The Graduation Coach: Money Does Not Improve Schools, People Do.

By Tara Spates

I have always been a bit outspoken; I like to think of myself as just being direct. I must justifiably state that my actions were, in part, due to my distaste for unfair treatment of people and hypocrisy. I moved to a small town in Georgia from a city up north, and the culture shock in itself was dramatic. For instance, upon speaking out at a board of education meeting about the lack of student academic achievement, I discovered parents were in an uproar over cheerleading. Huh! This is in a town where sports often meant more than a good education; that is, of course, until the season is over. But I digress. After this meeting, one of the assistant superintendents approached me and asked if I would consider representing the district at a state meeting and provide a parents perspective. Of course, I said yes.

This is the point in which God opens the door; I rode to the meeting with a faculty member, and during the two-hour drive, we both became aware that my new landlord was her father. Well, that gave us a lot to talk about, and ultimately, she became my manager in a position where I would be required to help students remain in school and graduate.

This was familiar and fulfilling ground for me because I had just closed my NJ business, a business in which I worked with at-risk students. I must love young people because my salary was slashed by 65 percent, but I saw it as a door to a new career. Honestly, I needed an income since I no longer had my business, and helping others was something I enjoyed doing.

I was in the midst of obtaining my BS degree in Psychology, and this position would give me another level of hands-on experience so that I could move into individual counseling once I completed school with my masters degree.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781496971517

Tara Spates

Tara Spates, a naturally skilled counselor, practiced her successful counseling skills in a rural Georgia high school. She created a community-based initiative called Women Motivating Women, where ladies are encouraged to be their best and, in turn, encourage their children to do the same. She now lives in South Orange, New Jersey, with her daughter, who currently lives in China, and her son, who is completing his senior year of college and seeking a career in law enforcement. This is her first novel depicting her life’s experiences as a school counselor.

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© 2015 Tara Spates. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/11/2015

ISBN: 978-1-4969-7152-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-7151-7 (e)

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CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1    We Meet

David

Tandi

Marqueeta

Jordan

Angel

Kerry

Chapter 2    Getting to Know You

David

Tandi

Marqueeta

Jordan

Angel

Kerry

Chapter 3    Building a Relationship

David

Tandi

Marqueeta

Jordan

Angel

Kerry

Chapter 4    Growth

David

Tandi

Marqueeta

Jordan

Angel

Kerry

Conclusion

David

Tandi

Marqueeta

Jordan

Angel

Kerry

David

This kid is going to be the death of me. I know I should not be so consumed but he has too much potential to just throw it away and could I live with myself if I did not do everything possible to help him.

INTRODUCTION

I knew it was God that opened this door, but I did not realize at that moment in November of 2006 that the opportunity that was laid before me was essentially a ministry that would affect the lives of so many young people. I also did not realize that my biggest obstacles would come from the very people who were there to educate these young people.

As I sat pondering the prospect that I may or may not have a job for the next coming school year, I reflected on my entrance into this position here at the high school and the students that I encountered and prayerfully helped to move beyond just obtaining a high school diploma.

I had always been a bit outspoken; I like to think of myself as just being direct, I must justifiably state that my actions were in part due to my distaste for unfair treatment of people and hypocrisy. I moved to a small town in Georgia from a city up North, and the culture shock in itself was dramatic. For instance, after speaking out at a Board of Education meeting about the lack of student academic achievement, I discovered parents were in an uproar over cheerleading; huh, this was in a town where sports often meant more than a good education that was of course until the season was over. But I digress. After this meeting, one of the Assistant Superintendents approached me and asked if I would consider representing the district at a State meeting and provide a parent’s perspective. Of course, I said yes.

This was the point in which God opened the door; I rode to the meeting with a faculty member, and during the two-hour drive, we became aware that she knew my new landlord personally. Well, that gave us a lot to talk about, and ultimately she became my manager in a position where I would be required to help students remain in school and graduate.

This was familiar and fulfilling ground for me because I had just closed my NJ business, a business in which I worked with at-risk students. I must love young people because my salary was slashed by 65%, but I saw it as a door to a new career. Honestly, I needed an income since I no longer had my business, and helping others was something I enjoyed doing.

I was in the midst of obtaining my BS degree in Psychology, and this position would give me another level of hands-on experience so that I could move into individual counseling once I completed school with my Master’s degree.

The following pages cover six young people with the purpose of showing educators all over the United States of America; that all students can and are able to learn but that there are various learning styles and a true educator has to realize that his/her way is not the only way. I will try to show that getting in touch with the community and families is also the breaking point to our demise in education. There are so many that already know what I am about to share, but education has become more of a business than an instructional institution, and until the powers that be remember that the purpose is educating our children regardless of the method – not testing overload – the masses will continue to be left behind.

DAVID

I wondered what all the commotion was about, especially since we were preparing to start the Georgia High School Graduation test for our juniors. I was about to find out. All of a sudden my manager entered the office and asked me if I knew David, and I could not say that I did. She went on to explain that according to the testing manual, he was unable to test because he had missed the main administration in March and this session was for re-testers, and I mentioned to her that it would not hurt to allow him to test and that it was possible for him to graduate if he was willing to put in the extra work, and he would need to pass these tests before he could graduate. She agreed and we went to speak to David.

I got to David first and standing in front of me was this average height, very thin young man with clothes on that were almost three sizes too big. Visually he was white but vocally he was black. I thought to myself, this is the gang member that just got out of jail? I introduced myself and then let him know that I had just put myself on the line for him. David told me that he felt he was disrespected and that he should be able to test.

I asked David where was he during the main administration and he admitted that he was incarcerated but was trying to get himself together and graduate and wanted the opportunity to show that he was smart enough to pass this test. I told David that he would be able to test but had to apologize to my manager, Ms. Chanse, for being disrespectful and that he should always remember not to bit the hand that feeds him and, in this case, allowed him the chance to test.

Ms. Chanse approached him and repeated much of what I had already told him; he did apologize and was allowed to test for the rest of the week. This day, unbeknownst to either of us, would be the start of an amazing relationship where I