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The Piece of Our Childhood We Carry With Us

9/27/2018

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There was a time in history long before we reached adulthood and bonded with each other through Twitter timelines and Facebook newsfeeds. A time where what we cherish now as adults and taught our kids morally came from the same relatable fables and short stories. Lessons from stories that were taught and passed down by our parents and their parents for centuries. The same stories that help shape what many of us value today. Children’s literature is often referenced or analogized in American culture to put emphasis on or back up a point. In American culture, the popular children’s books read and promoted often give an idea of events that happen and problems that are solved “in a perfect world.” While we know this is far from true, we do know teaching them to children who are growing and developing allows them to practice critical thinking and communication skills. It’s imperative especially in the technology era, that we don’t have our children stray from the art of reading books. Children’s literature is necessary because it provides students with opportunities to respond to literature, gives students appreciation about their own cultural heritage as well as that of others, helps children to develop emotional intellect and creativity, encourages growth and development of their personality, and conveys important societal themes from one generation to the next.

One of the biggest benefits to children’s literature is teaching children HOW to think instead of WHAT to think. It provides students with the opportunity to develop their own opinions about the topic. Stories that circle around opinions or perception allow them to think critically and form their own opinion. This strengthens the cognitive development and simultaneously encourages deeper thought about the story. This is an early introduction kids can use to learn and evaluate stories, as well as summarize the topic. Picture books are the icing on top of an already developing brain. The illustrations help children develop their own dialogue for the story. Pictures and illustrations strengthen students’ cognitive functions in being able to form opinions on their own and to express themselves through language and reference to the story.

One of the best things about children’s books is that sometimes they teach children to get in the habit of having an open-mind. It provides an avenue for students to learn about their own culture as well as the traditions of others. It is crucial for children to learn these values because as society continues to grow, it will be expected that children know how to interact with others from different backgrounds. When teaching students about the cultural heritage of others, it is important parents are selective about books that pride themselves on providing these lessons, especially for young readers. They should be open minded about learning about the cultures of others and be taught about not being critical about traditions they aren’t used to. Our children should understand pride without judgment. There are many stories, folktales, and fables which contain deliberate stereotypes and inaccuracies about certain cultural groups. Many of these stories were written by authors who lived in a different time period in American history and whose point of view was based off the society’s interpretation. As society continues to move forward, there are many authors from all backgrounds who are able to diversify books on cultural heritage by writing children’s books from their perception. There is a website diversebookfinder.org that allows parents to search from authors of all backgrounds and religions who tell children's stories often reflective of their individual culture.

Children’s stories that play on emotional intelligence or help students to develop empathy are some of the most important stories in children’s literature. Stories have the power to promote emotional and moral development. It allows the parent to teach life lessons using the story’s analogy. This is an important skill for children to see modeled. When I grew up, The Boy Who Cried Wolf was always a point of reference in my house growing up when my mother wanted to prevent one of us from telling a lie. The story was about a boy who no one believed when he finally told the truth after telling a few lies beforehand. As a child, it helped me shape that lying was not only wrong, but that it had consequences too, even if back then I did not know what consequences were. The point was, it allowed me as a child to think deeper about my own feelings.

Children’s books encourage growth of a student’s personality and can teach early lessons into empathy. Children are very impressionable and gullible during the early years. Books help them develop into kind, intelligent, and welcoming people. Literature encourages kids to be polite and friendly people, and these traits may be consistent with developing students into quality adults.

Finally, children’s literature is of value because it is one form of word art that will never go out of style. Children are only young for a short time, so we must give them access to a myriad of books with bigger morals and lessons. If the book plays less into society’s trends and more into growth and development of the child, then children’s literature has the power to captivate audiences for many generations. It is valuable in providing kids an opportunity to respond to literature, learn about their own culture as well as others, promote creativity, emotional intelligence, and personality development. Early exposure to reading will continue to create responsible intelligent children who then form into critical thinking adults.
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Steph Ox is a unique writer of many genres. Her work is rooted in her ability to understand many perspectives and point of views. With her writing catalog including many variations of poetry, informative articles, stories, think pieces, monologues, songs and book series, it's clear she has the ability to reach and relate to many different audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Steph Ox recently published the first book in her rhyme along Children's Book series aiming to provide relate-able lessons for millennial children with values that shape our children to move in the right direction morally. Steph is passionate about changing the world through the art of writing and storytelling. Most of us live and dwell in  the life experiences we individually face. It is also why many of us accept our content point of view on the world. Steph’s mission is to continue to create and provide literature that force readers to be not only open minded but compassionate as well in a world that’s often filled with judgment.
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My Hidden Burden: Navigating Law School with Depression

9/12/2018

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Summer 2016. I was working in my new home of Philadelphia. I had left my job as a teacher of three years and had been on medication to treat my depression for about a year. I was talking to God daily and was feeling good about myself, so good that I stopped taking my medication regularly. Eventually I had a huge breakdown. Crying non-stop, yelling at God, asking him why he was letting me suffer, trembling, low blood pressure, the works! And I was supposed to be starting law school in a month?
 
I did it though. I started law school. I did my work. I put on a face during the school day and flopped on my bed at the end of the day, exhausted from pretending I was ok around my new classmates. It sucked. I didn’t tell anyone at school that I was struggling with depression. I started seeing a therapist and I liked her, but sometimes I just did not want to talk, so I stopped attending my sessions. I felt like my medicine wasn’t working anymore and my depression worsened as my period came around. I didn’t know how to help myself but what I did know how to do was function exceptionally well on autopilot. I had been doing it for years. I put a smile on for my students every day as a teacher. I got up and did my job, some days better than others. Law school was not different in that regard.
 
The truth is I actually enjoyed law school my first semester. But as the school year progressed and I experienced academic challenges that made me question my intelligence and abilities, my feelings started to change. Slap on depression and with it, a huge lack of motivation. Having 100 pages (literally) to read for class the next day which I couldn’t afford to postpone. Knowing that unlike teaching, no one was going to suffer if I gave into my lack of motivation. At least when I had my kids, I was working with and for other people. In law school I was only going to hurt myself, and that didn’t seem like such a bad thing. It wasn’t a crappy feeling a few hours of sleep couldn’t take away.
 
I wouldn’t say I was completely apathetic, but there was certainly a time at which I had a “you-gon-get-what-I-give-you” attitude towards my work. At one point, I showed up late for class often, truly just grateful to be there. I did some work fully, some partially, again, just proud that I did anything at all. Quite simply, it was hard to care about anything. There were times when I was motivated and many times when I was not. I would get so overwhelmed sometimes and think to myself “where can I go, for free, where I can just get away and not tell anyone? Maybe leave a note or something, so they will know I’m alive, but that’s it.” I never followed through, mostly out of fear of all the work I would come back to if I left.

By the grace of God, I have done well in law school. However, I attribute this to allowing myself to not be perfect. I put law school into context. Yes, law school matters, but I was not about to let it drag down my mental health. I was determined not to let any social or professional venture I embark on rob me of my sanity. I practiced grace. I am the type of woman who likes to have a plan all of the time. However, extending grace to myself taught me that I am not a machine, and if I fell asleep because I was tired, that was ok! I also accepted the grace that my family and friends extended to me. Lastly, I took things one day at a time and tried my best to put self care first. Sometimes it meant getting a manicure, other times it meant taking a break from reading to watch mindless television. These self care practices gave me the peace of mind that I craved, even if it was for a moment. This newfound peace allowed me to renew my focus, resulting in more consistency in my daily tasks.
 
Depression is still difficult. Every day is its own battle, and some days the battle is easier than others. As much as I wouldn’t mind not suffering with depression as I navigate law school, I am so grateful that I have managed to put one foot in front of the other and will be graduating in May. I have learned that knowing myself and listening to what I need in small moments goes a long way. I thank God that He has given me the faith to know with absolute certainty that things will get better; I am just trying to play my role in my healing.

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Fanta Freeman is a native of Sierra Leone, West Africa. She was born of her wonderful parents, Horatio and Isa Freeman, on June 11th, 1991. Fanta attended grade school in Nairobi, Kenya at the International School of Kenya (ISK). After graduating from ISK, Fanta attended Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. She double-majored in Communications and Studio Art, with a focus in photography and painting. She entered the Teach for America (TFA) corps in 2013 and finished her commitment to TFA in 2015. She decided to stay a third year to teach English to her wonderful students at Weldon Middle School. Currently, Fanta is attending law school at the Kline School of Law and will be working at Ballard Spahr, a corporate firm, after she graduates in May 2019. 

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