GED to PhD: The Story Behind the Data

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Traumatized students are all too common in America’s schools. What's rare is an opportunity for educators to sit and absorb first-hand from a former at-risk student. Craig’s mom abused drugs, his father wasn’t present, he overcame a learning disability as a special education student. Craig repeated 3rd and 5th grade before dropping out in the 10th grade. Craig has a truly inspiring story, and his journey from GED to PhD is one that will have you motivated to go out and achieve greatness. In this engaging session participants will unlearn perceived fallacies about students who deal with trauma and come from poverty. The impact of childhood trauma and chronic stress is one of the most pressing issues facing educators and society at large. If you work with youth there’s a good chance you work with trauma. Trauma prevents students from being able to engage fully in the present moment. Craig’s trademark slogan, GED to PHD is a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student. 

Poverty and trauma are all too common in America’s schools. What's rare is an opportunity for educators to sit and absorb first-hand from a former at-risk student who dropped out, endured a mother abusing drugs, absent father, and learning disability.  In this engaging session participants will unlearn perceived fallacies about students from poverty. One thing more important than what you teach is who you teach. Knowing and understanding your students emotionally can yield tremendous relational dividends. Trauma occurring in the early years can have a substantial impact on an adolescent's social-emotional development, academic performance, and behavior. This session will provide necessary knowledge to become a trauma-responsive educator and empower students healing from trauma. 50% of any interaction with a student is you. Students cannot learn effectively when they are burdened by the effects of trauma and poverty.  Craig’s trademark slogan, GED to PHD is a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student.

One thing more important than what you teach is who you teach. Young kids of color in communities where poverty is prevalent can develop post-traumatic stress disorder from events they have experienced or witnessed. Many lack access to real help, so they self-medicate. Trauma undermines a child's inherent curiosity and desire to learn. It influences behavior, motivation and sense of purpose. While adults chide students, who don't demonstrate a deep desire to learn, many Black boys are in perpetual fight, flight, or freeze modes in response to their traumatic experiences. Exposure to trauma, whether through witnessing or direct victimization, is often a daily reality for many Black males. This often undiagnosed and untreated trauma causes unimaginable challenges and negative outcomes for Black boys in education and life. This means that unless we as educators are willing to look at ourselves and our reactions, no tools or skills are going to work in the classroom or in any other situation where we are having challenges with a child. Leading underachieving students in poverty to academic success involves asking the right questions, finding the leverage points, deploying resources effectively, optimizing time, and sharing data effectively. Craig’s trademark slogan, GED to PHD is a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student.

The school-to-prison pipeline is one of our nation’s most formidable challenges. It refers to the trend of directly referring students to law enforcement for committing certain offenses at school or creating conditions under which students are more likely to become involved in the criminal justice system, such as excluding them from school.  It is imperative that educators (1) educate themselves about the “school discipline gap.” (2) Help students and colleagues unlearn misperceptions about students from poverty. (3) Continue reaching out to low-income families even when they appear unresponsive (and without assuming, if they are unresponsive, that we know why). (4) Respond when colleagues stereotype poor students and/or parents. (5) Fight to keep low-income students from being assigned unjustly to special education or low academic tracks. (6) Make curriculum relevant to poor students, drawing on and validating their experiences and intelligences. Most important, we must consider how our own class biases affect our interactions with and expectations of our students. Craig’s trademark slogan, GED to PHD is a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student.

America has a long history of segregation and inequality in public education. Public education seems to be divided into two different systems. General education and special education. In a perfect world they would work cohesively together to meet the needs of all learners but to be honest, it hardly happens. There is a serious over-representation of black males in special education. Black males are subject to disparities in SPED identification and discipline practices. The disproportionate representation of Black males in SPED is a symptom of a much larger problem facing America, which funnels Black male students into separate classrooms at extremely high rates. Reports also suggest that inappropriate and inadequate special education services may be a leading factor in overrepresentation of minority adolescents in the juvenile justice system. A lack of understanding surrounding how black males navigate in this world, and a quick trigger when it comes to disciplinary and removal practices, is a recipe for higher than average numbers. This is not something that we as any educators can and/or should sit by and let continue. Craig’s trademark slogan, GED to PHD is a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student.

Black and brown school leaders are essential for real educational equity, but they need support in order to succeed. Black and brown children cannot afford to wait for our political system to transform education to permit their educational empowerment and social liberation.  Without an effective education, our children’s futures are all but guaranteed to succumb to the imposed conditions of their lineage and location. If you accept this call to school leadership, you better be willing to be misunderstood, criticized, opposed, accused, and even rejected! As a leader you have to always keep your heart prepared for rejection and remember that real loyalty happens behind your back! Craig’s trademark slogan, GED to PHD is a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student.