Transforming the Minds of Men: Maximizing Potential from Childhood to Manhood

By Lovelle McMichael

This book has been written for men, parents, teachers, mentors, social workers, employers, and many others to heightened their awareness of men in general but more specifically as it relates to fatherlessness. We see this epidemic increasing and not being addressed globally. The more a man is aware of the negative affects of fatherlessness the more he can channel his behaviors to beat the odds. The more individuals working with men are aware of the absent father the more they are able to respond appropriately and increase positive outcomes on young men and adult men. Fathers may be absent from the lives of there children for many reason including but not limited to incarceration, divorce/separation, abandonment, and in some cases because he does not know he has a child. despite why the father is not present in the home we see tremendous impacts that his absence creates.

I wrote this book to contribute to the conversation that has already been started surrounding this topic and to provide the reader with practical and applicable tools and strategies to beat the odds. While this book is not the complete answer to the problem it definitely is a start to improving ones self.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Sep 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483559650

Book preview

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Woven throughout this book is the impact and effect of fatherlessness among young black men in America. This epidemic has been part of the fabric of our society for years and, with the recent tragic events of our nation, the conversation about young black men has resurfaced. In this conversation it is important to note that fatherlessness is one of the missing links in the foundation of the rearing of these young black men. This book raises awareness of and lays a blue print of how we can better rear young black men from childhood to manhood.

We can make a difference in society by challenging the status quo and having an expectation of each young man to discover and maximize his full potential. Refusing to settle for mediocrity and always striving for excellence should be the daily goal of young black men and those who influence their lives. Life and its opportunities may be challenging but, when approached properly, the challenges can be the foundation of success.

You will see the word transformation extensively throughout the pages of this book. When I am speaking of transformation, it is in relation to changing the mindset of the young black man’s perception of himself and the community’s perception of him. I want to raise awareness that transformation can happen in the lives of men because on so many levels black men have been misrepresented.

With this raised awareness we can look through a different set of lens when tackling the subject of fatherlessness and transformation. This is important when addressing fatherlessness and the rearing of black young men because it allows us to value the need for male authority in the home, local community, and globally.

Fatherlessness has in some ways silently contributed greatly to the downward spiral of events related to young black men. While it is not the only component, it is definitely significant enough that it needs to be addressed. This book alone is not the answer to the problem. Our young men need you and me! They need us to 1) share principles in their homes and communities so we can help them transform their mindset; and 2) teach them to subscribe to the philosophy that all things are possible when you apply yourself. These changes require a transformation – a way to change our perception of ourselves and the global view of black men in general.

While the process of transformation takes time, a positive and healthy mindset can be the catalyst to achieve greatness and change the national conversation about one’s ability to make major contributions to society. No one can determine the hands that have been dealt in life. We can however, choose the attitude we have and our approach. There is work to do, and it is better when we do it together. We must believe that positive change can and will take place in the lives of young black men in America. Promise is the visualization of infinite possibilities to achieve success and the full potential in these black men.

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B E A T I N G   T H E   O D D S

There are a lot of kids out there who need help, who are getting a lot of negative reinforcement. Is there more that we can do to give them the sense that their country cares about them and values them and are willing to invest in them?

- President Barack Obama, July 19, 2013

Along history of disparities has existed for young black men in American culture. Questions still remain about whether there will ever be a level playing field for black men in America. As young black men grow toward adulthood, societal stereotypes of them as uneducable and criminal undermine their self-esteem and can shape teachers’ attitudes toward them.

Black men are at risk! Charles Barkley (2005) purported in his book that racism is the biggest cancer of his lifetime. The numbers tell an unmistakable story. "Black male youth are three times as likely as white male youth to grow up in poverty and 10 times as likely to attend a high-poverty secondary school. Their test scores lag, they are disproportionately likely to repeat a grade, and they are punished more harshly than other children for school infractions.

If current trends hold, one-third of black male youth born in 2001 will spend time in prison" (Educational Testing Service, 2012). Schools often fail black male youth, administer discipline with disproportionate harshness and teach material that is not engaging from their experience. Many educational systems lack the awareness and understanding of the unique characteristics and innate traits of boys in general. Thus, best practices are not developed and utilized in a way that improves their outcomes.

These same educational systems do not offer an environment for effective learning, as it relates specifically to young black men. The authoritative figures within today’s schools frequently misinterpret high levels of energy exhibited by young males as disruptive behavior. As a result, the target population of young men are disproportionately:

•  placed in special education classrooms;

•  suspended and/or expelled from school; and

•  added to the long lists of high school dropouts.

This escalates into a cascade of other social problems: an increase in juvenile incarceration and adult unemployment. Other closely related statistics provide even further evidence for the need to intervene. It is a known fact that black men represent a wide racial disproportion of the incarcerated population in jail systems across the United States. Over the years, articles written, speeches delivered, and conversations, in general, have reported that a strong correlation exists between the educational level of a citizenry and the number of projected prisons filled with black men – many of whom are absent fathers.

Educational institutions are not expected to teach boys how to be fathers; however educators, counselors, mentors and other educational support staff can encourage young men to take responsibility for their learning. Boys feel teachers do not ask, do not listen and do not care in many schools. But schools that work well with boys show that they care by listening to them (Lutz, 2008).

In an effort to engage boys in their learning, schools can assist parents in understanding and supporting effective pedagogy and influence literacy at all levels. Schools should be aware of the different learning styles of boys and empower them to feel that learning is something ‘they can do’ without fear of ridicule.

Having fun while learning and an environment that encourages interaction instead of having that teacher who will mark him down for bad behavior can increase positive outcomes overall. This is not a new phenomenon. In fact the concept or ideology surrounding the cradle to prison pipeline has become more acknowledged in recent years.

The educational system is so dismal, when it comes specifically to young black men, that 4th grade reading scores are being used as a baseline for planning the future construction of prisons. Poor academic performance actually creates the pipeline for determining the prisons that will be built to house the menace to society – as it were-- that has been created from our poor educational institution and the absenteeism of