Learning out side the lines and What the scilenced say

Growing up as a student labeled Learning Disabled (LD) since k-5Th. I really related to Jonathan Mooney the author of Learning outside the lines and the speaker in the video What the silenced have to say. Reflecting on his experiences growing up he sheds light on how the education system we have in place today effects our students.

Growing up Jonathan was labeled ld, adhd and dyslexic. He had troubles all through school teachers telling him he was broken, not understanding his learning style and he was often told he was stupid. At one point in his life a High school guidance counselor told him he would be flipping burgers the rest of his life. Although he did have a few saving graces one was his mom who advocated for him in and out of school. In 6Th grade Mooney dropped out of school for a year and had plans to commit suicide. Although his father had often fought with the feeling that his son was a failure he also turned out to be one of his saving graces. At a world cup baseball game one night his father told him son I love you no matter how good you do in school and the next year Mooney went back to school. One of the most important people in Mooney's life was his 4Th grade teacher who helped him become interested in learning and told Mooney to do what he loved (story telling). The story ends with Mooney graduating at the top of his class with a degree in English Lit from Brown University. Yes it is success story.

Some of the things I read in this book I immediately related to others broke my heart. The fact that a guidance counselor would ever tell a student that they are not smart enough for school, to tell them to quit and to flip burgers for a living made tears roll down my cheeks. I find it unacceptable that these children are slowly slipping through the cracks. and why? All because they learn differently. Mooney doesn't only criticize the schools but he offers important advice and tools we can all use to help these students or to help yourself. I think the most important things are to advocate for them and to let them know that grades do not define who they are. Attending a school like Cherry Creek so much pressure is put on the students to perform well. I will tell you every math class I took at Creek sucked and when most kids got angry if they received a C in that class I was happy to even get that. I think the pressure on kids these days is ridiculous and then you add standardize testing to the mix (you don't even want to hear my rant on that).

If you are struggling student, a parent of one or a teacher I recommend the movie or the book. You can most likely find these at your local library. I did! Or if you have any stories or thoughts post them here!


Hoping,
Dre Dre

Websites:
http://www.jonathanmooney.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbBLYHyR7qg

Dear Sienna,

"Strangers are friends waiting to happen!"

My quote of the day to you!

Love from NOT IN PERU WITH YOOU, Drea

"How can we worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore one on Monday?"

So tonights post is about one of the books I mentioned below. I am talking about The Irresistable revolution by Shane Claiborne. I have read this book several times and have thumbed through many more times- often these times are at night when my soul is searching. I recieved the book as a gift from a mentor Sophmore year and the book renewed my faith in Chrisianity. I recently passed the book along to a good friend of mine who I thought would enjoy Claibornes writing.

The book begins with Claiborne reflecting on his childhood growing up in the Bible belt east Tennessee where he says "theres a Church on nearly every street corner". He attended church every Sunday with his family and went to the youth groups that drew the largest crowd. Eventually he began to feel discontent with the church he said "people had taught me what Christians believe, but no one had told me how Christians live,". Frustrated and searching for the truth in Christianity he decided against his mothers wishes and with God by his side to enroll in Estern College in Philidalphia.

Eventually Claiborne's search for a real Christianity leads him to sleeping on the streets with the homless in Philidalphia, saving an abandoned church, working with Mother Theresa in Calcutta and living with Lepers in India.

I highly reccomend this boook. It tells the story of a man just looking to live out an authentic Christian faith. For all the believers, non-believers, the lost and the soul searchers read this book and I promise you wont look at Christianity the same.

Love Love Love, Drea

PS. Read more on it here: http://www.thedubyareport.com/irresistible.html

Books for the religious, the spiritual and the philanthropist inside us all.

• The irresistable revolution: living life as an ordinary radical- Shane Calaiborbne
• The alchemist- Paul Cohelo
• Siddhartha- Hermann Hesse
• A long way gone: memories of a boy solider- Ishmale Beah
• What is the what- Dave Eggers

+If you have any reading suggestions for me please feel free to share them as I love new books! :)

Ahmesugenalew, Drea

Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.- hebbel

Dear whoever may be reading this,

I don't know you or maybe I do. Maybe you live oceans away from me. Maybe your life is completely different from mine. I am about to tell you my story and I would love to hear yours in return.

Here is my story: I am 18 years old and 3 years ago my life was forever changed. I saw the documentary Invisible Children. It focused on the plight of the children in northern Uganda. It showed a hidden war where children were abducted and forced to fight. I saw people starving for the most basic necessities but filled with the purest love. I knew at that moment that I had found it. Some people spend there whole lives searching for it. There's a moment in every one's life when they realize there passion and there purpose for living. At only 15 I had found my passion and I felt it in my heart that this would take me on many wild adventures. Already it has!

After seeing the movie I became very involved in Invisible Children fundraising and efforts to help end Africa's longest running war. Then at my school I joined a club called STAND (Students Taking Action Now Darfur)- they work with Save Darfur to help end one of the worst genocides since the Holocaust. Although this was in a different part of Africa my passion continued leading me all over the African continent. A year later I was on my way to Ethiopia, Africa with the Cunningham Foundation. this foundation works to help educate, feed and clothe the children at a place called Project Mercy. Through a video project I received the chance a long with 3 other high school students to visit Project Mercy and see where are fundraising was going. I had been a part of a club at school called 4 quarters 4 kids that first got me involved with the Cunningham Foundation. The club has done various fundraiser to raise money for the organization. We are the first 4q4k club in the world and are inspiring other schools to join this growing movement. Thanks to the support of my friends and family I have been able to raise a-lot of money for various charities and I feel I have accomplish a-lot. But be warned my work is not over yet and my passion for the beautiful people of Africa will never end.

Next year I will be attending Mesa State College. This will be a new chapter of my life and another adventure for me to partake in. I am going to this college and hoping to eventually earn my teaching certificate, I know in my heart I will return to Africa. I plan on going back and teaching.

So that is my story and as I mentioned before I would love to hear yours so please share it.

With Love in my heart,
As the Ethiopians say Ahmesugenalew (Thank you)


Websites for the mentioned charities:
Invisible Children- http://www.invisiblechildren.com/
Invisible Children- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/group.php?gid=2365284904&ref=ts
STAND- http://www.savedarfur.org/
Cunningham Foundation- http://www.cunninghamfoundation.org/