Hi, I'm Dr. Kim Logan-Nowlin.
And I'm Arthur Nowlin.
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And welcome to "Making it Work."
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When we talk about
the different aspects
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of "Making It Work,"
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we want to bring to
you quality programs
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that's gonna impact
and help your families.
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But we are dealing
with some serious issues
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in our communities,
in our school system.
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I live in Detroit, Michigan area
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where Detroit Public schools
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was once a very, very inspiring
place to be educated in.
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But that has changed
as I'm sure it's changed
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in across the country.
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Well, today our
special guest and our friend,
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Faydra Nelson, who
is a school teacher.
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And she is here to talk about
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the difference of
public school teaching,
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work in alternative schools
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and the entire
impact of education today.
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Welcome, Faydra, to the program.
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Thank you.
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Well, where do we
begin with this topic
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when we talk about
our crowning jewels,
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our children and
the educational system?
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Tell us about where you
work and why alternative school
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and educational teaching.
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I teach at Southfield
Regional Academic Campus that is
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Southfield Public schools
of alternative High School.
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It a fettes school
for Southfield-Lathrup
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High School and
Southfield High School.
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And the school is
there to give students
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who are short of
having the credits
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that they need
to graduate on time.
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So that school is there
to give them the opportunity
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to still be able
to graduate on time.
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Our program is designed
specifically for students
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who are short of those credits.
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So it really is a
Southfield Public School.
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Absolutely.
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Okay. All right.
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Um, how long you've been
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in that type of
teaching environment?
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Well, I've been at
what's known as SRAC.
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Southfield Regional Academic
Campus is known as SRAC.
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It was once
known as Arthur Ashe.
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Okay.
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I've been there,
this is my second year
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there at that school.
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But in terms of a school
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that primarily has
that student population
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pretty much since
I've been teaching.
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And how long has
that been? 23 years.
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You've been in
the educational system
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for 23 years? Yes.
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Wow! Yes.
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What's going now in
the educational system?
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And what do you see?
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Well, you know,
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I was a student of
Detroit Public Schools
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and then I became a teacher
in Detroit Public Schools
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and since I became a teacher
in the early 90s up till now,
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I've seen a lot of
changes that have taken place.
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The value system of our students
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has changed tremendously
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where when I was in
school, if you came to school
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and you weren't
prepared with your supplies
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or with your
homework, it was an issue.
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And nobody really wanted
to be associated with you.
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Like if you came in and
you didn't have your pen,
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then people would
kind of scoot away.
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'Cause you are
unprepared. Right.
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But now it's so
opposite where they just
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don't come prepared
and they don't expect you
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to expect them to come prepared.
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There's a totally different
value system that they have.
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How do you,
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well, what do you believe
got it to the point it is now?
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What were the
contributing factors?
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I think there is a, a
wide range of factors.
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And I think the factors are
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really based on what's
going on with our society.
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Because I think a
lot of the students
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that I deal with the connection
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and the way that
they relate to each other.
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And the way that they relate
maybe, to their parents, um,
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the way that they see authority,
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all of that is different now.
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And if I were to
probably put my finger
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on one particular
aspect, it would probably be,
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their morals are
different, over and above all.
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Because I think with, you
know where their morals are
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and how they
relate to each other.
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Where their morals
are and how they relate
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to their parents and how
they relate to authority.
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I think that's probably
like the basic foundation.
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That's what I think
has changed the most.
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I remember, when
um, in a school system
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there were consequences
for some of the things
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that you have
spoke about earlier.
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And now there
are no consequences
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and to me it really has a
put our school system at risk
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because they don't feel
that there are repercussions
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for not be coming
to school prepared
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and stuff like that.
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Well, now In
terms of consequences,
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I think the way that
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the consequences or
the types of consequences
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that they may be you or I would,
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you know, be subject to,
we're different somewhat.
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But there is still consequences
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'cause I
remember being in school,
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in elementary
school and being paddled.
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And so that's no
longer an option today.
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And I'm not even sure if that
would even be a viable option.
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Because a lot of my students,
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you know they are
numb to that whole concept
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because of what
they experience at home.
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So paddling won't
even work with them,
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you know what I mean?
But there are consequences.
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Constantly there are
consequences for students.
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It's just, I think
it's the relationship
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that they develop with
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who is issuing those
consequences as to whether
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or not those consequences are
even going to have an effect.
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And following through.
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You say you're
going to take my value,
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or take something
that I value and you say,
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well, I'll do it next time.
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It becomes like they
are not gonna do anything.
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You mentioned to me
that you do not have
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a monitoring system
for weapons in your school.
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Correct. And do you all check
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the book bags for weapons?
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The students,
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we don't check the
book bags for weapons
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but the students are not allowed
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to bring them
into the class room.
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Is that right? Book bag.
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No book bags in
the class room. No.
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So they have to come
in with their notebooks
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and pens which they
don't and that's it.
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They don't have that.
So most of your students
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come in empty handed.
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Yes, for the most part.
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They don't from class.
But they should at least have
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like a book, a note
book or whatever the supplies
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are that are
required for the class,
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Okay. You know.
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And then if they don't?
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And if they don't, then
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typically I'll
have some kind of,
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you know, plan B
where I may have a pen
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to exchange for
like something of value,
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you know, their id
or something like that.
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But even then, still the things
that they may exchange for,
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you know, a pen,
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that's not
really valuable to them.
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So they end up
taking my pen anyway.
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There are full of
stuff I can't even use.
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I can't pawn, I
can't give it away.
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And do anything with it. Right.
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I was gonna say the,
okay, you want to follow
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'cause I want to
talk about the risks.
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What are some of the risks
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that you are dealing
with now in school every day
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when you walk
into that building?
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What are the risks?
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Well, I think um,
this would probably apply
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to any
institution but particularly
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a school like the
one where I teach,
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we're dealing with a
wide range of variables
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as to why those kids are there.
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Some of them are emotional.
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Some of them just have,
you know, a certain mindset
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where they are not really
interested in being there.
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There's just so much going on.
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And so really at any
time, at any given moment
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we may be dealing with,
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you know, an emotional situation
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that a student is dealing with,
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where they are
bringing it in from outside.
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And, you know,
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that puts us I
think all on notice
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where we always have to be aware
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that there are limits to which
we can deal with this child,
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you know, regards to the issues
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they may be dealing
with as it affects the class,
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as it affects
everybody in the class room
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or everybody in that building.
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We have to kind of
know what the limits are.
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So we do have security and
we do have a police liaison
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that stays in the building.
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And they do have the
power to actually take,
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you know, someone into
custody if they posing a threat.
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All these children,
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are they live their residence
of the Southfield area.
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Correct. In
Southfield, Michigan.
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Correct. I see.
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One of the things that I want
to talk about was basically,
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now that you recognize
that security is needed
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to some extent.
Yeah, to a great extent.
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So,
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what's the future
outlook as far as dealing with
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how school deals with security
and what students coming in,
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what as Kim indicated
earlier with book bags
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and what, did you meet,
00:11:00.09\00:11:03.06
after especially after
the incident in Connecticut,
00:11:03.09\00:11:05.99
you know, did they
talk to all the teachers?
00:11:06.03\00:11:09.30
Absolutely. We kind of,
00:11:09.33\00:11:12.53
we went over what we
already have in place.
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And we went over
how if we reinforce
00:11:18.64\00:11:22.91
what we already do,
00:11:22.94\00:11:24.61
it should to some degree
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ensure that we have some safety,
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some things maybe
out of our control.
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After the
situation at Connecticut,
00:11:35.76\00:11:38.06
that's when we
got the police liaison
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in our building.
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And so,
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you know, we have
certain protocol in order
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like to simply
keeping the doors closed
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and locked it all times.
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Like our
classrooms... Rooms are locked.
00:11:51.71\00:11:53.41
Your classroom,
00:11:53.44\00:11:54.78
So if anybody
comes to your door,
00:11:54.81\00:11:56.14
you have to open it yourself.
00:11:56.18\00:11:57.51
Right.
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Absolutely. The
students aren't allowed
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to open the door.
00:12:00.28\00:12:01.62
And then even with
that we have one door
00:12:03.08\00:12:07.12
that's for anybody to
enter and exit during the day.
00:12:07.16\00:12:12.99
Okay. And then after school,
00:12:13.03\00:12:15.36
there is certain doors
that the students exit.
00:12:15.40\00:12:18.07
So there is certain
things that are in place
00:12:18.10\00:12:19.63
and then we have security
that monitors the halls.
00:12:19.67\00:12:23.17
We have a security system,
you know, a camera system.
00:12:23.20\00:12:27.88
So pretty much the,
you know, the whole school
00:12:27.91\00:12:31.38
can be seen in any time
and at least in the hallways.
00:12:31.41\00:12:34.92
One of the things I think
about and I talk to many people
00:12:34.95\00:12:38.15
in regards to this, is they felt
00:12:38.19\00:12:41.52
that it was really significant
00:12:41.56\00:12:43.96
that the opportunity to
pray in schools was taken away.
00:12:43.99\00:12:50.07
What's your thoughts on
that, you know, do you feel that
00:12:51.90\00:12:55.27
it was something
that vital or important?
00:12:55.30\00:12:59.51
It's absolutely vital,
you know, again I would say,
00:12:59.54\00:13:03.55
the whole piece
of the moral fiber
00:13:03.58\00:13:07.35
and foundation for our students,
00:13:07.38\00:13:09.95
you know, it's the one thing
00:13:09.98\00:13:11.35
I think is probably the
major factor in the breakdown
00:13:11.39\00:13:15.76
that we've seen in the
value system of our students.
00:13:15.79\00:13:20.46
So I think it's essential
and I think it's unfortunate
00:13:20.50\00:13:25.23
that it's even really
an issue in the classroom.
00:13:25.27\00:13:30.41
Because, you know, even
like I teach literature,
00:13:30.44\00:13:33.54
so but I teach 11th grade
00:13:33.58\00:13:36.34
and I teach American Literature.
00:13:36.38\00:13:38.48
Well, when we cover the unit
that talks about the Puritans
00:13:38.51\00:13:44.75
and we literature that
was relevance to the Puritans
00:13:44.79\00:13:51.26
and it makes reference
to God and Christianity,
00:13:51.29\00:13:55.90
you know, some times
my students are like,
00:13:55.93\00:13:57.43
"Hey, wait a
minute, wait a minute,
00:13:57.47\00:13:59.73
we are not even supposed to,
"I'm like" It's the literature,
00:13:59.77\00:14:01.87
is it okay?"
00:14:01.90\00:14:03.24
They are
challenging on that? They do,
00:14:03.91\00:14:05.34
they do but we have a
prayer group at our school.
00:14:05.37\00:14:10.58
That was my next
question. And they pray daily.
00:14:10.61\00:14:14.52
We pray over our school daily.
00:14:14.55\00:14:17.12
And I think that
that prayer group has been
00:14:17.15\00:14:20.86
really the saving grace. Really?
00:14:20.89\00:14:24.63
Really, to our school.
00:14:24.66\00:14:25.99
Um, and then we also have
00:14:26.03\00:14:29.23
a Christian club at our school
00:14:29.26\00:14:32.70
that is sponsored by
one of our teachers there
00:14:32.73\00:14:37.97
and so everyday during
lunch the students come with her
00:14:38.01\00:14:42.18
and they discuss
different issues as it relates
00:14:42.21\00:14:46.98
to their spiritual development.
00:14:47.02\00:14:49.28
And
00:14:49.32\00:14:51.12
I think it's really, and
they get counseling from her.
00:14:52.15\00:14:54.32
It's a really good thing
00:14:54.36\00:14:55.92
and then to see this
particular group of students,
00:14:55.96\00:14:59.43
you know, come
faithfully to her,
00:14:59.46\00:15:01.90
you know, get knowledge
00:15:01.93\00:15:03.60
and they get food
in more than one way
00:15:03.63\00:15:05.80
'cause she feeds them lunch
on Fridays that tastes good.
00:15:05.83\00:15:08.20
I think I would enjoy.
00:15:08.24\00:15:10.91
So if they have
a Christian club,
00:15:10.94\00:15:12.91
do they have other different
organizations in a school?
00:15:12.94\00:15:17.18
No, that would be the only
one as it involves students,
00:15:17.21\00:15:21.35
the other, the
prayer group involves staff
00:15:21.38\00:15:23.85
and so any staff
member that wants to come
00:15:23.89\00:15:26.42
and it's always after school,
00:15:26.45\00:15:27.79
any staff member that
wants to come and join in, yeah.
00:15:27.82\00:15:31.36
They could be a
part of it. Exactly.
00:15:31.39\00:15:33.70
When the shooting
took place in Connecticut,
00:15:33.73\00:15:37.07
where were you and
you have a young child
00:15:38.37\00:15:42.74
in elementary
school, where were you
00:15:42.77\00:15:45.21
and what impact did that
have on your life and her life?
00:15:45.24\00:15:47.84
Um,
00:15:47.88\00:15:50.45
when I heard the
news of the shooting,
00:15:50.48\00:15:53.92
I was actually on a field trip
00:15:53.95\00:15:56.42
with our school's
performing arts company
00:15:56.45\00:16:00.49
and we were on our way back.
00:16:00.52\00:16:02.76
And we had just done a
performance for Christmas
00:16:02.79\00:16:07.00
for a school in an
elementary school in an arbour.
00:16:07.03\00:16:12.23
So it kind of
really kind of took us,
00:16:12.27\00:16:15.70
you know took
us totally off our,
00:16:15.74\00:16:18.64
we were on this
whole another vibe
00:16:18.67\00:16:20.98
and we were so
impressed with the students
00:16:21.01\00:16:23.51
and how well behaved they were
00:16:23.55\00:16:25.75
and you know,
the perfect audience,
00:16:25.78\00:16:28.32
they were just
perfect. These little kids.
00:16:28.35\00:16:30.45
All right. And then
00:16:30.49\00:16:31.82
I guess one of the
teachers got a tweet
00:16:31.85\00:16:34.72
about the kids being
killed in Connecticut
00:16:35.92\00:16:38.59
and it just changed
the whole vibe on the bus.
00:16:38.63\00:16:41.56
The whole vibe on the bus
because I think as teachers
00:16:41.60\00:16:45.77
we can relate and as
parents we could relate
00:16:45.80\00:16:49.30
and then the other students
on the bus, I mean, you know,
00:16:49.34\00:16:53.78
they have
siblings, they are students,
00:16:53.81\00:16:56.98
you know, they could relate.
00:16:57.01\00:16:58.98
And it was, it
just kind of took us,
00:16:59.01\00:17:01.32
you know, took us off
our thing for a minute.
00:17:01.35\00:17:04.82
So it was announced on the bus.
00:17:04.85\00:17:06.86
Yeah, well, it was because
somebody got a tweet about it.
00:17:06.89\00:17:10.79
One of the teachers and then
they looked it up on YouTube,
00:17:10.83\00:17:14.20
or not YouTube but the internet.
00:17:14.23\00:17:16.67
And then after that
everybody wanted to know more.
00:17:16.70\00:17:20.94
So and then later that day,
00:17:20.97\00:17:23.87
I went to pick up
my daughter from school
00:17:23.91\00:17:27.28
and I mentioned that
to her but she didn't get.
00:17:27.31\00:17:32.85
She didn't get it.
00:17:32.88\00:17:34.55
Initially she didn't
'cause she was saying,
00:17:34.58\00:17:37.09
"Well, that
happened at my school?"
00:17:37.12\00:17:38.45
I'm like, "No, if that happened
00:17:38.49\00:17:39.82
at your school, you would know."
00:17:39.85\00:17:41.19
So she really didn't understand.
00:17:41.22\00:17:42.56
But the subsequent days
have followed she did get it.
00:17:42.59\00:17:46.59
She did understand
00:17:46.63\00:17:48.00
and it kind of
inspired her to write a song
00:17:48.03\00:17:52.80
that she had in her head.
00:17:52.83\00:17:55.47
She had stared
this song in her head
00:17:55.50\00:17:57.21
but it had to do with
how she felt safe going
00:17:57.24\00:18:00.34
to school everyday.
00:18:00.38\00:18:01.71
So her music is a place
where she goes to create
00:18:01.74\00:18:05.65
and she writes her music to make
00:18:05.68\00:18:07.22
and help her to feel better.
00:18:07.25\00:18:08.58
It's her safe haven.
00:18:08.62\00:18:09.95
Now in our society today,
00:18:09.98\00:18:11.99
you know, you
take her to school,
00:18:12.02\00:18:13.79
you hope to be
able to pick her up
00:18:13.82\00:18:15.42
and you go to your school
00:18:15.46\00:18:18.13
hoping to even get
out of there safely
00:18:18.16\00:18:22.40
and then the routine
begins over and over again.
00:18:22.43\00:18:25.77
But when you think
about your own daughter
00:18:25.80\00:18:29.94
and what took
place in Connecticut,
00:18:29.97\00:18:32.54
I mean, no one could even fathom
00:18:32.57\00:18:34.51
what those parents went through,
00:18:34.54\00:18:36.75
and coming from a perspective
00:18:36.78\00:18:38.68
of a teacher who guarded
all those other children,
00:18:38.71\00:18:42.02
you know,
00:18:42.05\00:18:43.39
what did you
think about that woman
00:18:43.42\00:18:45.45
who saved those other children?
00:18:45.49\00:18:47.82
I could relate to her
because I've been in situations
00:18:49.22\00:18:54.40
where my
students' life was in danger
00:18:54.83\00:19:01.64
and there was not any
time to think about it
00:19:01.67\00:19:05.57
and you just do what
you have to do at that time
00:19:06.88\00:19:10.81
And I could understand
how she did what she did.
00:19:10.85\00:19:14.72
Because once those
kids cross the threshold,
00:19:14.75\00:19:18.92
they're more
than students. Right.
00:19:19.92\00:19:21.89
I mean they are not
just, you know, students.
00:19:21.92\00:19:24.49
They are not in a
box, they're your kids.
00:19:24.53\00:19:27.23
They are yours.
And that doesn't change
00:19:27.26\00:19:29.83
even once they cross
back over that threshold
00:19:29.86\00:19:32.70
and then they are
gone and they move on.
00:19:32.73\00:19:34.34
When they come
back to visit you,
00:19:34.37\00:19:36.37
they are still
yours. That's right.
00:19:36.40\00:19:38.77
You know, so as a teacher,
00:19:38.81\00:19:43.01
their safety, physical, mental,
00:19:43.04\00:19:48.42
it's all your responsibility
if you take it seriously,
00:19:49.42\00:19:55.29
then certain
things you don't well,
00:19:56.29\00:19:58.26
that's just a
student. I'm just, you know,
00:19:58.29\00:20:01.53
I'm hiding under this.
It just doesn't go that way.
00:20:01.56\00:20:04.43
Not if you take your
responsibility seriously,
00:20:04.47\00:20:07.44
you got these lives.
00:20:07.47\00:20:08.80
And even if you just
think of it in terms of,
00:20:08.84\00:20:12.07
okay, I'm teaching
and it's my responsibility
00:20:12.11\00:20:15.48
just to teach them,
that is such a serious charge
00:20:15.51\00:20:19.65
in undertaking if
you take it seriously
00:20:19.68\00:20:22.48
there are certain things
that aren't even questionable
00:20:22.52\00:20:24.95
as to whether or not
you gonna do something
00:20:24.99\00:20:27.76
about it to make
sure that that happens.
00:20:27.79\00:20:29.99
And so their
physical and mental safety
00:20:30.03\00:20:33.19
is very important.
00:20:33.23\00:20:35.10
And, you now, I can relate
to, not even thinking about,
00:20:35.13\00:20:38.70
you just do what you
got to do at that time.
00:20:38.73\00:20:40.87
We are dealing
with a lot of the,
00:20:40.90\00:20:44.17
I guess negativity that
exist in a classroom especially
00:20:44.21\00:20:47.51
when you are talking
about students that have,
00:20:47.54\00:20:49.48
that are going to
alternative school,
00:20:49.51\00:20:52.31
you know, I mean,
is it sometimes that
00:20:52.35\00:20:56.48
you may have
yourself placed in a situation
00:20:56.52\00:20:59.85
that could be
dangerous to some extent?
00:20:59.89\00:21:02.86
I think anytime
you're dealing with people
00:21:04.66\00:21:10.83
who have issues that you
don't necessarily know about.
00:21:11.97\00:21:17.17
I mean, you are always
in a vulnerable position
00:21:17.21\00:21:20.18
to some degree or another.
00:21:20.21\00:21:21.91
And being aware of
that, it helps to know
00:21:23.14\00:21:26.88
as much as you can
about each individual.
00:21:26.92\00:21:30.69
So if you are serious
about trying to be successful
00:21:30.72\00:21:35.09
in that classroom,
00:21:35.12\00:21:36.46
you got to get to
know them personally
00:21:36.49\00:21:39.59
and you're gonna
address them from where they are
00:21:39.63\00:21:42.63
and so it actually can lessen
any threat of any vulnerability
00:21:42.66\00:21:48.87
you may have by not knowing.
00:21:48.90\00:21:51.34
So if you know there are issues
00:21:51.37\00:21:53.27
or you know where
they are coming from
00:21:53.31\00:21:54.64
or you them personally,
00:21:54.68\00:21:56.01
you know, when and when
not to and how far to go or,
00:21:56.04\00:22:00.85
well, you just kind of have
a feel for what to do with them
00:22:00.88\00:22:05.65
Now, I teach in a
community college also
00:22:05.69\00:22:09.19
and experience
about four semesters ago,
00:22:09.22\00:22:14.00
had a student
who did not like his,
00:22:14.03\00:22:17.40
hadn't even gone
to the mid-term yet.
00:22:17.43\00:22:19.77
But he did not like
the grading system I used.
00:22:19.80\00:22:23.87
So he began to
threaten me, began to say that
00:22:23.91\00:22:28.11
"I want to make sure
you don't see tomorrow."
00:22:28.14\00:22:31.75
It was very, very difficult.
00:22:31.78\00:22:33.58
But I had to stand my ground,
my standards of teaching.
00:22:33.62\00:22:37.05
And they had to have a
security guard by my door
00:22:37.09\00:22:40.06
and to escort me
to and from my car.
00:22:40.09\00:22:43.83
And this young man
eventually contacted me
00:22:43.86\00:22:48.16
when we had a
meeting and he said,
00:22:48.20\00:22:51.33
truly apologized for
his anger and his rage
00:22:51.37\00:22:54.80
but he never had a
teacher to make him work.
00:22:54.84\00:22:59.21
And he did not
tolerate just any type of work.
00:22:59.24\00:23:04.41
And I made it very
clear that I will fail you.
00:23:04.45\00:23:07.42
You have to do
this and I gave you,
00:23:07.45\00:23:09.78
you only get two opportunities
to correct your assignments
00:23:09.82\00:23:13.05
and you are in college now.
00:23:13.09\00:23:15.16
And if I ask for
something specifically,
00:23:15.19\00:23:18.03
that's what I want.
00:23:18.06\00:23:19.49
And I told my husband
and I said, yeah, I just,
00:23:19.53\00:23:22.66
I will not allow
someone to bully me
00:23:22.70\00:23:25.30
or make me feel
that I'm inadequate
00:23:25.33\00:23:29.14
or you're gonna threaten my life
00:23:29.17\00:23:31.27
so that you can
control my classroom.
00:23:31.31\00:23:34.21
And I see it happen all the time
00:23:34.24\00:23:36.28
where these students
control the classroom
00:23:36.31\00:23:40.15
and therefore I feel that
00:23:40.18\00:23:42.58
that teacher should
not be in that classroom.
00:23:42.62\00:23:44.92
But isn't it a particular
protocol that's established
00:23:44.95\00:23:49.42
when you are in those
situations with students,
00:23:49.46\00:23:52.79
I mean. Yes, because the thing
00:23:52.83\00:23:54.63
that protects
us is our syllabus.
00:23:54.66\00:23:57.43
If it's in this syllabus,
00:23:57.47\00:24:00.27
then the college stands behind
whatever is in the syllabus.
00:24:00.30\00:24:03.81
We have send that syllabus over,
00:24:03.84\00:24:05.67
you know, weeks
before classes begin.
00:24:05.71\00:24:08.91
And they go through it,
00:24:08.94\00:24:10.58
they go through the assignments.
00:24:10.61\00:24:12.08
If anything
need to be corrected,
00:24:12.11\00:24:13.45
you get it back. So
you are only allowed
00:24:13.48\00:24:15.92
one unexcused
absent in my class.
00:24:15.95\00:24:18.39
The assignments are
there, the days of their due,
00:24:18.42\00:24:21.66
what I expect and so
if they go to the dean,
00:24:21.69\00:24:25.03
and say well, this was
00:24:25.06\00:24:26.39
and the dean
pulls out my syllabus
00:24:26.43\00:24:28.73
and they say,
"It's right there."
00:24:28.76\00:24:31.00
But not only the
syllabus, I'm thinking about,
00:24:31.03\00:24:35.17
if I have a irate student
00:24:35.20\00:24:38.11
that is causing
difficulties in the class room,
00:24:38.14\00:24:42.11
then I mean, there's a protocol,
00:24:42.14\00:24:45.61
that's established
that you have to follow.
00:24:46.78\00:24:48.38
Is that correct,
00:24:48.42\00:24:49.75
especially in a public
school? We call security.
00:24:49.78\00:24:51.82
Yes. And we write it up.
00:24:51.85\00:24:53.46
Right, we call
security and write it up too.
00:24:53.49\00:24:56.16
You have to write it up.
00:24:56.19\00:24:57.53
We ask them to
leave and we write it up.
00:24:57.56\00:25:01.86
So that's how that goes.
00:25:01.90\00:25:03.23
'Cause I had the
student would not leave
00:25:03.26\00:25:04.60
and a matter of fact,
this particular student goes
00:25:04.63\00:25:06.47
to one of my sister churches
00:25:06.50\00:25:07.90
and he was coming
by make the rounds.
00:25:07.94\00:25:09.97
They make these rounds.
00:25:10.01\00:25:11.51
And I said, "I'm not
gonna argue with you,"
00:25:11.54\00:25:13.17
"Well, you can't
make me get out."
00:25:13.21\00:25:14.71
I said, "But he can."
00:25:14.74\00:25:17.31
And I said, and he
came in and I said,
00:25:17.35\00:25:20.98
"You must escort this student."
And it was a female student.
00:25:21.02\00:25:24.29
And I said,
"Does anybody else want
00:25:24.32\00:25:25.92
to leave because you will
not control my classroom?"
00:25:25.95\00:25:28.62
Wow. Yes.
00:25:28.66\00:25:30.43
Well, you know, now
that's something else
00:25:30.46\00:25:32.09
that I've seen changed,
00:25:32.13\00:25:34.23
you know, since
I've been teaching
00:25:34.26\00:25:36.40
is students will
try to run a coup
00:25:36.43\00:25:38.63
and that's new to me. I
think I've probably started
00:25:38.67\00:25:42.30
noticing that maybe
in the last ten years
00:25:42.34\00:25:45.77
where it's like well, if
we all don't do our work,
00:25:45.81\00:25:49.48
then you have to change
and give us another opportunity
00:25:49.51\00:25:55.12
to do it, you know,
it's like, you know,
00:25:55.15\00:25:57.72
and I'm like well,
you all don't do your work
00:25:57.75\00:26:00.16
then you all get
a F together. Right.
00:26:00.19\00:26:03.93
You know, and I
have seen that happen
00:26:03.96\00:26:05.29
where like an
entire class would fail
00:26:05.33\00:26:08.73
but they would
do it collectively
00:26:08.76\00:26:10.57
to try to force
the teacher's hand.
00:26:10.60\00:26:12.93
I've seen that happen.
00:26:12.97\00:26:14.30
As a matter of fact, my
son and I had a conversation
00:26:14.34\00:26:16.50
about this the other
day and he told me that
00:26:16.54\00:26:19.41
literally the
students talk about it.
00:26:19.44\00:26:21.64
And they say,
"Okay, this is the plan."
00:26:21.68\00:26:24.81
And everybody, you
know, gets on board.
00:26:24.85\00:26:27.25
And if somebody is not on board,
00:26:27.28\00:26:28.98
that person
actually gets ousted.
00:26:29.02\00:26:31.92
We have about a
minute and 14 seconds.
00:26:31.95\00:26:35.52
What can you suggest
or what tools to help
00:26:35.56\00:26:39.36
our parents in family life today
00:26:39.39\00:26:41.93
and how they help
them make it work?
00:26:41.96\00:26:44.03
What do we need to
do, Faydra, as parents?
00:26:44.07\00:26:46.57
Talk to your child
as much as possible.
00:26:46.60\00:26:49.80
But openly like allow
them to actually express
00:26:49.84\00:26:53.44
what they are thinking
and how they are feeling
00:26:53.48\00:26:57.25
because even
though it may not be
00:26:57.28\00:27:00.82
what we know is the
best way for them to think
00:27:00.85\00:27:03.69
and feel but once we
know what's on their mind,
00:27:03.72\00:27:08.32
it actually gives us an
avenue in which we can help
00:27:08.36\00:27:11.23
to give them the
information that they need.
00:27:11.26\00:27:15.80
Communicate in a respectful way.
00:27:15.83\00:27:18.33
Exactly. Kind and loving way.
00:27:18.37\00:27:20.60
That's actually what
I do with my students,
00:27:20.64\00:27:24.87
you know, and my children.
00:27:24.91\00:27:26.31
And it helps to
build our relationship
00:27:26.34\00:27:29.91
where there's a certain
amount of respect and trust.
00:27:29.94\00:27:35.08
And once they have that trust
00:27:35.12\00:27:39.12
and know that
you really have their
00:27:39.15\00:27:42.46
best interest at heart,
they'll make the challenge.
00:27:42.49\00:27:46.46
Well, that's the
key, the challenge.
00:27:46.49\00:27:48.70
And we all as
parents have a challenge.
00:27:48.73\00:27:50.90
Well. I want to thank
Faydra Nelson for coming.
00:27:50.93\00:27:53.64
I'm Dr. Kim
Logan-Nowlin. I'm Arthur Nowlin.
00:27:53.67\00:27:56.47
And thank you, for
joining us on "Making it Work."
00:27:56.50\00:27:58.57
God bless.
00:27:58.61\00:27:59.94