Jeremy Cowart is a photographer and just an awesome person doing amazing things with his God given talents. But you know what… had he believed his test scores when he was younger he would not be making the world a better place. He is sharing his talents, helping to tell stories of those in third world countries to gain global awareness of the issues, and now Jeremy plans to build a hotel where every room will help sponsor a child and tell their story.
As a child he grew up taking tests in the schools and those tests revealed he was in the lowest 5-15%. He got bad grades, was a terrible listener, and couldn’t focus for more than 3 minutes at a time. Had he believed what the school system was telling him, he wouldn’t be changing the world today. Education is critical but how we teach needs to be reevaluated.
Why are we creating more tests for kids to take? Those scores do not determine the success of their future. Often, it just discourages children cause they believe they aren’t ‘smart’. There are lots of Jeremy Cowart’s in the world that are ‘not smart’ but absolutely brilliant. Are the additional tests (MAP, PARCC, etc) kids are getting thrown at them every other day really helpful? At what point, do we as parents say ‘enough is enough’ and be the voice for our kids and fight for change?!
Why are we removing physical education? Study after study shows physical activity not only has obvious health benefits such as preventing obesity but kids perform better academically. More oxygen is supplied to their brain when they have bursts of physical activity helping their concentration and ability to absorb what is being taught in the classroom. Even physical movement and hands on activities in the classroom provide a greater retention rate of what they are learning. One of my own kids had several years of being severely fidgety, lacked focus, AND yet incredibly smart. I’m thankful he had teachers who could see how wonderful he is as a person and student and continued to encourage him positively while providing him with tools to help him focus. Things that used to be seen only in a therapy room, are becoming more common place in the classroom. Things such as ball chairs, tactile tools to chew or feel, exercise bands, etc. These things are viewed by classmates as cool and are incredibly helpful to those who require more movement. To be honest, we all need it and kids even more so. I see a HUGE uptick in my motivation and attitude on days when I exercise in the morning. Kids are no different. Their bodies crave activity. And their brains NEED it.
Why are the arts being cut? Critical Links research shows that, “Each discipline is connected to significant outcomes. For example, in the visual arts, there are findings about how drawing supports writing skills and how visualization training supports interpretation of text. In music, researchers found strong connections to spatial reasoning and math, and between instrument instruction and SAT scores. Dance instruction was connected to fluency in creative thinking and to reading skills. Drama in the form of dramatic enactment was connected to story comprehension, character understanding, and writing proficiency, and is shown to be a better way for students to process a story than teacher-led discussion. Multi-arts programs, as you might expect, had multiple connections: to reading, verbal, and math skills, and to creative thinking.”
When you have 25 minutes, please watch the video below. I had so many thoughts while watching this 1) our education system is broken 2) definition of smart is drastically skewed by society’s standards 3) amazement at all Jeremy has accomplished 4) wondering what God put me on Earth to do that I’m not yet doing 5) how can I positively impact others 6) why do I let fear keep me from doing things 7) one person can change the world.
I pray that as parents, as teachers and as a society we can be encouragers to those around us. Remind your friend that they are brilliant. Tell your son that his compassion is amazing. Share your appreciation for your spouse. Tell your daughter that you believe in her. Remind them of all their amazing characteristics. It takes 10 positive things to combat 1 negative comment made to a person. When talking to my friend Dani last week, we talked about how dangerous it is to get caught up in determining our worth based on the opinions of others. I encourage you to view your self through the eyes of our Father and let your confidence come from knowing you were created wonderfully and perfectly. Don’t determine your self-worth based on test scores. Just as Abileen said in the book The Help, “You is smart. You is kind. You is important.” Don’t ever forget it! Remember, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phillipians 4:13
Hearing his story inspires me to do more, live bolder, love deeper, give more generously, and make the world a better place one smile, one hug and one dollar at a time.
I can be the change in the world. YOU can be the change in the world. All it takes is faith to take the first step and God will show you the path!
I needed this today….thanks my friend!
You are welcome Karyn! 🙂