Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 January 2003 — Page 8
PAGE A8
THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER
FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2003
Too many in our community value al'hlel'ic greatness over academic success
A,s wo aro approaching Black History Month, this would ho a good timotorocogni/.othroo wonderful athletes who have had a tremendous impact on our community in specific and the world community as a whole. Tiger Woods, along with Venus and Serena Williams, have made headlines across the globe and are three of the most recognizable people in the world. Tigers success on the golf course is known throughout the world. He has become the No. 1 golfer in the world, the highest financial earner in the sport, and has surpassed Michael Jordan as the most successful “pitch man" for advertising goods, products, and services. At 2(> years old, he is well respected, speaks very well, and is highly educated. Tiger was not too long out of his crib before he took an interest in golf, at age (i months. Tiger often sat watching as his father hit golf balls into a net and soon began imitating his swing. He appeared on the Mike Douglas Show at age 2, putting with Bob Hope. 1 le shot 48 for nine holes at age 3 and was featured in Golf Digest at age 5. He won the Optimist International Junior tournament six times at ages 8 and 9. and from ages 12 through 15. Serena and Venus, currently ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the world, respectively, are two of the most financially successful and most well known tennis players in the history of the sport. The sisters, who are one year apart, had a very similar start to their sport as Tiger did to golf. Serena’s and Venus' father, Richard Williams, says his memories of raising his daughters, like the first time he took Venus onto the tennis court, have gone a long way in keeping them focused and motivated. “The first time I knew Venus was going to be a good tennis player was the first time I took her out on her very first day,” says Williams. h “I was working with some other kids, and had a shopping cart that would hold 550 balls. It took three kids w ho were teen-agers a long time to hit those balls. They wanted to take breaks. Well, while they were taking a break. Venus wanted to hit every ball in that basket. She wouldn’t stop. Every time you tried to stop her, she would start crying. She was only 4 years old.” Serena’s childhood discipline was the same its her older sister,
but her more recent quest may outshine each of their earlier accomplishments. She is currently working on a Grand Slam, or "Serena Slam,” as it is now being called, in which a player wins all four majors in a calendar year. The sisters are currently competing in the 2003 Australian Open. With all there is to know about successful African Americans in our community, there is always a down side to their success. Their success or failures often is felt in the hearts of our communities. Whether it is Clarence Thomas, Oprah Winfrey, or Colin Powell, we all have our views on how they should act, what they should think, and whom they should help. In the case of Tiger, Venus, and Serena, their great accomplishments may be causing a false sense of how difficult it is to achieve their high level of success. We currently have basketball, baseball, and soccer leagues for 3 yearolds. Beforeouryoungpeople are able to read and write, parents are now following in the path laid down by Mr. Williams and Mr. Woods. Many parents seem much more concerned about their children being the next Tiger or Serena, than the next Dr. Ben Carson. Forget about Martin Luther King or Madam C.J. Walker, and the difference they attempted to make i n t he com munity. M any of today’s parents are shooting straight for super stardom. What would make a parent introduce their child to an organized basketball league before they can even tie their shoes? At 3 years old, most children could not identify or name one basketball player who they admire. What would make a parent yell, cuss, and threaten a coach or referee at a pee-wee soccer match? The Woods’ and Williams’ success has transformed many parents into world class bullies. They bully their children into placing a sport of interest to the parent and then bully their way into coaching to see to it that their child
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becomes the "star.” I f they cannot coach, they make life very difficult for those coaches who volunteer theirtime. Referees also catch the wrath of these overbearing parents. Sit in any gym long enough and you will eventually hear that famous phrase, “that referee doesn’t like my son.” If you do not believe how bad the situation has gotten, visit the local youth league in your area and witness the immaturity and disrespect, not by the players, but by their parents. And unfortunately, those leagues that cater to the youngest players generally have the most rambunctious spectators. One would wonder if this same drive, excitement, encouragement, and support is given to these 5 and 10-year-olds w’hen it comes to their schoolwork. I would be willing to bet that most of these parents have attended more sporting events for their child in one month than they have visited their child’s school in one year. Could you imagine what type of young people w'e could produce if our parents from those homes who have the lowest performing students, channeled this same energy towards academic success? The secret is out! African Americans reallydohavethetime, energy, and money to support those causes that bring them the most joy, and in their minds, the catises that bring them the most rewards. Scoring the winning touchdown in front of thousands seems to be more of a joy to many parents in our community than scoring well on the I-STEP. Having the highest basketball scoring average seems to be much more important than having the highest grade point average. The joy of seeing your child spell the final word correctly in the school spelling bee is a much better reward. The joy of seeing your child receiving a gold medal for high honor roll is a much better reward. The joy of seeing your child score in the 90th percentile in every subject on the I-STEP exam is a much better reward. The joy of seeing your child in honor choir, spell bowl, math bowl, and academic pursuits are rewards that will last a lifetime. The athlete who leads the city in scoring, the state in rushing yards, and has the best cross-over dribble receives no rewards of value if those rewards take them no farther than the playing field. The real value of such rewards comes when these achievements earn the athlete a college scholarship they can accept because the student-athlete is eligible to play. Viewing the success our com-
munity has in the classroom vs. the success that we have on the playingfield tells astory that many in our community do not want to hear. We prefer immediate gratification over long-term success. We speak a good game, but our actions don’t support what we say. We continue to make excuses on why our children are failing in the classroom. Sporting events are a family affair, while the education is left up to the child. And most importantly, far too many in our community value athletic greatness over academic success. Here is a test for you or someone you may know: answer yes or no. (1) Is the number of sporting events you have attended with your child in the last three months greater than the number of times you have visited his/her school? (2) Have you spoken to your child’ coach more this season than you have to his/her teacher? (3) Have you spent more money on league fees, tennis shoes, sporting outfits, sporting equipment, and travel expenses (to and from games) than you have on education supplies, materials, and field trips? (4) Ras your child spent more time fifa gy™ or on a field than he/she has reading a book, completing a puzzle, or playing a board game? (5) Have you cheered for and encouraged your child more often at a sporting event or at his/ her homework table? (6) Do you encourage your child to compete harder against the children on the opposing athletic court or in the classroom? Be honest, if you answered “yes” to any of these questions, what do you really value and what type of rewards are you looking for? We have over 400,000 Black school teachers, 80,000 engineers, 30,000 lawyers, and over 20,000 Black physicians who are representingourcommunityvery well. There are just over 2,000 roster spots available in the American professional basketball, football, and baseball leagues. However, these spots are open to the best athletes in the entire world, not just those within our borders. The true reward of life is a successful and well-educated child, not an athlete who reaches their peak before they are able to drive. For speaking engagements or education workshops, contact me a t : educationdoesmatter(fl' hotmaiLcom or write me at: 9701 E. 63rd St., Indianapolis, IN. 46236. My contact number is (317) 502-0272.
Educator of the week Name: Tamieka Graves Hometown: Gary College attended: Jackson State University, Jackson, Miss. Year graduated: 1999 Began teaching in: 2001 School currently working at: Northwest High School How long: 2 years Subject: Special Education Grade level: 10 ,h grade Why did you have the desire to teach? I had the desire to teach because I understood the tremendous need for quality teachers in Indiana’s public school system. I knew I wanted to give back to the community in some way, so I felt that teaching would be an excellent avenue to accomplish that goal. What has been the most rewarding thing you’ve experienced as ateacher? The most rewarding thing I’ve experienced as a teacher is seeing students change their path because of the relationship that I’ve established with them. What has been the most challenging aspect of teaching? Time. It seems as if there’s never enough time for all of the demands, responsibilities, or unexpected emergencies that students have. Therefore, not having much time with the students is certainly challenging. In the future, what changes would you like to see in schools? I’d love to see educators have the opportunities to further their education and pursue professional development with some sort of financial assistance in the future.
Helping students achieve
(NAPSI) — It often surprises people that the label “at risk” applies to our nation’s brightest students. Research indicates’that 20 percent of all high school dropouts test in the gifted range while 40 percent of all gifted students are underachievers. Yet, the No Child Left Behind Education Act largely ignores these students. One reason many gifted students drop out is that, unlike what is done for the musically or athletically gifted, schools rarely offer special opportunities for intellectually gifted students. To address this problem, many advocate for changes to the educational system that focus on “flexibility rather than funding.” For example, some teachers believe students should be grouped by ability, rather than by age. “If a 9-year-old student can demonstrate that she is capable of completing advanced algebra, why should she be forced to take fourthgrade math?” asks Marie Capurro, M.Ed., program director at the Davidson Institute for Talent Development. Dr. Jan Davidson, cofounder of the Davidson In-
stitute, agrees. “If we applied our current educational model to individuals who demonstrated great ability historically, Mozart would have been required to take beginning music classes simply because he was a child. Had this been the case, would he have become bored, acted out or eventually dropped out?” The Davidson Institute for Talent Development is a not-for-profit organization that offers free services and scholarships to highly intelligent students across the country. The Davidson Young Scholars program is a free consulting and support program designed to assist families with educational advocacy, academic and financial support and provide access to talent-development opportunities. “Although the programs and services offered by our Institute are making a positive difference to many students, it is time that we as a nation make a commitment to providing all students with educational opportunities that are appropri-, ate to their abilities,” says Davidson. For more information, visit the Davidson Institute’s Web site at www.davidsoninstitute.org.
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