World-renowned speakers Milton Creagh and Dr. Calvin Mackie address teachers, parents

05/19/10

After speaking to students in March, Milton Creagh engaged more members of the Wilkinsburg community when he returned to the school district, along with Dr. Calvin Mackie, to speak to teachers and parents about the importance of their respective roles in the success of our children. During the day, Mr. Creagh and Dr. Mackie presented two 3-hour sessions for teachers about ways to better engage and communicate with students and how to best equip them with the tools needed for success.

"We cannot teach our children if we do not love them," said Dr. Mackie. "We cannot love them if we are afraid of them.

"I'm here today to challenge you--to make you uncomfortable," Dr. Mackie continued, "because that's the only way you learn. You don't learn comfortably, you learn when you're uncomfortable."

Mr. Creagh and Dr. Mackie talked about the importance of teachers not only appealing to students' minds, but also their hearts.

"If kids don't know how much you care, then they really don't care how much you know," said Dr. Mackie.

It's also important that teachers deliver their messages and their lessons in ways that will capture the attention of students.

"Kids today spend an average of eight and a half hours using electronic devices everyday," said Mr. Creagh. "They need more stimuli than ever in order to keep their attention in the classroom."

They also stressed to teachers that the concept of learning should extend beyond students to include teachers themselves.

"If we are educators, we should always be reading," said Mr. Creagh.

"Breakthroughs occur at the boundaries," said Dr. Mackie. "As teachers, we should constantly be learning and pulling from so many different places."

Later that evening, Mr. Creagh and Dr. Mackie shared their message with an audience of parents. They reaffirmed parents as the most important element in the healthy and positive development of their children.

Mr. Creagh and Dr. Mackie shared their own stories, and talked about how their parents had bigger dreams for them than they had for themselves.

"It is incumbent upon us to inspire our kids to go further than even they think they can go," said Mr. Creagh.

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