I’ve had to take time to process what’s been happening in the world lately. My views and thoughts are simple. Black Lives Matter. Growing up as a black, African American female, I've experienced various situations where I now understand to have been racial discrimination. When you’re young, you don’t know. Let me take you back to one situation that had an effect on me as a child. When I was four-years-old, I attended a daycare center. One day at daycare, my teacher hit me in the mouth for no reason at all. I didn’t understand why she did it but when she did, it caused me to bite my tongue, the pain was unbearable and my tongue started to bleed uncontrollably. When my father picked me up all I could do was cry and hold my mouth. He asked me questions on the way home but I was unable to talk. My mom saw me as soon as I walked in the house and she knew something was wrong. I hugged her when I walked in the door and stuck my tongue out to show her the blood. After she doctored on me some, I tried to talk the best that I could to tell her what happened at daycare. “My teacher hit me in my mouth,” I said. My mom was furious. The daycare was closed, so she was not able to make a special visit to find out why my teacher would do such a thing, she was also not able to schedule me a doctor’s appointment until the next day. My teacher was a white woman. I know that all white people are not racist but now that I'm older I still can't imagine why my teacher would've hit me in the mouth for no reason, unless that she was possibly racist. The next day my mother called the daycare and spoke with the manager. He begged her not to come to the daycare and promised that my teacher would have consequences. I’m not sure if my teacher had consequences for what she did to me, however in the next month she was fired for something else. I still have the scars on my tongue from when my teacher hit me in my mouth; because of this, I will never be able to forget it. I learned at a very young age, that I cannot always trust people who are in leadership positions. My teacher was my leader at daycare and I looked up to her. Revisiting these memories aren’t pleasant, however they remind me of why God chose me to later become a High School English Teacher. I am changing the narrative. I know I may not be able to change the world, however I will do my best to change the hearts and minds of my students and other people around me, in a positive way. I have love for all people. We have to continue teaching the younger generation what’s right because they’re going to be the ones to eventually eradicate systematic racism. The older generations were taught racism and some successfully passed it down to their children. I do believe that there are more younger people and even people in my generation who are now against the ideologies of another race being superior. Let's all keep pushing for better days and be the leaders who the younger generations can trust. Life is not a fairytale, but when we put our faith in God, he will always take the bad and turn it into fuel for something good. Love Trish
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Dear Graduates,
Although it's an indescribable time in history it is important for you to have a goal for yourself. Hopefully you have already enrolled into a college, enlisted into the military or found a job, however if not, there is still hope. If you weren't the type who would want to attend college for a long drawn out time frame, and you're still seeking to find your place in the world why not consider enrolling into a trade school? Click Here: List of Skill & Trade Jobs A few of the jobs listed include the following but are not limited to... Computer Programmer, Respiratory Therapist, Aircraft Mechanic, Dental Hygienist, Web Designer, Electrician, Filmmaker, Plumber, Welder Zoom Party: Send family and friends a Zoom video chat link so they can celebrate your graduation with you in real-time. On the Zoom Chat you can open mailed gifts and talk to them on a live stream. You can go to zoom.com to create an account.
Home Decor: You can decorate or have your family members decorate your yard, porch and inside of your home with balloons, streamers and any other graduation decor of your choice. Mask Party: Have a Mask On Party (safe party) with a few of your friends at your home. Parade: Have family and friends to meet up at a location at a certain time to do a drive by parade at your home. They can decorate their car windows with paint that says congratulations graduate and any other notes or messages they want to send to you as they pass by your home, honking their horns and saying congratulations! We hope you find this post helpful and once again, congrats graduates! Hi, I hope everyone is having a great Mother's Day, below I share some of my mother's advice and popular things she has said to me over the years. Please be advised that some of these things are hilarious lol and some of them are really meant to boost my confidence. Either way, I'm so thankful for my mom. God outdid himself with this woman. 1. Don't worry about what other people are doing. 2. Make sure you anoint your house. 3. Ok so you have to pay your bill next Tuesday, it's only Thursday, Tuesday ain't here yet. Calm down. 4. Well just wait and see what happens before you jump the gun. 5. You and your brother know how to get yourselves into some stuff, I tell you. 6. Don't let no one run over you. 7. You've come too far to turn around now. 8. I didn't raise you to be a quitter. 9. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, I'm not going to have a pity party for you. 10. You and your brother are not about to worry me. 11. It's ok if someone else wins, you can't win all the time. 12. As long as I have, you're gonna always have, so don't worry about money. 13. As long as I owe you, you will never be broke. 14. I love you, I thank God for blessing me with a daughter like you. Hi Everyone, Thank you so much for taking time out your day to view the amazing teachers, including myself, that I have highlighted on the site for Teacher Appreciation Week! I hope each of you are staying safe and are enjoying some self-care time. Here are some fun things about my co-worker and I! Take Care. -La'Trish What subject do you teach? I teach High School, English/Language Arts What do you like most about teaching? I enjoy being able to get young people excited about their future. I like the mentor aspect of teaching more than anything. I like being an ear to listen to those students who are going through things. I like encouraging them that they can and will go further than how their current situation looks, if they continue to stay in school and make good decisions. What is the most challenging thing about teaching? The most challenging thing is keeping everyone focused during class, I have taught really silly students who might just bust out with a joke in the middle of me teaching lol...but I still love them though. How do you feel about having to teach remotely from home versus being in the classroom? I feel that online teaching provides a level of focus for some of my students because they're not around their friends to talk in class, while I'm teaching lol. However, I know that some students are more focused in the classroom setting, so teaching online has its advantages and disadvantages. What advice would you give to an aspiring teacher? Teach because it's something personally, you want to do to help shape the lives of the future business leaders of the world. Know that everyday will not be easy. Know that every student is different and even when you think they're not listening, the seeds that you plant inside them will stay with them forever. When they graduate they will remember the words of wisdom you gave them when they once thought you were tripping, and it will have a positive effect on their decision making process as an adult. Ms. Beeker is my co-teacher, she teaches with me during one of the 3 classes I teach. She gives me encouragement on those long days and reassures me that tomorrow will be a new day lol. I am appreciative of her and all her amazing teaching experiences that she shares with me. Here's a few quick things about Ms. Beeker.
What subject do you teach? High School/Language Arts What do you like most about teaching? Flexibility and working with students. What is the most challenging thing about teaching? There's a great deal to do all the time. How do you feel about having to teach remotely from home versus being in the classroom? It's been a challenge. What advice would you give to an aspiring teacher? Go for it! What subject do you teach? Middle School Science
What do you like most about teaching? I love how each year I’m able to teach scholars a subject I’ve grown to love throughout my 6 years of being a teacher. What is the most challenging thing about teaching? I taught 5th grade (all subjects first which were Math, Science, Social Studies, & ELA) that was very challenging but I actually loved it. I only had one class and those scholars had grown to be my family as well as their parents! I try to build trust and relationships first with my scholars so that they’re able to open up to me at any given time. How do you feel about having to teach remotely from home versus being in the classroom? Right now with this pandemic going on, it started off as a bit of a struggle, for not only us teachers but for the scholars and parents as well. But now since I have been doing this for going on two months it is getting better, however it’s not the same as having your scholars in the classroom face to face and being able to touch them, hug them, and have face-to-face conversations. Speaking to them and teaching them over a computer screen or telephone is not the same feeling, I hate to say it. I do miss my scholars and I know every day they state that they miss me, but I know one day we will be back in our classrooms. What advice would you give to an aspiring teacher? Advice I will give an inspiring teacher will be to don’t give up, it will be a challenge in the beginning but once your first year is over, you will grow to love what you do. We are educators, we are mothers, we are actors, we are here to teach, to lead, & to inspire! Ms. Smith's Instagram: @dr.smith2022 What subject do you teach? I teach middle grades English/Language Arts
What do you like most about teaching? I like having the potential to help young people enhance their literacy skills. I also enjoy planning and being able to be creative with my lessons. What is the most challenging thing about teaching? The most challenging thing about teaching is the classroom leadership aspect. When creating norms, procedures, and routines for transitions, group work, independent work, and other things, it can be tough to anticipate what is to come or how a lesson may turn out. How do you feel about having to teach remotely from home versus being in the classroom? I enjoy being able to teach remotely because it allows me to have more autonomy. I can plan the curriculum that I would like to teach with more freedom. Of course, the content must be based on state standards. What advice would you give to an aspiring teacher? My advice would be to manage all expectations. Set the bar high, but do not be disappointed if things do not work out the way that you wanted them to. Teaching is all about trial and error. If something does not work well the first time, do the 3 R’s: Reflect on what went wrong and how it can be made better, research new methods of teaching, and re-implement those ideas in a different way. My birthday is near and all I can think of is how a lot of things in my life seem to be falling apart. I’ve experienced a lot of pain this year and it seems like as my birthday approaches the pain throbs even harder. Have you ever felt like you’ve given your all but that wasn’t good enough? Have you ever felt torn up about something that happened to the people you love? Have you ever been upset with yourself? I have all these feelings of pain, confusion, and heartache.
I’ve been praying; I know God will come through for me. It’s just that while in the midst of the storm, I feel almost overtaken. I feel as though I am going to be blown away soon by so many obstacles, challenges and life mishaps. The only thing that brings me peace is writing, which I haven’t been doing a lot of lately. One of the most important things I’ve learned throughout life is that it’s important to have a positive outlet to release your heartache. I started this little ole blog a few years ago when I was physically experiencing a lot of pain. I got injured in the gym and based on the severity I may not have ever been able to walk the same again without immense, chronic pain, but God (came through and turned that situation around)…I share my testimony with you because I know that God is a healer. During the time I started my blog I also felt hopeless, my relationship had just ended and I was searching to start a career. I never would’ve known that this blog was going to be the very thing that jump-started my career and would be the outlet that would heal me inwardly. In this new year of life that approaches for me, my only hope is to grow closer to God. You can have everything in the world but without God, you’ll be lost. I hope that you are taking time to meditate in his presence. When we find ourselves with our heads hung low feeling as though no one can begin to understand what we are going through, it is during this time that we should have a conversation with the most high (God). I hope this grants you the peace that you need. Life is not a fairytale, however we should be able to experience a little bit of heaven on earth and during the times of heavy grief, depend on him to bring us through, because every battle we face is sure to end. Better days are always up ahead. Love Trish Unproductive Citizens: Talk about others. So quick to downplay someone else’s dreams but too afraid to pursue their own, but then again that’s if they have dreams at all. Unproductive citizens normally are so busy criticizing others’ dreams that they don’t take time to discover their own.
They get off on talking about others with their so-called friends who talk about them when they aren’t around. Unproductive citizens are lost people, they’re afraid to live a life of peace and integrity. These are the people who like to keep drama going because it’s the only thing they find comfort in. They feel if they can keep drama then it will conceal their shortcomings. An unproductive citizen is the most insecure person there is. They may work jobs but they aren’t doing anything else to encourage, support or give back to the lives of others in a positive way. The unproductive citizen is only concerned with his or her life. Their philosophy is, if an issue doesn’t affect him or her then it’s none of their business, however it’s only enough of their business for them to talk and laugh about to their friends. I’m a strong African American woman and I have come across quite a few unproductive citizens. They’ve tried to tear me down and these were people I thought was cool with me and wanted to see only the best happen for me. I’ve applauded them, complimented them and have been happy for them. However, I was unaware of the self-hate or insecurities they were struggling with on the inside. When you try to tear someone down who has always treated you good, it shows that you are dealing with something that’s far beyond the unexpected hate you have for someone. The problem is deep-rooted and it spills out in the form of bullying (social media bullying included), gossip and even more aggressive behaviors, such as physical abuse (which I would advise you to get the police involved if you are a victim of this). Life is not a fairytale, in one season or another you may experience hate for no reason at all. If you ever experience this, be an example, you know who you are and who’s you are, you don’t have to clap back or even check a person. Just keep doing you, because obviously it’s something you have that is worth others talking about. They see your light, so keep shining Queens and Kings. I hope this is a blessing to someone. Love Trish *Important Note* If you are experiencing physical abuse, press charges and proceed with the court system; you can even take out charges for social media bullying (depending on the severity) or any other types of bullying and harassment. Know your rights; if they go too far do what you need to protect yourself. Have you ever been in a situation that made you feel helpless? There was nothing you could do about it but pray. You so desperately wanted the situation to work out in a positive way but you knew that there was nothing you could do within your power but hand it over to God. I’m sure many of us have been through this before. It’s not easy; as a matter of fact during this time we may experience anxiety, slight depression and sleepless nights. When you trust in God there’s nothing he can’t do. Worrying will not help anything, but when you turn things over to him a feeling of peace will come over you. That’s his way of letting you know that he has things covered and that you no longer have to stress over what’s bothering you. Sometimes it can be difficult to let go of things and put them in God’s hands, because our human nature makes us want to be in control of everything that happens in our lives. It’s important for us to know that we can’t fix everything. There are things we have to rely on God for and during these situations we are reminded of just how powerful God is. I haven’t experienced a situation that he has not come through for me on. When you’re feeling hopeless remember that God will turn things around during his perfect timing. Allow the wait time in between to strengthen you, have faith in him, and know that he isn’t a God of broken promises. Life is not a fairytale, there will be times when we are hurt by what life throws at us and or situations that we may put ourselves in, however we must remember that God is a redeemer and a way maker. When you are a believer you have access to his power. I hope this blesses someone…until next time loves! Trish We spend too much time feeding our fears; spend that same amount of time feeding your faith instead. |
AuthorI'm an East Carolina University alumna. I have experience in journalism, law, radio broadcasting, television production and teaching. My goal is to make a difference in the world through media and motivational speaking. Archives
February 2024
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