Dr. King once said

I have a dream, that one day little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and little white girls as sisters and brothers.

But that’s him,

and this is me.

And we are two totally different people yet I still see myself in him so I consider us the same being.

The same being put on this world for the same reason.

Whether you are white, black, asian.

We ALL are made in God’s image.

And even though we are all made in God’s image, we all are yet…

So different.

While he is not like she or she is not like he or you not like me nor even us like we.

We, yes we.

The black the strong the beautiful.

Black is not just a color of skin,

But you see, black is a way of life,

And black is not just a culture,

But you see black is a mixture of many potions.

Even though some may be blind, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

And not once have I looked over my shoulder,

To the past,

And look at what was…

But I look at what WILL be.

I look at Dr. King’s dreams slowly unfolding right before me.

Before I could not be here,

Standing, where I do now.

But I give much thanks to those who have paved the way for me,

And all that are in my same shoes.

Because if you really think about it,

I wouldn’t be able to have shared all that I have with you.

You… You, you, and YOU.

You ALL are my brothers and my sisters.

Same how she is yours and you are hers, or vice versa.

I love you just as much as the next,

Not ONCE have I noticed your skin.

To some they see the world in color while others see black and white.

But I,

I see neither.

I see friend among friend among friend.

Because despite our skin,

You are like me in many ways.

But sad to say, there are some who don’t see life this way.

But I say,

Let freedom RING!

Let freedom RING amongst all races.

Let freedom RING amongst the rich and the poor.

Let freedom RING amongst friend and foe .

Oh please let freedom ring!

Cause just like Dr. King I too have a dream.

But my dream is not to benefit me.

But benefit us, us as a we.

Because after what I have learned,

To make change, I don’t need a million and one friends,

To make change, I don’t need all the money in the world,

To make change, I don’t need to be a conformist and bend what I believe in order to please.

All I need to make change…

And I truly mean it when I say this.

All I need to make a change…

All I need to make change… is Me.

Dakota Williams

Watch Dakota read is poem on KidSpirit’s YouTube channel!

One aspect of the book that I really liked is that it is not a very challenging read, making it easier to focus on the material and message. It feels like Junior is talking to you; you can almost hear his voice. There is also an authentic feel to Junior’s dilemma and how he deals with it. The thoughts he has, the events that occur, and his outlook on different situations are written in such a way that it feels as if the author really is Junior. Finally, the book packs a punch emotionally. Junior has to deal with grief, hatred, and prejudice throughout the story, one example being how the relationship with his best friend fluctuates from beginning to end.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is also an emotionally inspiring book for several reasons. First, Junior’s attitude changes over the course of the story. In the beginning, Junior gives off an almost melancholy vibe, along with a sense of nonchalance. He feels like he has nowhere to go, and will go nowhere, which I think every teenager feels once and awhile. His views about his future change, however. He starts off thinking that he will amount to nothing, that he will end up exactly like his parents, have his own kids, and repeat the cycle. At the end of the book, Junior is still faced with the same struggles as in the beginning, such as poverty and racial tension, but he has a “new take on life.” Even if he doesn’t have the same opportunities as the kids he meets at the all-white school, he still has a chance. Junior feels if he tries his hardest, is focused and has a goal, he will end up okay, even if the road is hard. This is something I think teens can relate to.

School life is another important aspect of the story that also carries weight for some teen readers. The school on the rez is definitely poor, like a dead end. The book depicts some of the teachers and how they seem to share the same tired and sad vibe — a trademark of their experience. Opportunities appear distant, and while Junior is a bright student, he has limited resources so it seems that the chances of going on to a better education from there are slim. On the other hand, the all-white school is completely different. This school has diverse groups of kids, such as the “nerds” and “jocks,” with whom Junior mingles throughout the story. But, even though the kids have more money and a better school, the going-nowhere vibe persists, although in a different tone. Even if these kids seemingly have all the opportunities in the world, they still can make mistakes and miss out on a higher education. And social status is a big issue at the school. Popular kids worry about staying popular, and non-popular kids wish they were the opposite. I think these aspects really hit home with some readers, because of their real-world connection, even if the reader doesn’t go to a school on a reservation, like Junior.

In conclusion, the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a great read for a teenager. There are some issues and content that would not suit younger children. While there is a lot that could still be explored in the characters, the book paints an in-depth portrait of the setting and characters. The author’s language is incredibly smooth and almost conversational. I do wish the book was longer, seeing as there is much more that could be explored about Junior and his future. The book ends at a suspended point, where Junior’s life is still changing and advancing, but you can tell there will be more to his story as time passes. The book ends in the midst of all these things, and this adds a really special effect; it leaves you thinking and wondering “what if?” Only a few books I’ve read ever do this.

Sam Fraley

“Children are 25 percent of the population but 100 percent of the future. If we wish to renew society, we must raise up a generation of children who have strong moral character. And if we wish to do that, we have two responsibilities: first, to model good character in our own lives, and second, to intentionally foster character development in our young.”

This quote from the introduction of Thomas Lickona’s book, Character Matters, illustrates both the importance of character education and a possible way of teaching it. In its essence, character education is the teaching of basic morals, values, and principles which will guide people toward an ethical, well-behaved, healthy, and successful path.

Character education is important across all cultures, though the approaches might vary due to history and emphasis on different values. For example, Western character education draws upon Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Plato. Aristotle’s belief was that moderation is key in all matters of life. He emphasized reasoning to make moral choices. Similar to Aristotle, Plato placed logical reasoning as a foundation of good character; he believed that in order to be virtuous, moral human beings, we have to use reasoning to control our desires. Early Greek philosophers also taught that good character reflected independent decision making. Confucius, a central figure in Eastern thought, also emphasized reasoning and careful internal study and meditation in order to make moral choices. Eastern culture also emphasizes the value of a good teacher and following instructions, and posits the need to control desires in order to prevent disobedience, rebellion, and deceit.

This historical and philosophical interest in character development has been revived in a recent movement for character education. There are now a multitude of character education programs being implemented in schools all across the United States, including Character Counts! and the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs, among others. The article, “What if the Secret to Success is Failure?” written by Paul Tough and published in the New York Times, highlighted how educators are beginning to understand that strength of character, including the ability to deal with failure and stress, is important to academic success, just as much, if not more than grades.

I went to a religious private school and when I was in sixth and seventh grade, we wrote essays on different values like courage, gratitude, compassion, and goal setting. In addition, there were posters in all the classrooms and hallways, highlighting different morals. This addition to the curriculum was introduced to my school by my own grandmother, who worked with the principal and teachers. However, critical writing and posters are only two of many techniques used to teach morals to children all across the U.S. Others include ‘praise and reward,’ ‘define and drill,’ and ‘forced formality.’ The ‘praise and reward’ method tries to make virtue into habit through positive reinforcement — if students are ‘caught’ actively being good, they are rewarded with a treat or privilege. The ‘define and drill’ approach revolves around having pupils memorize values and their respective definitions, promoting true understanding of the values. ‘Forced formality’ is a practice which focuses on compliance with specific rules of conduct in order to promote order or respect of adults.

While in principle it might be important to teach character, one might ask, “Is it effective? What is it good for? Does it ultimately help academic performance?” As you might guess, people hold opposing viewpoints on those questions. As there is no way to determine the causal impact of character education, groups which advocate for it instead use correlations between the implementation of a program and something like grades or graduation rate. The Character Counts! initiative reports that in Downey, California, “High school graduation rates have been over 92% since Character Counts! implementation… compared to the statewide graduation rate of 68.3%.”

In 2010, a large study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education collected data on student success rates, teacher ratings of students, interviews, and surveys, just to name a few, in order to find out if character education truly provided enough conclusive evidence to be accepted. The study concluded that “in sum, the SACD (Social and Character Development) multiprogram evaluation provides no evidence that the seven universal, schoolwide programs improved students’ social and character development.”

One problem I see is that character education programs seem to be founded upon the belief that character in children or young adults is deficient and needs to be ‘corrected’ or ‘properly taught.’ Also, in character education programs, it is easy to blur the lines between true morality and social conformity. The major argument against character education is the fact that there are so many organizations involved with it and they all present different methods of going about it such that you have viewpoints or instructions that contradict each other.

Since it is difficult to measure the causal impact, and experts seem to disagree, we can say that the jury is still out on whether or not character education has passed the test. There are many reasons why we feel teaching ‘proper’ morals to our children is necessary. Without the right ideals, how will they grow up into responsible and successful people? However, it is very possible that by teaching younger generations our moral beliefs, which we understand as ‘proper’ and ‘right,’ we are restricting their independent thinking and reinforcing conformity. If it’s so hard to teach morals clearly and if there is no clear statistical evidence backing them up, should we really support character education programs and all they entail?

Khalid Husain

Oh! God, send us a messenger of peace and love

Who would change the world.

Rain peace out of the cloudy sky

Then, make a peaceful day out of a storm.

Oh! God, send us a follower of peace and love

Who would remove the fog

Stop violence with peace and love

Then, make the people see a joyful future.

Oh! God, send us a volunteer of peace and love

Who would light the world.

Give us the warmth of the sun in the cold night

Then, open the eyes of the people and bring justice.

Rafik Maharjan

Wherever you are in the world, a quiet—one might call it a “mindful”—revolution is taking place in education.

Visit a classroom in a high school, college, university, or professional school, and you might well see students sitting quietly with their eyes closed attending to their breath. They are using an age-old contemplative practice to settle their minds, reduce stress, strengthen attention, and to cultivate emotional balance. Although the roots of contemplative practice are ancient, modern-day neuroscience has shown that such practices have significant benefits for those who do them.

Visit the Law School at UC Berkeley and you might well meet Charles Halpern, Director of the Berkeley Initiative for Mindfulness in Law. Or maybe you are interested in Harvard’s educational leadership program. If so, you will likely bump into Jerry Murphy and Metta McGarvey, who offer a course on leadership with a contemplative component at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. Or if you came to visit me at Amherst College, you would be welcomed into my First-Year Seminar, where every week I use a different contemplative exercise designed especially for each part of the course. Nor are such methods limited to the United States. I have worked with contemplative educators in Israel, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, England, Finland, Germany, Holland, and France, to name a few.

Rather than tell you about the thousands of professors and high school teachers who are using contemplative practices as part of their pedagogy, I’ll send you to the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society website for information.

To give you a sense of how contemplative practice in education works in practice, let me invite you to my class for incoming first-year students.

As you come in, I hand you a sheet with a few short passages from authors whose ideas will prove central to the course. The first passage is from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Read it slowly and aloud:

“The morning, which is the most memorable season of the day, is the awakening hour. Little is to be expected of that day, if it can be called a day, to which we are not awakened by our Genius, but by the mechanical nudgings of some servitor, are not awakened by our own newly acquired force and aspirations from within, accompanied by the undulations of celestial music, instead of factory bells, and a fragrance filling the air — to a higher life than we fell asleep from . . . . The millions are awake enough for physical labor; but only one in a million is awake enough for effective intellectual exertion, only one in a hundred millions to a poetic or divine life. To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake. How could I have looked him in the face? . . . We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep.”

When you have finished reading it, I may well ask another student or two to read it again, and then go on to read it aloud myself one last time, slowly. Already this is an adaption of the old monastic practice of lectio divina or sacred reading. Go ahead and read the above passage aloud, and take your time. You will be surprised by how much more you notice, how many questions and thoughts occur to you on the second or third reading.

Now that we have lingered long on the words of Thoreau, what do you think? What does he mean by the poetic and divine life? How awake, or how alive are you? How might you awaken yourself to a higher life “than we fell asleep from”? Pick a line or phrase and tell me what it signifies.

It is said that soon after his enlightenment, the Buddha passed a man on the road who was struck by the extraordinary radiance and peacefulness of his presence. The man stopped and asked,

“My friend, what are you? Are you a celestial being or a god?”

“No,” said the Buddha.

“Well, then, are you some kind of magician or wizard?”

Again the Buddha answered, “No.”

“Are you a man?”

“No.”

“Well, my friend, what then are you:”

The Buddha replied, “I am awake.”

The name “Buddha” means “one who is awake.” Do you think you could have looked the Buddha in the face? What might it feel like?

Read Thoreau one last time, and then sit quietly for a while.

+++

The second selection is composed of two short passages from Simone Weil’s remarkable book Gravity and Grace.

“All the natural movements of the soul are controlled by laws analogous to those of physical gravity. Grace is the only exception.

 Grace fills empty spaces but it can only enter where there is a void to receive it, and it is grace itself which makes this void.”

Have you noticed, with Simone Weil, how much of your inner life is as predictable as the behavior of a thrown rock? Human nature is like that. Show a guy a cute girl, and it will prompt the same reaction every time. Such are the “natural movements of the soul”; they are predictable and follow laws analogous to those of physics. Psychology is the study of those laws.

But according to Simone Weil there is an exception that she calls “grace.” She thinks that the interior movements of our “soul” are not completely predictable: occasionally, exceptionally something unpredictable enters in! Check it out for yourself. Look inside. Introspect. How many of your emotions and thoughts are really your own? Don’t they seem to link up in predictable ways? Can you find an exception? If there is an exception, where does is come from?

To the philosopher and mystic Simone Weil, who was one of France’s greatest minds in the period 1935 to her death in 1945, such exceptions seem to enter from without. Moreover, they carry with them no power to force their way in. Rather, law-breaking grace can enter our inner life only when there is “a void to receive it.”

The deep quiet that can arise in contemplative practice is an invitation to the void Weil is writing about, but not the void itself. We silence ourselves outwardly and inwardly. Thoughts and feelings that normally run riot inside us gradually subside when we meditate. It can take some time and repeated practice, but we can quite ourselves so that grace has a chance.

Simone Weil observed herself, her mind or soul. Her observations of her inner life match my own. We both came to them by meditative introspection. We sought inside ourselves carefully and patiently, and came to similar conclusions.

With our physical senses we can examine the vast world around us, but a second and equally amazing world lies within. Science is the study of nature, and contemplative science is the study of the mind. At first encounter, your mind may be more like a jungle than an orderly universe. Meditation offers a way in, a method of calming the chaos and of self-exploration that can lead to what I hold to be the greatest task of being human: to know ourselves truly.

Permit me to end as I do with my students on that first day, by inviting you to join me in a contemplative practice: becoming silent. Sit yourself down, feet flat on the floor, back gently erect, head resting easily, and your hands on your thighs or in your lap. Softly close you eyes, and settle your body, releasing all tension in your arms, legs, neck, back. With each out breath, settle the body still more, so that you are completely relaxed but alert.

Now settle your mind. Thoughts and feeling arise and pass away; these are the natural movements of the soul. Observe them, but see if you can also release them, quieting the mind as you quieted the body. Again, use the breath as a help. Rest your attention on it, feeling the in-breath and out-breath . . .until all your thoughts and feelings become merely a murmur in the background of your mind.

Rest in the stillness and peace that opens up within you. Don’t look for anything; merely experience the profound peace that is available to you, if you can settle mind and body. And in the deepening silence, maybe, just maybe, grace will open up a void in you, and you will awaken to the poetic and divine life that you fell asleep from.

Arthur Zajonc, Ph.D.