The Lead Them Movement is about restoring hope, dreams, beliefs, confidence, and the potential for greatness in the culture and climate where children spend most of their time –home, school and youth programs/activities. The reason why school plays such a critical role in children’s lives, most of their wake hours are spent there. Some children’s school day starts very early and ends very late because they have before and after school care on campus because of parents’ work schedule.
The movement is an outgrowth of the work and writing of Dr. Clara Walters, an educator whose life and work experience spans three phases of societal changes (segregation, desegregation and now re-segregation) and the impact on schooling in the African American Community. Dr. Walters spent years getting the best from students by building a culture and climate of hope using a combination of inspiration, motivation, education, direction and correction to help students develop a positive attitude about themselves, their school and future success.
If “attitude determines altitude” We must begin the work on a positive attitude of hope early at home, school and in the community using a systematic approach. Attitude is the beginning of success or failure because it is one’s outlook on life. An “I can attitude” provides the internal inspiration for long term positive actions. An “I can’t” attitude leads to a lack of motivation and increases hopelessness leading to negative actions.
Attitude becomes the lens through which one sees the world; therefore, attitude influence thoughts. Thoughts become actions; actions become habits; habits become character; character becomes the internal thermostat that regulates thinking. This cycle determines success or failure.
Education is more than a number. It is valuing oneself and others, effort, learning how to think and learn, problem solve and how to be a good citizen. Therefore, The Lead Them Movement is about galvanizing leadership, support and resources to make every school a Beacon of Hope in its community.
