As my regular readers may have noticed, I have been away for the desk for some time due to a number of life changes. One thing is for sure, God is in control, as he must because I KNOW I am not. (Thank God for that!!!) In the process I have been working on quite a few projects that the Lord has given me and am moving forthrightly to complete them.
IMBKCAC is making much progress in the field of victim's advocacy for those individuals who have suffered as a result of the sins of clergy and other church personnel. This year IMBKCAC has managed to advance within the realm of the Church Of God In Christ and is an idea and innovation that cannot be overlooked IF the aim is serving God by meeting the needs of the members of the church. Much more will be said on IMBKCAC, it's mission and what we are doing at a later date.
"He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future." ~Adolph Hitler
Believe me, I am NOT an admirer of Adolph Hitler in any way. The lowest part of hell, which he will occupy is just the place for him without a doubt or question, but one thing he was intent to focus on was the "mind" and future potential of the youth. Even devils know where to concentrate their efforts in order to change society.
Dream Builders is a seminar, project and a plan that is positioned at the right place at the right time in uncovering and addressing the needs of educators and parents as they seek to educate and reach our youth by way of the educational process. Built to uncover common themes which hinder the process of teaching, learning and harmony within our public and private school settings, Dream Builders just may be what every school district needs in order to gain information about the current battle for the minds of our youth and how to win the war for their futures, dreams and hopes.
With the development of the Common Core Curriculum, educators are finding that their jobs are more closely tied to classroom performance and standardized testing now more than ever before. Because of this emerging reality, educators must be equipped with the best and most powerful information and must find a way to bridge the gap in communicating with their students. In addition, teachers and professional administrators, must be encouraged to update teaching methods and styles and create a true team approach toward the educational process.
From parental involvement, parent university, to simply stronger and more active PTA's all options are on the table as it pertains to 21st Century education in most school districts all around the country. Yet, there is still much help needed in order to make any school day a day of education rather than a day of discipline and disruption.
At the same time, there is an observable rise in violence, violent behavior, truancy, and many other problems that hamper the successful education of children within our communities. The violence, in its worst form, facilitates the appearance of gunmen in and around the schools who go on shooting rampages destroying countless lives and instilling fear in young impressionable hearts and minds. Might there be greater underlying factors to this intensity of violence? From a spiritual perspective, certainly, but what is being contributed in mainstream society that is facilitating if not initiating this pain?
A Complete Societal Problem
An uneducated or under-educated youth and community hinders the potential progress, growth and productivity of society. For every one unprepared for life, or caught up in the wrong activities, there is a greater burden placed upon all of us who must make up the gap through either higher taxation or increased demands.
Although many individuals have a hard time understanding the need for test scores, because some children just don't test well, what most individuals don't know is that the expansion of so called "correctional facilities" such as prisons and jails is correlated to 4th grade standardized test scores in reading. That's right...READING test scores.
If children are not receiving what they need for their futures at an early age, they may be destined to suffer personally or contribute to the suffering of others by lack of productivity, crime and in many other undesirable ways. The fight for our youth has never been so important.
A Solid Solution
Dream Builders is a solid solution to understanding the attitudes and pattern of thinking that, many times, occupies the desks, a seat on the yellow bus, and classrooms all around the country.
In the Dream Builders program I take my experience of over 13 years of a parent and parent advocate combined along with my nearly 30 years experience as a minister along with my 15 years as a community advocate to present a program that our teachers and administrators vitally and so desperately need as they seek to advance our students lives and help rebuild dreams.
- Uncovers the anarchist message that has bombarded inner city youth and hindered the education process through the implementation of negative stereotypes.
- Opens the door to overcoming negative messages and stereotypes
- Equips teachers and education professionals with tools on how to address the most intense issues that our youth are facing today.
- Teaches us how to embrace differences and use them as strengths in solving the classroom problem and piecing together the classroom puzzle.
- Engages the current and relevant issues that our youth and families are facing.
- Is the most affordable and most dynamic and shocking information that many teachers and education professionals have ever witnessed in such a comprehensive and forthright manner
What You Can Do...
If you are in the education field, a teacher, administrator such as a Principal, Superintendent or Chancellor of a School District, or a Parent that would like to help bring new, diverse and powerful information to your PTA group or school, I would like to introduce you to Dream Builders because I believe that this program, along with others I have designed, will revolutionize your approach to the complete education process and connect both student and teacher as true education partners in a way that has not been previously witnessed.
Already, teachers and professional educators are talking about all that they were not aware of among the students that they see everyday and have uncovered and discovered some hidden messages in plain sight to help them better reach their students. Dream Builders information causes those involved in educating our youth to more effectively do what they do best...develop solutions...Many of those solutions would have normally went without regard under former circumstances. Neither your child, nor their teacher can go without Dream Builders any longer.
Unconventional problems and situations justify unconventional methods and means in dealing with them.
Email me at Dunamis1@netzero.com to see how you or your school can participate in Dream Builders and change and revive your educational and youth community.
Together, and with the help of the Lord, we can Rebuild the Dream!
Praise the LORD!
ReplyDeleteGOD bless you Pastor Harvey Burnett,
How are you sir? This email today, I believe and know is an answer to my prayers. Out here in Prince George's County, Maryland GOD has opened my eyes to show me the state of our African-American youth through my own children. My oldest son is in the 4th grade and he acted up yesterday at his school. I immediately went to the school yesterday to address the issues. Praise God, the situation has been healed. But, Dr. Burnett, my children are like little lambs in an undisciplined environment. The majority of the teachers are underpaid, overwhelmed, and ill-equipped. The classrooms are way overcrowded. This is happening in an affluent middle to upper middle class 99% African-American community! What has happened to us? I apologize for dumping, but I am having a Nehemiah Chapter 1 moment for my children and their peers.
I knew it was bad but I truly know it is even worse than I even believed. Our people are asleep (saved and unsaved). I went to observe my oldest son's classroom today and my 2nd son's classroom. At each class, it took the teachers about 15 minutes to get the students settled down before she could attempt to teach!!!
Enochwalked
Enochwalked,
DeleteThat is the problem for real. As I suggest, 4th and 5th grade are very transitional years for our kids. It is at that time that many psychological traits are revealed and set. Educators have been overwhelmed with what has happened in middle-school settings focusing on early childhood development (which is good in my opinion) and later development (high school) Well by high school it's too late and many children haven't found that they have "liberty" of expression in younger grades. They find this liberty in about 4th and 5th grades.
Education professionals need help in assessing the landscape prior to this so that they can know what they are setting in front of from day one in in the classroom setting. Having this knowledge will help plot the course and direction of the education process. Who goes anyplace without a map? Having a plan is exactly what should be done. A course syllabus is NOT what I am referring to. This is what Dream Builders uncovers.
Yes, this is an emergency situation all around the country and we can either be in a response mode, allowing others to set the pace, or be proactive and change the setting from jump. I'd rather be proactive!
I place quality research into facts in my seminars. I often address things such as unemployment and poverty rates and examine the correlation between it and education. I did this in Peoria, IL. What I find and what teachers continue to drop their jaws at is the facts that are uncovered. Here some of them are:
ReplyDeleteThe unemployment rate in the 61605 ZIP Code (Peoria IL) is 23.4%. In Aug. 2013 The National unemployment rate was 7.3% (unemployment in 61605 is more than 3 times the national average. Most teachers who teach in that zip code don't know that)
Poverty rate: In November 2012 the U.S. Census Bureau said more than 16% of the population lived in poverty in the United States, including almost 20% of American children,[7] up from 14.3% (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and to its highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2% (39.8 million) Americans lived in poverty.[8] California has a poverty rate of 23.5%, the highest of any state in the country." (Wikipedia)
The state of Illinois poverty rate is approximately 15%
Poverty level for 61605 zip code is 47.1% according to 2011 data. This is over twice the national average.
61605 was among the top 100 cities in the country in the lowest average household incomes. They were worse than East STL.
None of the teachers attending any of my seminars knew this information readily. Had no idea.
Can any of this have a bearing on what comes into the classroom? Now, how do we address it? That's what Dream Builders knows!!!!!
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ReplyDeleteDreamBuilders no doubt is a much needed program. Our young people do face situations unlike any other generation. The needs are critical, and may God bless you and all participants with this project.
ReplyDeleteReviews so far have been fantastic on this program and teachers have felt supported and informed. Here is a report that was sent to a school administrator after a recent seminar:
ReplyDelete"I just wanted to say thank you for the meaningful PD this morning. I had been praying for a way for our (LEFT BLANK) family to be a little more insightful and compassionate toward our learners here and THAT was right on TIME! You are AWESOME!!!! ( I already told Rev. Burnett his message was awesome too!)"
I don't present this information as a preacher. I present as a parent who understands what our schools are facing and the importance of their jobs in educating our children. Thank God the program is making a difference.