CED Celebrates Black History Month with Lecture by Dr. Pearson
By:
Justin W. Carrington
Freshman, English & Secondary English Education
February 17, 2009-- An old adage warns us not to judge a book by its cover. Whether from our parents, a neighbor, or even that English teacher that everyone loved to hate, it’s something that we’ve all heard. A couple of weeks ago, students in the College of Education got the same message from a special guest speaker.
On Monday, February 16, 2009, Dr. Dwight Pearson, Superintendent with the Department of Health & Human Services, was on hand for an audience of approximately 150 students in Poe Hall.
As a part of Black History Month, the College of Education offered Pearson’s presentation, “Promoting Academic Success Among African-American Male Students,” to students preparing for careers as teachers.
The presentation highlighted numerous issues that are currently facing young, African American males and how future educators can work to engage and teach them in this vastly different 21st century. Furthermore, Pearson also offered advice to the students who in the not-so-distant future will be standing in front of their own classrooms.
Although this presentation is usually given to teachers who are able to practice what is being taught, this lecture proved to be very relevant and suitable for student in attendance.
As a future educator, myself, I feel as if I was able to walk away from the presentation with a new perspective on education, not only as it pertains to one group, but to students in general—and that, in the end, is what I consider to be one of the greatest lessons learned.
