But what exactly is a firefighter, artist, teacher or doctor. A lot of reasons why many people stumble in becoming the person they truly want to become (and in some cases never becoming that person) are because they haven’t clearly defined the actions behind the process.

Actions = Results

What you want to be and what you want to do are two different things. What you want to be is in a title: I want to be a doctor, I want to be an artist, and I want to be a psychologist. What you want to do is in the actions: I want to heal people and create better lives (doctor).  I want to be a creator and display messages that leave impressions of love, hope and peace (artist/painter).  I want to nourish the soul, change the human mind and help to foster human capital (psychologist).

It is not until we define what we want to do and put the actions into daily practice that what we want to be actually comes into fruition.

So the next time you are trying to figure out your next move in life such as attaining a promotion or changing careers, or if you are encouraging youth to explore their future options, focus on the actions. Perhaps, it might be found in a title you never thought of.

CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 04: (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The United States began to attract people from all over the world at the end of the Revolutionary War. “We the people”, the introductory statement of the U.S. Constitution refers to South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The 2010 Census data reported that half of the U.S. most recent births were minorities.  The results also reveled that 49.8 percent of infants under the age one are members of race ethnic minorities. According to Pew Research, 2012 Democratic and Social Trends, Asian American’s are the fastest growing racial group in the United States The United States is considered to be a globalized nation of individuals from all over the world.

As the minority populations continue to rise in the U.S., there is a great demand for school counselors to improve their multicultural competencies.  Arming counselors with this worldview knowledge of a culturally diverse student body will better equip counselors to handle dynamics of each student on an individual level that encompasses their cultural background, attitudes, beliefs and feelings.

Respect for students’ individual needs, life experiences, and worldviews is vital in schools. It’s extremely important that attitudes, beliefs and knowledge are taken into consideration when counseling diverse students. School counselors who are not trained in multiculturalism and who do not develop appropriate multicultural awareness skills might provide inappropriate counseling intervention, thus, underestimating the student’s cultural background and causing cultural sensitivity.

How can counselors become multicultural competent? Share your thoughts.

Although school counselors are usually not mentioned in education reforms they have a unique perspective on the educational process. For example, school counselors collaborate and interacted with various populations. They hear the issues of teachers, students, parents and administrators which makes them keenly aware of real matters and give them the ability to focus on the wellness of a student’s success.  School counselors have the responsibility of keeping students interested in staying in school to gain the best possible education they can. They concentrate on dropout preventions and alternative programs that will ensure student achievements.

Additionally, school counselors advocate for students that may have personal issues interfering with their learning. School counselors have comprehensive training combined with human relations skills. They support students and help them prepare, develop and achieve personal, career, and lifestyle growth. School counselors are the principal support personnel for students and their caregivers, as well as teachers and administrators.

So, why aren’t school counselors included in education reforms? The National Center of Transforming School Counselors reported that although school counselors have an enormous impact on student achievement and attainment, they enter the field unprepared to serve as effective advocates.  As a result they have been left out of education reform discussion. According to TSC, school counselor’s profession should emphasize assertive advocacies, leadership, team player and consultant.

School counselors should redefine their role as leaders and loose the stigma of only being good for building and changing a student’s schedule.

Should school counselors become more involved in education reforms?

In many states, students pass to the next grade level with a “D”. That means with only a 60% comprehension level in a subject a student will pass and even receive a diploma. Some schools, including public junior high schools, even use a system called peer promotion, which grants the student an opportunity to correct a test they failed and receive a passing grade. As a result, many students enter high school without a strong foundation or a high degree of competence in subjects. This, unfortunately, becomes a problem for the next level teacher to endure and the rest of the students in the class will suffer the consequences.

According to Michelle Swartz, an Arizona math teacher at Chandler High School, “Some students are thrown at the high school level without retaining 6^th, 7^th,or 8^th grade math, and these students are likely to fail 9^th grade math”.

Accountability in education is sorely needed in the U.S. schools.  “If we don’t have accountability what’s going to happen when a failing student gets to high school”, stated Michelle. “Many of these students do not have the prerequisites to move on to high school, yet they were passed through peer promotion in junior high.”

March 28, 2012, Track and Field, MorgueFile

On March 31, 2012, athletes from Arizona, California, and Nevada will compete in the USA Track and Fields 48^th Annual Phoenix Invitational held at Glendale Community College.

The USA Track and Field youth program was established in 2004, and provides young athletes an opportunity to be active and competitive. Through Zone Championship, athletes compete in track and field events within their residing state. After several preliminary competitions such as the Phoenix Invitational, performance youths advance to the Junior Olympic program. Dating back to the 1960’s, the Junior Olympics welcomes approximately 70,000 athletes each year.  It is the largest youth development competition in the world.

12-year-old sprinter Anaya Bailey has competed since the age of 6.  In 2009 she was a 2x Gold Medalist in the USA Nationals, and ranked eighth in the nation as a USA Junior Olympian. “Practicing a lot got me to where I am today”, stated Anaya. “I am extremely dedicated to this sport”. According to Florida State University Ph.D. professor K. Anders Ericsson, individual achievement is linked to drive, discipline and dedication.

Programs such as the USA Track and Field teach youths the determination and discipline they need to be successful. Individual athletes must bring the dedication.

Chandler, AZ- March 02: High school history class #1 football jersey (Photo by ShaRae Walker)

The 2001 No Child Left Behind Law focused on the use of standardized test scores in schools that would help establish measurable goals and improve individual outcomes in education. Since the laws enactment the Obama administration’s new education law, enacted in 2011, has sought to free states from it and 10 states have already done so.

The No Child Left Behind required all students to be 100 percent proficient in math and reading by 2014. According to Winnie Hu, New York Times reporter, the 2014 deadline for math and reading proficiency was an “impossibly high bar”.

Although the NCLB law had the right idea, to improve on academic standards in U.S. schools, its primary focus was on testing in math and reading. Schools and parents had criticized the law for sometime. Schools concentrated so “intensively” on testing in those subjects, that science, social studies and the arts became insignificant topics.

The Obama administration’s education law would focus on “Higher, more honest standards”, according to Caren Bohan, Reuter’s reporter. The new law will put into place accountability systems that would reward high performing schools and single out low performing schools. It will also develop and implement plans for improving student achievement and closing achievement gaps.

Many educators have turned their attention from the NCLB law and are focusing on adopting the Common Core State Standards, a requirement under Obama’s new education plan.  The Common Core State Standards is a new blueprint to raise academic achievement. It seeks to improve education in the classroom and help students reach their full potential. According to Emma Reicks, Tempe, Arizona Imagine Schools Instructional Data Coach, “I like the idea of the Common Core State Standards. I am a little afraid of its implementation.” The Common Core State Standards will be fully implemented in schools by the 2014-2015 academic school year.  In Revolutionize Education, teachers reflect on the current state of America’s education system and whether or not a Common Core State Standards will raise the bar for academic achievement.

Will Obama’s new education law help to restore America’s public education system?

INTEL NEW FAB 42 FACILITY Photo taken by ShaRae Walker

The Valley of Sun will welcome President Obama on Wednesday January 25, 2012, less than 24 hours after he delivers a State of the Union Speech.

Obama is scheduled to visit the construction site of the new Fab 42 facility for Intel in Chandler, Arizona. According to Ralph Kalian, a subcontractor for Intel, “We weren’t aware President Obama would visit the job site until lunch today. We were simply told there would be no work tomorrow because the president would be here.”

The $5 Billion Intel project broke ground early 2011 delivering thousands of jobs in construction, factory production, engineering and office jobs for the unemployed and newly graduated students.

“Think about the America within our reach.” President Obama said as he addressed the nation. “We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by.” “Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot…”

Less than a year ago, Kalian was one of those Americans barely getting by.

“Money was scarce. I had very little hope.” Ralph stated. “Now that I’m employed at Intel, I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel”.

Chandler, Arizona Construction Workers prepare for President Obama's Arrival: Photo taken by ShaRae Walker

Although the unexpected visit of Obama to the Intel site hasn’t been widely publicized, his State of the Union speech extensively covered the need for jobs in America and it’s presumed that he’s using Intel as a role model for the rest of big business in America.

According to Intel’s Newsroom, the remarks of President Obama will be streamed live at whitehouse.gov/live around 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Wednesday, January 23, 2012.

All signs point to a deterioration in American schools.

According to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. ranks 14^th in reading, 17^th in science and 25^th in math. Countries such as Europe and Asia are rapidly expanding their educational systems. The U.S. high school graduation rates are also lower today than they were a decade ago.

Should we care? According to the Hoover Institution, “Weak educational systems won’t ruin the country overnight, but prolonged incompetence will eventually prove consequential”.

Boosting America’s Education system won’t be easy, but if we all join together America will have a fighting chance.

Visit the U.S. Department of Education at ed.gov for a listing of educational resources and get involved.

If you are an educational advocate and would like to share information for others to get involved, contact me and I will list your resources.