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 | | Jean Clark |
November 2008 --
Report from MESPA NAESP State Representative
“UBUNTU, I Am, Because We Are!”
At the National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., this summer, John Wherry facilitated a session that excited not only me, but many of our colleagues as well. He began by sharing the story about Boston Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers and how he motivated his team to the championship this past year. Wherry explained that Coach Rivers inspired his team with one African word, “UBUNTU” (Ooh-BOON-too), meaning the philosophy of life and “I am, because we are.” Coach Rivers inspired his players throughout the season by emphasizing to them that instead of each of them being individual stars, they needed to play as a team and be a team. As Coach Rivers stated, “None of us can achieve victory without each other.”
If you would come to Mississippi Heights Elementary you will see that we have a display case in our main hallway with classroom and staff pictures on display. Each year we select a theme and this year we selected “UBUNTU, I am, because we are.” If you walk down the main hallway of Mississippi Heights you will see the main theme “UBUNTU” displayed on three bulletin boards to reinforce that “We are a team, we are one with each other!” all year long.
One of the special activities that we do at the beginning and the end of each week at Mississippi Heights is when we gather at in the gym for “lift off.” Each Friday at lift off, our music teacher, Mrs. Patton leads students and staff in a special “UBUNTU” chant that she created for our school. It is quite  | | Five year old Hunter leads the 780 members of Mississippi Heights Elementary in their Friday "lift off": Ubuntu! |
an amazing sound to hear 780 students and staff raise their voices as one to chant “UBUNTU, UNBUNTU, I am because we are, I am, because we are”...to the beat of Mrs. Patton’s African drum!
On one of my visits to classrooms, I discovered a soft spoken, five year old kindergartner who loves our Friday “UBUNTU” chant. In fact, he cannot wait to practice it into the sound system in his classroom. I asked him if he would like to help lead the “UBUNTU” chant with Mrs. Patton at a Friday lift off. He looked up at me, wide-eyed with a beaming smiled and said, “Sure.” That Friday, Hunter quietly put his hand in mine and stood shyly by my side as we waited for Mrs. Patton’s signal to chant “UBUNTU.” Occasionally, Hunter would look up at me for reassurance and I would gently squeeze his hand and smile down at him.
Finally, Mrs. Patton stepped up to the front with the drum and I introduced Hunter to the gym filled with 780 students and staff. The silence in the gym was almost deafening as Hunter stepped forward and his little hand began to beat on the drum. He leaned forward toward the mike and Hunter began to chant softly, “UBUNTU, UBUNTU...” His voice grew with more confidence and he said loudly, “UBUNTU, I am, because we are, I am, because we are, UBUNTU!”
When Hunter finished the chant and beat the final beat, this little five-year-old’s incredible performance stunned the audience into silence. Suddenly, the gym erupted into a standing ovation with Hunter looking on in amazement grinning from ear to ear. What better way for a school to demonstrate “I am, because we are!”
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