Introduction
"Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent is how you respond to it"-Lou Holtz, College Football Coach
I chose to begin my unit with that quote because not only am I targeting my students' reading skills; I am also targeting their behavior. As the oldest of four children in a single-parent home, I learned very early on that it is important to live with integrity and perseverance(1). I loved reading about U.S. presidents, many of them with their rags to riches stories. I loved reading about African-Americans, how we were able to overcome slavery, how Harriet Tubman and other slaves knew to run toward the Big Dipper to find freedom. How Martin Luther King preached nonviolence in a violent world. These things lit a fire under me that made me constantly tell myself that I could be successful. Now that I am thirty-one years old, I truly believe that you can do anything you want to do in this world, but along the way you must pick up two very important character traits: integrity and perseverance.
Webster's Dictionary defines integrity as: adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.(2) In my own words, I would define it as how people act when no one is looking. Webster's also defines perseverance as: steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, and discouragement. In my own words, I would define it as not letting anything get in the way of your goals.
I learned lessons early on about integrity and perseverance. I remember a Saturday morning when my mother was taking us to Kmart to look around and just see what new things were in the stores. We were never able to get anything there, but she would take us to McDonald's afterwards. On the way there our car stopped and we were on the side of the road for about a half hour when this guy pulled up and offered to give us a jump. After a few minutes, our car was back on! We were so happy! I watched the guy the whole time to be sure he would not hurt my mother. After she thanked him for giving us the jump he came over to the window and said, "I want more than a thank-you, you got some money?" My mother replied, "Do you have change for a twenty?" He answered, "I have change, I'll be right back." He grabbed the twenty-dollar bill, ran to his car, and never came back. My mother looked shocked. We asked her about what happened and she said the guy had taken her last money. We headed home. We were so disappointed! I was so mad that that guy had done my mother like that. To this day whenever I see a woman having car issues, I stop and help. When they offer money, I never take it. I just reply "GOD bless you!"
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