The following is a letter of support for my “HARAMBEE M.Y.A.-Pull It Together & Manage Your Attitude” Anger Management Program for children.
June 1st
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Ben Emmons and I am a fifth-grade enrichment teacher at Chester Community Charter School. This past school year my class and I were a part of the pilot for the M.Y.A. program.
When I first met Dr. Brown and he introduced the program to our fifth-grade team I was very excited because most of our students can benefit greatly from this program, but I never realized how badly until Dr. Brown brought his program to Chester Community Charter School.
I’ve worked at Chester Community Charter School for 10 years, so I’m very familiar with the needs of the student population at our school. Over the years I’ve heard stories from other teachers and parents, and even some students have opened up to me about their lives outside of school and their past. Unfortunately, I think being their teacher; students don’t feel as comfortable talking to me about their problems at home. I surmise it’s either because they don’t want to or they just don’t know how or that they need to talk to someone or they might not even realize they have a problem.
Through the years I’ve done my best to talk with students when they came to me and I’ve always expressed that my door was open. The truth is I didn’t know how to talk to students about their problems. One reason is time, I simply didn’t have the time to teach and talk to each student but I wish I could, but there are so many demands on teachers academically, it leaves very little time to help the children with their complex and varied emotional issues. Our school has always had counselors on staff, but a couple counselors just aren’t enough to meet all the student’s needs. The second reason is a lack of training in counseling children with emotional issues. Of course, teachers try their best but since we don’t have the training the children may not have their needs meet even though we’re trying our best.
Then enter Dr. Brown and his MYA program. Like I said, I was very excited for his program but I was unsure if the students in my particular class would need the program. I teach the higher performing students which usually are very well behaved and rarely have emotional issues, but after the first day of Dr. Brown’s program, I was enlightened. Dr. Brown can attest most of the class shared stories of deaths in their families, verbal abuse, shootings, violence, and even missing or dead parents. On the first day and subsequent sessions, about half the class broke down and cried, some inconsolable. It was eye-opening for many reasons. One, I had no idea what some of these students were going through and have gone through. Two, I became extremely overwhelmed of how I would be able to help these children.
Each week that Dr. Brown came to my class, the students opened up and were even able to meet with Dr. Brown in a small group session following the large group session. These small group sessions were very beneficial to some students that really needed someone to talk to more frequently. Like I said, my class was already well behaved so it wasn’t misbehavior that I witnessed subsiding because of MYA. I saw more smiles. I saw more confidence.
Students in Chester need this type of program so badly. Students all over the country need this program so badly. Like me, sometimes teachers never know what’s going on with a student until they open up to someone. MYA is that program that can fill in the gaps that teachers and counselors aren’t able to cover. MYA gives students an outlet for their emotions and helps them socially and emotionally. When students’ emotional needs are satisfied they are happier and more successful in school. I highly recommend this program.
Best regards,
Ben Emmons
This is Rev Dr. Wm. Rocky Brown, 3rd, letting you know that GOD and I Love you, and we approve this message because we want to motivate your mind, body & soul. So be happy and enjoy the blessings of The LORD today, my friend! Please subscribe to my website to receive these messages daily at http://www.yourspiritualmotivation.com. You can also buy my publication: “800 SAYINGS BY OLD FOLKS WHO RAISED US,” from Amazon.com or www.wmrockybrown3rd.com or by emailing: wmrocbe@aol.com or by calling 215-480-5333. The cost is $15.00 s/h included.
