Extra-Curricular Activities since Irma; Why They Are Needed

Extra-Curricular Activities since Irma; Why They Are Needed

As a community our territory has been through a tremendous ordeal. Two category five hurricanes have made life as we knew it impossible to return to as almost everything has changed. With change comes the good and the bad as we all know; the good part is that we get to rebuild. It is a chance for change, to learn from our countless mistakes, to push forward, and a time for atonement. The bad part is the restoration phase and the inconveniences that we all have to suffer in order to make our futures brighter. One such inconvenience is the lack of extra curricula activities and adequate after school enrichment programs to sustain the new half day of school that we have adopted to ensure the needs of all are met.

 These half days of school are very strenuous on families and make it hard for parents, as well as students to actively participate in various ways. Yes, parents are allotted two hours a month to check in with their child’s teachers and schools, but many parents have more than one child and two hours may not be enough. Transportation and number of children should be taken into account as well as the needs of the child or children in question. Parents of students with delays or disabilities need to actively participate to learn routines and techniques to attribute to their child’s development. This too is true of students who exhibit challenging behavior due to emotional trauma/stress, parents need to be involved to ensure resilience is built upon with a support system; in this case the home and school community.

Every child on this island or in the territory at the times of hurricanes Irma and Maria have suffered a traumatic experience that WILL stay with them throughout their lives. When you really think of the ordeal we have faced as a community it must have been extra hard on the children. They did not have prior knowledge and experience that came with past hurricanes to mentally prepare for the storm (I got my experience with Marilyn and those after and still was in shock and dismay).

Every outlet for recreation that still exists has been ‘modified’ somehow leaving nothing much to help the youths cope. This is the time when we need those “Big Brother” enrichment programs to detour youths and adolescents from participating and engaging in self destructive behavior which can become the beginning of the path to becoming the next degenerate on the street corner.

The views expressed within this blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the youths of the U. S Virgin Islands visit https://www.usviearlychildhoodlearning.blogspot.com . For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student, V. I Character, and Curricula Standards & Benchmarks

Life Long Lessons: St. Croix

Life Long Lessons: St. Croix

    In a season that usually celebrates promotional exercises and vacations I have grown fond of watching the endless pictures of graduations from preschool to college. I can't speak for everyone else but it makes me reminisce on adolescent memories, lost opportunities and life-long lessons! As I scroll through my news feeds and read the paper during this season I sometimes feel a sense of pride recognizing my career choice does matter ( even though I get horrible hours, make minimum wage, and am constantly ridiculed). Today I was stripped of such after reading Facebook posts about adolescent twin boys ( from St. Croix) that will not be able to participate in their graduation. While this was completely their own faults and choice according to reports by the associated press I'm shocked at the stance many have taken with regards to the consequences set forth by the U.S Virgin Islands Department of Education.

     Parents and teachers alike spent time coaching, training, and teaching adolescents to become responsible citizens that can contribute to our society beginning from the early years. We have become a society that makes excuses for our children rather than letting them learn.

    While it is sincerely terrible that these young men, the epitome of many of our young men, will be deprived of this epic opportunity they were given a choice and they had to choose what was best for their futures. It was all their choices from beginning to end.

    Just like the world we live in today everyone has to face the consequences of their actions. While the circumstances are unfortunate these young men have just received a life lesson they will never forget.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student, V. I Character, and Curricula Standards & Benchmarks

Virgin Islands Character; What Once Was

Virgin Islands Character; What Once Was

As a child growing up  in the Virgin Islands I was afforded opportunities to observe the inner workings  social or extra curricula activities within the territory and their benefits. I recognized that all pageants, leagues and institutional organizations all had one thing in common;  they facilitated opportunities for adolescents to obtain and build character building skills which can help them with personal growth. Basketball and baseball leagues valued character. All students had to be in good standing within their various school communities This also provided opportunities f or children without privilege to learn and develop character building traits necessary to become productive members of society. To build habits like punctuality, dressing formal, taking pride in their appearance and work ( school or work whatever that maybe).

Young men once had ample opportunities to build character and integrity, learning the many other ways to earn respect but most importantly they learned respect for themselves. Young girls were too given ample opportunities to learn how to become ladies, and shine equally amongst their adolescent peers through various sports and organizations regardless of gender. Their opportunities facilitated hope for other young girls within the territory as well as illustrated to member of our society the importance of such organizations. But the lack of consideration for many of these character building traits leaves adolescents and parents with a lack of appreciation for these traits and our schools with the ethical dilemmas of how to proceed. Do they bother to solve it at all? How can teachers and administrators within the institution of education help foster skills that should have been introduced and reinforced at home first?

Sincerely, I don’t think they can without meaningful parental involvement and collaboration between families and the school. Calling and texting a teacher is a form of informal communication that can be very beneficial in many areas but it is not enough. Waiting until report cards are issued to buckle down on studies does not work, more importantly my fellow parents making excuses for you child does not work (even if you’re the excuse!). It is time to reteach to our children through role modeling everyday how to be responsible and take responsibility for their actions. Admit that it is your fault and work to find ways to rectify it through collaborating with teachers or the administration; extra credit, or community service does attribute to their academic standing as well as character traits.

Rather than illustrating the ignorance that has become synonymous with our citizens in recent generations. Solidarity and integrity have always been vital components of our culture;  Virgin Islanders lets make it a priority to embrace our own traditions rather than reforming to those of our national neighbors.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student

Ethical Leaders Anyone?

Ethical Leadership Anyone?

U. S Virgin Islands Governor K. Mapp

Ethical leadership involves acting with moral purpose and integrity to do what is right, just, and fair in service of common good; they are genuine with themselves and others, they remain true to who they are and what they stand for (Weiss, 2011). The main characteristics of ethical leadership are authenticity and integrity. Authentic leaders have genuine desires to serve, they know themselves and lead from their values; they understand their purpose, have strong values about doing the right thing in work and in their lives and are passionate about their mission (George with Sims, 2007). Ethical leaders with integrity often illustrates an 'alignment between what one does and what one says; doing and saying should belong to the same whole' (Brown, 2005). Acting with integrity is the same as acting ethically or morally (DeGeorge, 1993). Notable examples of ethical leaders include but aren't limited to the Dalai Lama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Mohandas Gandhi, and Erykah Badu (a notable activist for youth engagement and development through the arts). As I mentioned in discussions, the most influential leader in our territory, the governor, is continuing to lose the confidence of the people and even the Senate committee due to unethical actions continuously arising since he took office in January. His actions have caused many of the nominees selected as commissioners and chairpersons resigning every month as a new scandal of some sort is making headlines again because of the governor lack of ethics. His lack of ethics and those who held the office before him set the precedence for every other aspiring politician within our territory including those who are the most impressionable, the youths.

Outside of our own governor and that he has recently become notable for, many of his cabinet/ administration's members are also under much needed scrutiny for their actions during the short tenure this administration has had. My main concerns are with all being discussed and the spotlights being 'lit' what exactly are these politicians and their aids doing to better serve the needs of the territories educational institutions? I have heard of the many strides made for UVI's medical program and think it great as nursing has become such a common occupation within the territory, but early childhood education is still not being addressed. Too many have to wait until they are of school age (five years old) to attend public school because Head Start programs have waiting lists by years and not enough facilities. 

 This sort of leadership has caused discord among our governments officials, the community at large and has even stopped initiatives and legislations from being practiced due to hardball being played between too much people with power. 

Ethics is generally defined as motivations or actions that are based on ideas of what is      right and wrong, but it also encompasses the values and morals that an individual, society, or       institution deems acceptable and desirable (Weiss, 2011). Leaders who do not encompass the values and morals of the society cannot effectively and authentically lead any majority without first being motivated to do so by similar causes. I think ethical leadership is important because it teaches integrity and culture to followers in turn empowering the masses.  

Weiss, J. W. (2011). An introduction to leadership. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read PTA, Parent Committee, & Volunteering: Get Involved , Too Much Violence: USVI Shootings Near Preschools, USVI Shootings Near Preschool's 2, and Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student