You're the Healing Agent for Our Community Youth

You're the Healing Agent for Our Community Youth

Here is a snapshot of a developing trauma:

I've been a teacher for twenty-three years. Early on I taught kindergarteners. One year twenty-two students sat crossed leg on the multi-colored rug. We were singing the ABC song.

Energetically, I was pointing at the letter cards singing, "A,B,C,D," when on the west end of the classroom John blurted out, "My daddy is in jail!" In synchronicity, directly across the rug Imani replied, " You too? My daddy is in jail for drugs!"

The other twenty five year olds amazingly understood the gravity of the moment.

There was dead silence.

Attempting to be professional, I continued to sing the ABC song even more energetically.

What just happened? I wondered.

I was to learn later that John's intoxicated father set him on fire at three. Seventy-five percent of his body suffered third and fourth degree burns. Imani, on the other hand, infrequently saw her father who went in and out of prison regularly.

John roamed the classroom constantly, talked fast and lacked focus--behavior that appeared like Attention Deficit Disorder. He rarely completed school work.

Imani, on the other hand was like a "human sloth." She moved and talked very slowly. Processing information was difficult for her. She appeared disinterested in anything but attention--she could never get enough of it.

These student were in danger of repeating kindergarten.

Oftentimes such students are eventually grouped together and place in Special Education classes where they intellectually rot for the rest of their school career.

We must dig a little deeper.

In part, John hyper behavior cloaked the recurring terrorizing thought: "When will my dad come home and what will he do next?"

Perhaps Imani's slow movements can be attributed to depression---a reaction to the instability and unmet needs she suffered everyday.

Who cares about learning ABCs when trauma and its affects burden them?

This scenario is not uncommon.

In the last ten years teachers complain up to a third of their classroom contain students with processing and psycho-social issues related in part to abuse.

Unfortunately, the affects of trauma can be seen in American schools, according to the NAEP. Few students are able to write well. Only 3 percent of American fourth, eighth, and twelfth graders can write above a "minimal" or "adequate" level, according to the 1992 "Writing Report Card".

Moreover, American businesses are now spending $30 billion on workers' training and lose an estimated $25 to $30 billion a year as result of their workers' weak reading and writing skills.

The LAPD cites 450 gangs in Los Angeles alone with 45,000 members. Will that number grow?

What will our future communities look like?

Why do I care?

As a teacher, when I look into their eyes, I see my reflection.

The other day, my mind drifted to when I was eight. My brother and I always made our weekly trek to the local library. Books allowed me to enter in another world and dream. So, I always looked forward to throwing open the two heavy glass doors, and deciding which adventure to go on next. This particular day I sat in the children's section, and pulled a new book off the shelf. Opening the book, I delighted in listening to the cracking sound of the book's spine. As the pictures lured me into the story, I prepared to read it.

The letters appeared scrambled! Shocked, I blinked twice and focused on the words once more, but I could not make sense of them.

Then terror struck.

"God?" I thought. "Should I tell someone?

What will they think of me if I did?"

Hot shame crawled from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. I kept this and other similar events secret.

As a result I branded myself dumb.

But in hindsight, it was actually a natural stress reaction to the everyday drama I faced at home as a child.

When it had enough stress, my brain shut down.

How did I overcome it? Through the radical involvement of teachers, coaches, friends, the church, mentors and my great desire to live a life unlimited.

People have been healing agents for me.

Why should you care?

Name the coach who spent extra time with you, showing you the ropes of manhood? How did your teacher motivate you to perform at a higher level when you preferred to goof off? How many friends have modeled compassion and patience towards you, softening your heart?

People are healing agents.

Can you commit to being a healing agent to our community's youth?

Whether you informally or formally volunteer, I only ask two things: be consistent and to sacrifice.

My friend Eric served as a mentor to fatherless boys through his church. He was required to sow into a boy for a year, but he committed himself until they were eighteen! Wasn't that commitment?

Moreover he sacrificed. He stood firm through bad grades, misbehavior, and parent

skirmishes.

He expanded these youth's experiences.

One boy nicknamed "Shark Bait" followed Eric to Thailand where he taught for two years while "Shark Bait" attended the local high school. What a life changing experience!

Each of his mentees are adults now, and are contributing members of society-several are in the military, a few are in college and some are professionals.

Eric laid down his life so they could succeed.

What can you do?

Simply observe. You notice your neighbor's son struggles with reading, offer to tutor him once a week for an hour. A young lady loiters almost everyday, but you know she is an excellent dancer. Offer to pay for dance lessons for her. Your child has graduated from college. A few families on your block have juniors in high school. Offer to teach parents how to fill out applications and supervise the process until they successfully get their children into a college. Be creative. Simply look at how you can fill a need.

To conclude, we are healing agents. The need to mitigate the affects of abuse among our youth is urgent. This growing population need support,direction, attention, modeling and acceptance to heal psycho-social and academic issues.

A few years ago, I pledged to help a former student of mine to go to college. I had him when he was in the second grade, and I noticed he was far advanced compared to other students. He also loved science, so a friend and I decided to put him into a week long science camp. On the second day of camp, I went to see how things were going. As a I was climbing up the stairs, Ventura rushed out. He was going to recess and saw me. He ran into me with excitement, clutched my hands and rattled all the things he was learning about the earth.

I cried.

What an honor to give what I had to this little scholar who I think will do big things one day.

Open your eyes to the many ways in which you can support youth and do it. The reward is the smile on their faces.

Henderson empowers clients with powerful, research- based strategies to remove restraints, enabling them to reach goals once thought unachievable. Fears, poor motivation, lack of self-awareness, unproductive beliefs and negative thinking styles can block achievement, but are transformed through Rosalind's seminars, products and books. She is a certified leadership coach and speaker with John Maxwell. A renowned speaker and educator for twenty years, she has taken her presentations to enthusiastic audiences across America. Author of four books, her latest, "100+ Questions to Upgrade Your Life" ask poignant questions in different areas of your life, eliciting life change. Contact me at http://www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/rosalindhenderson

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rosalind_Henderson/143491

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8669930

_(By Rosalind Henderson).