care for one another in a way that is most intentional, considerate, compassionate and selfless. If you have the ability at this moment to capture what it must feel like for those who can afford to have an elaborate Christmas celebration, you are capable of imagining my proposal. The country is in need of a kindness addition to our calendars; I propose National Kindness Week! A week of spreading kindness to loved ones and strangers. Mark Twain said, “Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Considering this, I’m hopeful that kindness can also be a key to help break the barriers of some suffering and move us in a direction of human beings becoming more compassionate with each other. The following is an outline:

Kindness Week Focus

–Monday: Gift to family

–Tuesday: Gift to colleagues

–Wednesday: Gift to an essential worker

–Thursday: The just ’cause gift (to anyone you choose)

–Friday: Gift to self (very important)

Gift Ideas:

A letter of gratitude.
One of your favorite fruits (I like to share mangoes).
Write a list of 7 things you admire about the individual. write each on a separate sheets of paper and place the papers in a brown paper bag with seven Hershey’s Kisses ( or another treat of choice). When you give the individual the bag, tell them they will have a message and a kiss for seven days; enjoy!
Go on a 25-30 minute walk with a person and share how they’ve inspired you (for at least five minutes of the walk).
Pick a flower (season permitting) for an individual and share why they deserve it. Please be as specific as you can be (i.e. here’s a flower for being such an uplifting person. The day you said….made a huge impact on me and I want to encourage you to continue being who you are).
Share a small gift from your cultural background. For example, one of my students shared an origami crane with me and shared the meaning behind it (do you know if you make 1000, you can be granted a wish?).
If you’re a poet, musician, or blessed with any type of creative talent, share your gifts. A friend of mine once played a tune on the piano to serenade a special someone who felt ill. They will never forget this creative act of kindness.

I am well aware that the ails we struggle with are not going to cease with this National Kindness Week proposal. If this was the case, one Christmas would have solved all of our issues. Rather, NKW is a renewal, a modification/alteration, a step closer to unification and overall great excuse to be kind with intension, especially during a time when the need for kindness is dyer. And of course, please wear a mask and be mindful of distance as you share your love.

What steps do you believe we can take to move in a direction of unification? I’m looking forward to reading your ideas…

Apr142020

Flannery O’Connor and the “Tennessee Waltz”

During this sudden change in classroom environment–in person to virtual–my students and I continue to grapple with the idea of God, truth and human nature in accordance with our current events and author, Flannery O’Connor. As a Christian/southern/gothic writer, O’Connor wrote about the complexities of human nature through her characters. Mostly, characters are in a world of duality consisting of individuals who have “faith” in God juxtaposed with those who choose to follow self (or according to O’Connor, the devil).

This is the case for O’Connor’s character “the grandmother” in “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” While some may argue that O’Connor displays “the grandmother” as vain and self-centered, others argue that she is a God-fearing individual who desires the best for her family. Whether one sides with the former or the latter argument, O’Connor provides no background information to suggest how this character evolves into what is encapsulated in this short story; or does she?

O’Connor’ s “Tennessee Waltz” allusion is perhaps the only information provided to suggest why “the grandmother” is characterized as the only “true” believer in God and at the same time, one whose interest in self leads to her family’s demise. The following are some questions to consider while exploring Flannery O’Connor’s choice of allusion in connection with her protagonist:

What could O’Connor possibly be communicating about “the grandmother” in connection with the “Tennessee Waltz” lyrics?
Refer to the “Tennessee Waltz” lyrics, “…my little darling…” What is O’Connor suggesting about the grandmother’s former relationship(s)?
Could the “Tennessee Waltz” possibly explain the relationship between “the grandmother” and her son, Bailey?
Is there important information we should know about the origin of the song in connection with Flannery O’Connor and her characterization of Grandmother?

“Tennessee Waltz” (Shantel’s Version on YouTube)

This week, I’m sharing my talent to raise awareness for A Woman’s Place, dedicated to envisioning “…a society where all individuals are safe in their relationships and can flourish.” Learn more at A Woman’s Place here. Be well as we work together to flatten the COVID-19 curve.

Please share any comments you’d like to contribute. I welcome all subscribers!!!

Apr42020

We Don’t Need No (COVID-19)

During this time, I’d like to ask my current and new subscribers to use your talents in order to raise awareness for charities in need of our help. This idea was birthed while discussing a Term 3 project with my students (who have shown resilience and grace in the midst of abrupt change and uncertainty). We are sharing our talents to raise awareness for a charity or cause in our local area. Personally, I’ve chosen Philabundance. Any donation can assist this charity with providing families with access to food while preventing the spread of COVID-19. Further information about this charity can be found through the following link: https://www.philabundance.org/

“We Don’t Need No (COVID-19)” (acapella song I’ve written and performed using the acapella app) can be accessed below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVZigxqZN2g&feature=youtu.be

Be well…

Shantel

Feb82020

A Measure of Empowerment

Empowerment can be difficult to measure; however, if this is an aim, we can definitely feel when we are heading in the “right” direction. When I refer to heading in the right direction, I’m referring to something that can only be felt intrinsically, a feeling of upliftment. I asked some of my students how they were able to recognize when they felt empowered and I was surprised to learn that many of them knew the feeling based on recognizing when they didn’t feel empowered. Interestingly enough, similar to my students, one of the most empowering songs I’ve had the pleasure of hearing and singing, “I Will Survive,” by Freddie Perren and Deno Fekaris, lyrically expresses the language of recognizing how an individual can journey from an empowered state by first recognizing the weakened state. Ultimately, having the ability to recognize when one is not empowered, is an internal measurement of gauging when one requires uplifting.

Gloria Gaynor, famed vocalist of Perren and Fekaris’ tune, shares “at first I was afraid I was petrified…”. Like my students, she shared how she recognized that she was no longer experiencing the world from her highest/positive self. She was living in a state of vulnerability having been victimized by the experience, which made it difficult to identify her strength and ability to persevere through the situation.

When I was personally asked to explain how one measures empowerment, I found this quite challenging to do without also reflecting on the contrast between my darkest moments and those when my inner light shined brightly. After listening to, analyzing and singing “I Will Survive” many times over, I’ve come to appreciate how the song can be used as a guide to explain more concretely the various levels of empowerment:

“At first I was afraid I was petrified…”– One no longer has control over their own experience(s). The experience has resulted in losing one’s ability to be confident and aware of opportunities beyond the state of being petrified—Zero Empowerment Level
“I could never live without you by my side…”– The individual has given up the idea of being his or her own person. His or her existence is now dependent on another individual’s presence and control—Zero Empowerment Level
“I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong…”—The individual is now recognizing that there is something not quite right with the predicament. He or she has the ability to recognize the negative treatment. Therefore, the individual is awakening to the realization that his or her empowerment was managed by someone else—Level 1-2
“I grew strong and I learned how to get along…”—The individual is learning to recognize his or her strength and how to live without being dependent on toxic experiences– Level 3-4
“I’ve got all my life to live and I’ve got all my love to give…”—This individual is now recognizing the meaning of life for his or herself. At this point, the focus is not solely on the self; in this empowered state, the individual is ready to give of oneself–Level 5

Freddie Perren and Deno Fekaris’ “I Will Survive” can help us articulate and measure our own level of empowerment, especially as we interact with individuals and the wider world around us. To what extent is empowerment necessary in order to be an effective parent, teacher and student? If we happen to learn that the cause of our disempowerment is a necessary fixture in our present lives, what steps can we take to remedy this?