
I grew up in South Carolina, as the youngest of six children. Growing up, I remember that “village” we still hear mentioned while referencing, “it takes a village to raise a child.” That village is far different today. It is, for this reason, I chose to return to public education.
In many of my speeches, I refer to five major influences on school-aged children as (home, school, church, peers, and media). Many years ago, I walked into my classroom as a first-year teacher determined to change the world and every student in it. Time has flown and those five influences have flipped to a reverse position. The world in which we live needs encouragers, endorsers, supporters, and yes, nurturers like never before. Growing up, I always felt safe and secure in an environment that was full of nurturers. I became a nurturer because I was nurtured as a child and throughout my development years. The importance of feeling secure is one of, if not the most important, feelings a young person can experience. Moreover, it is the foundation in which everything can develop; a birthing vessel for dreams to evolve. The reversal of the influences mentioned earlier has far-reaching implications on our schools and society.
Public schools not only serve the public; we create the public. As we create conditions for our students to succeed, we must begin casting a wider net. We can’t afford to leave anyone out by designing our nets to capture a designated few. Education begins the moment we wake up and continues throughout our day. Reflection often promotes direction and direction, a destination. I’ve often thought nurturing created possibilities for me because I felt supported in my quest to be the best at whatever I was involved in at any particular time. As a youngster, I perfected skills on the basketball court that propelled me to a college basketball scholarship. On that journey, nurturing was a prerequisite because of the demands placed on student-athletes. There was always so much to do and little time in which to do it. My older brothers, sisters, mom, dad, and community of friends nurtured me and provided a solid foundation for me to be able to focus on whatever task was before me. As I lead a 6,000-student school district, I understand now more than ever, how the leadership skills I developed on the basketball court are now being used to advance the critical nature of our work in our school district.
It is often said; a child’s first teacher is home. The nurturing I received at home far outweighed the material trappings that garner the attention of today’s youth. It solidified my place in the world and facilitated a successful pathway that currently provides opportunities for others to take their rightful place in the world as well. My older brother Ron would come to South Carolina at the start of every summer to take me back with him to New York to spend the summer. He wanted me to know there was a big world out there waiting for me. He nurtured me on and off the basketball court, taught me how to dress for success, develop a solid work ethic and engage people. It was there I developed a belief system that all things are possible in life. I’d transitioned from a place where there was little to do to a place that had way too much to do, but I was adjusting because of the preparation my brother provided.
Upon graduating from college and entering the workplace, I became captivated by the opportunities to inspire our youth through my classroom. Todd Whitaker says, “the best thing about teaching is, it matters; the most difficult thing about teaching is, it matters every day.” There is much truth in his statement and we have all experienced the true value of being captured, inspired and taught by one of the great ones.
Unfortunately, our schools and classrooms are being led by educators who are holding on as best they can as they battle to achieve what those before them achieved naturally. Moreover, our present educational structure is no longer aligned with the realities of our teachers and students face. The present status of our country and society at best confuses our students. The term “Role-model” has taken on a new meaning and symbolizes the extreme break down of the village that raised many of us. Many thoughts run through my mind about the direction we must take to begin a new “movement.” However, one of the pre-requisites would challenge us to become more “village” than “self-oriented.” We live in a time that rewards and compensates those of us who stand out more than those who stand up to threats to systems of oppression. As we observe systems designed for the privilege, we must never forget the less fortunate. In order to ensure change and a new direction, we must engage a new system of thought that will facilitate different responses and reactions to those thoughts. We must remember any system designed around the average is doomed to fail.
We must be designers of experiences that haven’t been done realizing, the human and technical resources we have at our disposal and fingertips. With all these resources, why would we settle for experiences that already exist? Again, we can’t afford to leave anyone out by designing our nets to catch or capture a designated or chosen few. How big is your net? I came back onto the front lines of this education war in 2015 after traveling the world speaking and autographing books full time for thirteen years. It required personal, professional and family sacrifice but I knew my presence and experience was needed to help build new villages for our youth. My action is not noble or even newsworthy; it is what we must all consider during these times in which we live. The work we do is mission work on a mission field. We must enter deep reflection on the relevance of our work. How relevant is our message if we draw inference from decades ago? When I returned after consulting for thirteen years, I was introduced to students I had never seen. It’s taken me a few years, but I have come to understand the true value of being “called” to do this work. Ultimately, the greatest achievement of all is the constant striving to surpass yourself and to be worthy of your own approval.
I will forever be grateful to my family and community for laying a solid foundation for me to grow and develop into the servant leader I am today. I can only continue to live my life in such a way that repays them for creating the conditions for my success. They nurtured me, encouraged me, and empowered me to do the same for others. Nurturing others is making an investment in their future. It is one of the most important things we can do for another human being and as we make these deposits into the lives of others, we create better conditions for society and the world in which we all live and love.
Bio
Over his 32 years in education, Stephen has been a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of secondary education and superintendent of schools. Most of his experiences have been in schools that made significant growth in short periods of time thus, resulting in both National and State Blue-Ribbon distinction. Stephen is founder of the nationally recognized Gentlemen's & Ladies Club programs, which provide options for thousands of at-risk and honor students throughout the United States. Stephen is currently CEO & President of The Peters Group, a national education consulting company. The Peters Group has a track record of creating and sustaining success in schools, and districts, by supporting educators through a 3-step process of teaching and learning.
Stephen's latest book, Choosing to Believe: Creating a Framework for School Success (Peters Group Foundation), is an award winner for the 2010 "USA Best Books" in the K-12 category. This educational tool provides a comprehensive framework for school improvement. He is also the author of the best-selling books, Do You Know Enough about Me to Teach Me (Peters Group Foundation) and Teaching to Capture and Inspire all Learners (Corwin Press). Both books are used throughout the U.S. as effective tools for changing and sustaining school culture. Stephen is a contributing author for the Educational Leadership series Engaging Every Learner (Corwin Press). In his book Inspired to Learn: Why We Must Give Children Hope (Rising Sun Publishing), Stephen not only outlines his vision for the children in our schools he goes on to share how he and his staff turned their vision into operational strategies. His story of how divine inspiration guided him to create the Gentlemen's Club will save the lives of countless children who will then have a profound impact on the world and those around them.
Stephen has served on panels as an education expert with former U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Rod Paige in Washington, D.C. and is a board member for the International Literacy Association. His mentoring and self-empowering program, The Gentlemen's Club, has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show as well as "America, America," which broadcasts to two million viewers in Portugal and Brazil.
In many of my speeches, I refer to five major influences on school-aged children as (home, school, church, peers, and media). Many years ago, I walked into my classroom as a first-year teacher determined to change the world and every student in it. Time has flown and those five influences have flipped to a reverse position. The world in which we live needs encouragers, endorsers, supporters, and yes, nurturers like never before. Growing up, I always felt safe and secure in an environment that was full of nurturers. I became a nurturer because I was nurtured as a child and throughout my development years. The importance of feeling secure is one of, if not the most important, feelings a young person can experience. Moreover, it is the foundation in which everything can develop; a birthing vessel for dreams to evolve. The reversal of the influences mentioned earlier has far-reaching implications on our schools and society.
Public schools not only serve the public; we create the public. As we create conditions for our students to succeed, we must begin casting a wider net. We can’t afford to leave anyone out by designing our nets to capture a designated few. Education begins the moment we wake up and continues throughout our day. Reflection often promotes direction and direction, a destination. I’ve often thought nurturing created possibilities for me because I felt supported in my quest to be the best at whatever I was involved in at any particular time. As a youngster, I perfected skills on the basketball court that propelled me to a college basketball scholarship. On that journey, nurturing was a prerequisite because of the demands placed on student-athletes. There was always so much to do and little time in which to do it. My older brothers, sisters, mom, dad, and community of friends nurtured me and provided a solid foundation for me to be able to focus on whatever task was before me. As I lead a 6,000-student school district, I understand now more than ever, how the leadership skills I developed on the basketball court are now being used to advance the critical nature of our work in our school district.
It is often said; a child’s first teacher is home. The nurturing I received at home far outweighed the material trappings that garner the attention of today’s youth. It solidified my place in the world and facilitated a successful pathway that currently provides opportunities for others to take their rightful place in the world as well. My older brother Ron would come to South Carolina at the start of every summer to take me back with him to New York to spend the summer. He wanted me to know there was a big world out there waiting for me. He nurtured me on and off the basketball court, taught me how to dress for success, develop a solid work ethic and engage people. It was there I developed a belief system that all things are possible in life. I’d transitioned from a place where there was little to do to a place that had way too much to do, but I was adjusting because of the preparation my brother provided.
Upon graduating from college and entering the workplace, I became captivated by the opportunities to inspire our youth through my classroom. Todd Whitaker says, “the best thing about teaching is, it matters; the most difficult thing about teaching is, it matters every day.” There is much truth in his statement and we have all experienced the true value of being captured, inspired and taught by one of the great ones.
Unfortunately, our schools and classrooms are being led by educators who are holding on as best they can as they battle to achieve what those before them achieved naturally. Moreover, our present educational structure is no longer aligned with the realities of our teachers and students face. The present status of our country and society at best confuses our students. The term “Role-model” has taken on a new meaning and symbolizes the extreme break down of the village that raised many of us. Many thoughts run through my mind about the direction we must take to begin a new “movement.” However, one of the pre-requisites would challenge us to become more “village” than “self-oriented.” We live in a time that rewards and compensates those of us who stand out more than those who stand up to threats to systems of oppression. As we observe systems designed for the privilege, we must never forget the less fortunate. In order to ensure change and a new direction, we must engage a new system of thought that will facilitate different responses and reactions to those thoughts. We must remember any system designed around the average is doomed to fail.
We must be designers of experiences that haven’t been done realizing, the human and technical resources we have at our disposal and fingertips. With all these resources, why would we settle for experiences that already exist? Again, we can’t afford to leave anyone out by designing our nets to catch or capture a designated or chosen few. How big is your net? I came back onto the front lines of this education war in 2015 after traveling the world speaking and autographing books full time for thirteen years. It required personal, professional and family sacrifice but I knew my presence and experience was needed to help build new villages for our youth. My action is not noble or even newsworthy; it is what we must all consider during these times in which we live. The work we do is mission work on a mission field. We must enter deep reflection on the relevance of our work. How relevant is our message if we draw inference from decades ago? When I returned after consulting for thirteen years, I was introduced to students I had never seen. It’s taken me a few years, but I have come to understand the true value of being “called” to do this work. Ultimately, the greatest achievement of all is the constant striving to surpass yourself and to be worthy of your own approval.
I will forever be grateful to my family and community for laying a solid foundation for me to grow and develop into the servant leader I am today. I can only continue to live my life in such a way that repays them for creating the conditions for my success. They nurtured me, encouraged me, and empowered me to do the same for others. Nurturing others is making an investment in their future. It is one of the most important things we can do for another human being and as we make these deposits into the lives of others, we create better conditions for society and the world in which we all live and love.
Bio
Over his 32 years in education, Stephen has been a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of secondary education and superintendent of schools. Most of his experiences have been in schools that made significant growth in short periods of time thus, resulting in both National and State Blue-Ribbon distinction. Stephen is founder of the nationally recognized Gentlemen's & Ladies Club programs, which provide options for thousands of at-risk and honor students throughout the United States. Stephen is currently CEO & President of The Peters Group, a national education consulting company. The Peters Group has a track record of creating and sustaining success in schools, and districts, by supporting educators through a 3-step process of teaching and learning.
Stephen's latest book, Choosing to Believe: Creating a Framework for School Success (Peters Group Foundation), is an award winner for the 2010 "USA Best Books" in the K-12 category. This educational tool provides a comprehensive framework for school improvement. He is also the author of the best-selling books, Do You Know Enough about Me to Teach Me (Peters Group Foundation) and Teaching to Capture and Inspire all Learners (Corwin Press). Both books are used throughout the U.S. as effective tools for changing and sustaining school culture. Stephen is a contributing author for the Educational Leadership series Engaging Every Learner (Corwin Press). In his book Inspired to Learn: Why We Must Give Children Hope (Rising Sun Publishing), Stephen not only outlines his vision for the children in our schools he goes on to share how he and his staff turned their vision into operational strategies. His story of how divine inspiration guided him to create the Gentlemen's Club will save the lives of countless children who will then have a profound impact on the world and those around them.
Stephen has served on panels as an education expert with former U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Rod Paige in Washington, D.C. and is a board member for the International Literacy Association. His mentoring and self-empowering program, The Gentlemen's Club, has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show as well as "America, America," which broadcasts to two million viewers in Portugal and Brazil.