Mothers Away from Home

‘Beauboeuf-Lafontant (2002) reported the Black teachers view “mothering as a communal responsibility” (p. 76) and an act of service.’ – Sunny-Marie Birney

In her passage Voices of Our Foremothers: Celebrating the Legacy of African American Women Educators Sunny-Marie Birney credits her African American teachers and professors for bonding with her and providing her with the care that allowed her to find her identity as a young Black woman. Because she was adopted by a White family, Birney felt as if she were missing a part of her essence as an African American. This part of her article stood out to me because of my past experience with teachers whom I have built strong bonds with. However I do not believe that it is only Black teachers who have the ability to provide their students with a motherly bond because I have experienced otherwise.
Growing up I had a slight issue with authority. When being disciplined by teachers I was known for replying with the response “I don’t have to listen to you, you’re not my mother!” I would say this to Black and White teachers alike, never feeling any ties in either situation. Even as I grew older and grasped the fact that respect is not only to be given to parents but to anyone who you wish to receive it from, I still had very distant relationships with my teachers. It was not until I got into the 11th grade that I formed a special relationship with a teacher. I was able to talk to her about any and every thing and she eventually became my “mother away from home”, setting the same standards for me as her own children. The only difference between Birney’s relationship with her teachers and my relationship with mine was that my teacher was Italian. This is why I believe that these relationships can be formed where ever one happens to be looking. Birney happened to be looking for a connection to her culture and found it with her Black teachers, while I happened to be seeking guidance as a young woman in general and found it in a wise woman with perspective.

Voices of Our Foremothers: Celebrating the Legacy of African-American Women Educators

After reading the article, Voices of Our Foremothers: Celebrating the Legacy of African-American Women Educators, I began to reflect on my years in grade school. Similar to Birney, I too have had many influential black educators within my educational career. These black teachers cared about my success both in school and through out life. Black teachers serve as extended family that watch over you in school while your parents are at work. Birney states in her article, “Black teachers view ‘mothering as a communal responsibility’ and an act of service. Thus, the student -teacher relationship became imperative to the growth of a black student.
Through out grade school, I can recall three teachers that had a total impact on my life. My fifth grade math teacher, Mrs. Joyner, seventh grade, science teacher, Ms Maddrey, and high school counselor, Dr. Howard, all contributed to my growth as a student and overall woman. In the classroom they challenged my to do my best. They saw potential inside of me that I was unaware of. Mrs. Joyner helped me to develop my love for math and problem solving. Both Ms Maddrey and Dr. Howard served as mentors that I could go to for help. Their door was always open and I knew they had my best interest at heart.
As I look back on my childhood, I am truly grateful that I have these influential people in my life. Academically, they shaped me and prepared me for college. It’s because of Dr. Howard’s recommendation that I even chose to attend Spelman College. Though my community service and mentorship with young boys and girls, I hope to touch some child’s life in the same way my mentors did for me. By tutoring with Cool Girls, Inc and at B.E.S.T Academy, I am able to help meet student’s need in the classroom. When Birney mentions, “pass this torch of community service”, I feel that it is now my responsibility to be a blessing in some else’s life. My mentors have passed the torch on to me. Now through tutoring it is my turn to help children achieve academic excellence.

“Lessons from Down Under: Reflections on Meaning of Literacy and Knowledge from an African-American Female Growing Up in Rural Alabama”

This chapter of “Readers of the Quilt” describes the kind of literacy that the black population in the South were forced to develop in order to make it through racist territory. It conveys the several types of literacy in rural Alabama after the civil rights movement. During these times the most pivotal roles of the leaders and churches in this rural state was to help African Americans have the ability to interpret and understand the rules in their white communities. The power of spoken word instead of written literature was portrayed by both the church and by leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. These skills gave rise to many movements and increased levels of literacy because of the empowerment that it had on African American’s desire for change. Also following the prominent Civil Rights Act, the Affirmative Action Legislation allowed for more African Americans were able to gain higher social statuses and levels of literacy because of the establishment of the job opportunities given to minorities.
A woman from rural Alabama gives a personal account of her life and how literacy impacted her life in its entirety. Growing up in the church and learning morality issues for a constituted moral life, helped her literacy. She learned how to recite, read and understand by use of the Bible through hymnals and scriptural readings. She describes how her family stressed education and specifically how her mother stressed literacy in terms of emotional and intellectual development. This type of literacy is referred to as formal literacy in this chapter of the book. It was acquired through learning through educational modes and activities. She goes on to convey her experiences in her schooling and how Black student were not allowed to entry of many white schools. In Black schools, the education was lacking, lessons and textbooks were very poor. This rendered the Blacks students and authors’ voices stories. Furthermore, stories written by Black authors and African American literature were nonexistent in education at this time.
This personal account gives in great detail the impacts of how the love of learning shown throughout a household and community provides the gain of literacy in such a rural area. Many African Americans do not come across this type of experience in rural states. As a native of Mississippi, I have witnessed the impacts of students and their whole outlooks in terms of their education. Consequently, the desire and confidence deriving from this type of experience is significant. Every African American should continue or make efforts to be this quest for formal literacy.

Black and on Welfare

Sandra Golden the author of Black and on Welfare: What you Don’t Know About Single-Parent Women, states, “Black females carry the assumed burden of being uneducated, or undereducated, unskilled and unmotivated because they receive public assistance” (Golden 28). Society automatically steorotypes black women as being unqualified and abusing the system without looking at the larger picture. Black females are often displayed with having little goals and being trapped in poverty. However, all black females do not abuse the welfare system. Society needs to look pass this notion and meet families where they are. It is the government’s responsibility to create programs and resources that will benefit black mothers in the long run. The ultimate goal is to provide mothers with a stable job to solely support their family. Welfare is an outlet to improve the quality of life. Therefore, the welfare system has to transform its programs and acknowledge the multi- literacies of black women. Thus not only addressing educational literacy but social, functional, and maternal literacies.
In order to improve the welfare system, Golden suggest, that individuals take a comprehensive assessment prior to placement is programs. This includes academic test, barriers to employment inventories, learning disabilities instruments and vocation, career, and interest inventories. Since welfare should be temporary and not a lifestyle, there should be skilled programs in place that will prepare mothers for long-term employment. For example, there should be classes tailored to interviewing skills, dress code, resume building, vocation, finances and home owning, and expanding talents. These programs would allow caseworkers to assess each personal situation. The more successful an individual becomes in the program, the less money they will receive. This system will enable families to wane off of welfare and progress in society. By establishing this system, it will be hard for one to abuse welfare because if there is no improvement there will be consequences.

Unearthing Hidden Literacy

After reading Unearthing Hidden Literacy: Seven Lessons I Learned in a Cotton Field written by Lillie Gayle Smith, I’ve come to the conclusion that the statement ‘there is a blessing in every obstacle’ is not only prevalent through out the article but through out life. For example, Smith mentions her experiences laboring in the cotton fields. She states, “A strong work ethic was one of the lessons that I pulled from my experiences working in the field. Rising early, being on time, doing a commendable job, accepting a challenge, completing a task, and working with others”. Overall, working in the fields, under the hot sun allowed Smith to develop in character and to learn responsibility. Through out history we as black women have been tested and exploited. As a result, we are able to overcome these obstacles. These challenges help us become functionally literate, as we are able to adjust to our surroundings. The writer also mentions how working taught her the value of a dollar. Black women are thrifty with a dollar. We have learned how to stretch a dollar a long way. Thus, having the ability to bargain and buy necessities to support her family.
The article also addressed a need for education within the Black community. If we as Blacks want to improve our statue, then we would need to be educated. Blacks viewed education as a gift and not a right. Therefore, we were motivated to do well in school. This text reminds me of how my family would support me through education. Whether it is through report cards, money/treats for good grades, flash cards for test prep, or even attending parent-teacher night. Their actions ensured that my education would continue well after grade school. As educated blacks, it becomes our duty to give back to our community. We have to teach others the value of education. Our ancestors have fought for us to attend school and we should not take it for granted.