This question seems to have as easy an answer as does “Why did the chicken cross the road?” However, in reality, I agree with a statement by Nicholas A. Ferroni that was posted on the WE are TEACHERS Facebook site which stated “Students who are loved at home, come to school to learn, and students who aren’t, come to school to be loved.” Ask any teacher you know, and they can probably relate stories about students who come to school with so many needs that learning takes a back seat to the basics – security, food, and care. A famous quote by John Maxwell that I used in our original book – For Such A Time As This . . . We Are But Small Voices – goes as follows: “Students don’t really care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Every year that was proven true in my classes. The needs were great with some of them and homework was the least of their concerns while living in conditions that left them hungry for food and attention.

Somehow with all the emphasis on testing and the preparation for it, the realization that some students need so much more has been removed from the educational equation. Individualized instruction is just that – teaching based on the needs of each student. When a child or young person feels that they are valued – that someone cares – there just might be a reason to work hard and learn. That’s when the change can begin; one that leads to a brighter future. Isn’t that what education is meant to accomplish – to change lives for the better?

Sue – Voice I

“Students come to school for curriculum instruction and to learn,” is what most people would automatically say if asked that seemingly simple question. However, we all know that there can always be a lot more to think about behind any basic question, including why students come to school. Students will tell us that they come for a variety of reasons: to play sports, see friends, eat lunch or participate in P.E. or “Brain Bowl.” However most of us would agree that they will perform better and more enthusiastically when they have an internal drive to come to school because people love on them. They know when others genuinely care about them and have invested time in order to bond and build relationships to varying degrees with them. They may not even fully understand that it is the love and care they get and feel that motivates them to attend school day in and day out. They come whether love is given at home or not because they need to feel love from the environment where they currently spend the majority of their day.  This is why educators must learn to love each child even when they don’t like the ways or behavior of that child. The adults in any school have one of the largest responsibilities given unto mankind. Individuals who teach and work around youth daily must feel an obligation to help make every child in his or her space or sphere of  influence feel safe, respected, and accepted. So, whether you teach, preach, sweep, or serve, use this opportunity given to you to show some love.

Those of us who offer love and concern best can only do it from the God within us, and the best way for any of us to continue to do that is to draw strength and wisdom from that same ultimate Source. His eternal love should  compel us all to live, work, play, and rest in excellence, all to the Glory of God.

Deidre – Voice I

Teachers, I have been in your world so when unforeseen events happen in your life, I can relate. In fact, Deidre and I have an entire chapter in our book dedicated to the fact that “Teachers Are People Too!” I taught through emergencies with my grown children, health issues with my body, and long-distance problems with my family who lived out-of-state. Life and jobs go on . . . but sometimes it isn’t easy.
I recently shared this quote from the Codeblack Faith site on Facebook: “God doesn’t give us what we can handle, God helps us handle what we are given.” I so agree. I don’t know how I would have made it through the tough times without a trusting faith in the One who has everything under control, even when it doesn’t seem like it.

Writing our book, One God, Two Voices . . . to encourage and help others, we consider it a “book ministry” because we speak about our faith consistently throughout our writings to other teachers, parents, students, families; everyone! In these troubling times, when the news is enough to make anyone question where this world is heading, it is so comforting to know that we can trust the outcome to Someone bigger than us or our problems. So if you find yourself in troubling times, remember to pray and know that God will help you, day by day, to handle what you have been given.

Sue – Voice II

It is absolutely true that God does and will continue to guide us through whatever trials we are given. His Word reminds us of that undeniable truth in so many ways. He tells us that He will not put more on us than we can bear (I Corinthians 10:13), and that we must cast every care on Him because He cares for us (I Peter 5:7). God is infinite, and He already knows what temptations and persecutions we will have to face as we take our individual journeys through life. We must not use our finite minds and try to limit the power or ability of God to help us. We must not act like the ficticious character, Atlas, from Greek mythology, who carried the weight of the world upon his own shoulders. However, we must continue to rise to every occasion when God places us in a situation where we have no other choice but to trust in Him.We must see each test or dilemma as an opportunity to allow God to lead, guide, direct, protect, or do whatever we need at that particular time. After all, God already has a handle on us, and therefore, He definitely has a handle on it!

Deidre- Voice I

Recently, Deidre and I were blessed to be able to travel with our husbands on a cruise to the Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico. It was such a blessing for the “Voices” to spend time with each other. An additional bonus was seeing beautiful sites in two different places that we had never visited.

We were also able to meet such friendly and encouraging people on board the ship, and watch Deidre’s husband, Larry, add to his following via his Karaoke performances!

Another highlight was getting to put into practice what Deidre’s pastor, Bishop McLaughlin, once told them – to preach what we already practice. That way people can see us doing what we are consistently saying. While wearing our “Color Is Love” T-shirts on board, we garnered the attention of several inquiring minds who wanted to know the meaning of the shirts (visit www.tphim.org and search “watch now” to find out more this Sunday. Feb. 14). It was a great way to spread the message of loving one another as Christ commands us in spite of our race, age, and background differences.

During this month devoted to showing and sharing LOVE, the Voices would like to encourage you to seek out someone outside of your regular social circle and offer them the Love of Christ. Hopefully, you can do this with ease because God abides in you. However,  you cannot give what you do not have. Do you have it?

I John 4:7

Deidre and Sue

As we move into February, Deidre and I were discussing Bill Murray’s movie, “Groundhog Day.” We reflected on the major premise, living repetitiously or going through the motions, day by day. Sometimes it seems that life resembles a scene from this movie: the holidays are over, the school year is half over, the weather is dreary, and life can seem mundane. In the education setting with teachers and students, the adults in the building are attempting to move students “beyond the break,” when most of them are still mentally “on the break!” After a few days of this situation, even to the most enthusiastic teacher can be discouraged. However, we suggest realizing that you can always change things up a bit. We love Verne Hill’s quote, “If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got,” because it encourages us to move beyond the ordinary and do things in a different way.

When 2016 came in, Deidre and I wrote about “A New Year, A New Beginning.” It’s never too late to begin again and to stop the revolving door of mediocrity; halting your “ground hog” experience. Earlier through Sue’s Voice we reminded you to make good memories this school year and enjoy each moment. With the month of February, comes the message of love. We hope you stay encouraged as the school year continues to progress. May you experience the love of God clearly, and be able to share it daily with your students.

Two Voices As One,

Deidre and Sue

Beautiful gowns, limousines, the red carpet! It’s the Academy Awards – the night the acting community comes together to support their peers. Maybe not this year, though, as several Black actors and directors are encouraging a boycott of the ceremonies due to no major nominations for people of color. Last week two prominent African-Americans from the acting community chose the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to announce a boycott of this year’s Academy Awards over a lack of diversity among the nominees. Jada Pinkett Smith whose husband, Will Smith, was expected to be nominated for “Concussion” but wasn’t, and director Spike Lee are boycotting this year’s ceremony and encouraging others to do so as well. Lee put this out on Instagram: “Forty white actors in two years and no flava at all. We can’t act?! WT#” Then there’s the other side as Academy Award-nominated actress Charlotte Rampling entered the debate over a lack of diversity at the Oscars by saying the calls for a boycott are “racist to white people.” Rampling is quoted as saying on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, that sometimes “maybe black actors didn’t deserve to be in the final stretch.” President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, issued the following statement: “This is a difficult but important conversation, and it’s time for big changes. The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership and conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond.”

What does this situation show us? I think it is that perceptions are everything and we are still more divided by race than together.

Deidre and I write about the importance of perceptions to the racial divide in several chapters of our book. In our effort to get out our message on coming together as people – God’s children, not races – we are reminded how important it is to teach our children early on that we are “more alike than different,” and what lies inside a person is much more important than what is visible on the outside. Please help us communicate this message to as many people as you can through not only your words, but also your example.

Sue – Voice II

Perception is everything just as much as beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  People classify “the best” or their favorite based on their own personal tastes. If a majority or all of the Academy Board are white males over 50, I believe their selections will naturally reflect their gender, age, and personal preferences.

I plan to, but I have not watched Concussion with black actor, Will Smith. On the other hand,  I have no desire to watch,  The Martian starring the white actor and Oscar nominee, Matt Damon, simply because Science Fiction movies, including Star Wars, usually  do not interest me. This is because my initial and first preference in shows and movies will be to see dramas, comedies, faces, situations, and places that I can relate to the best. However, I have seen, and I still love the movie Good Will Hunting after Sue told me how good the movie was. Sue’s opinion is important to me and therefore made me see a movie I would not have otherwise viewed on my own. I am still waiting for her to see another classic favorite of mine entitled, Love and Basketball starring Sanna Lathan and Omar Epps.The Academy has finally realized that diversity can be best given and best selected when the basis of the selection process includes a wide variety of all ethnic and gender groups.Once again, that old adage still rings true but must be applied without fail, “Together we will stand because divided we have already failed.”

Question: Must We Repeat History? (Chapter- VIII ; One God, Two Voices)

Deidre- Voice I