Guest Post via @wmjackson: Call Me Mister, A National Educational Movement

Posted on by William Jackson


Call Me Mister, A National Educational Movement
by William Jackson, M.Edu.
Instructor with Edward Waters College
Volunteer with Call Me Mister at Edward Waters College

Call Me MISTER National Initiative Mission: “To increase the
pool of available teachers from a broader more diverse
background particular among the state’s lowest-performing
elementary schools.”

The Call Me MISTER program is contributing to the talent pool of
excellent teachers by identifying and supporting young men who
are literally positively influencing the future by teaching children.

The Call Me MISTER program at Edward Waters College is a
successful endeavor to guide young men that are interested in
education. They are provided financial assistance, mentoring, and
exposure through volunteering and other opportunities within school
districts across the nation.

There was once the feeling that young men were not interested in
becoming professional educators. That sentiment has been proven
wrong by the growing numbers of young men of all cultures being
involved in Call Me MISTER programs across the nation.

The shortage of Black, Hispanic, Latino, Haitian, and other cultures in
education has been a hot bed of discussion about how to get more
qualified and passionate men in education. Studies performed by the
National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers
(AFT), and even governmental studies are showing that there is a
disconnection with boys and young men across the educational spectrum
because of the lack of male educators. Students may matriculate from
elementary and middle school and not see one male except for the
custodian. This does not create a welcoming environment for boys who
may not have a male connection even at home or a positive connection
in their community.

Many churches provide mentoring and rites of passage programs, but
education is transformative in building value for the foundation of careers
not just sports and entertainment. There are many sources of data that
show sports programs do influence young men, but many youth, teens
and young adults are interested in the academic applications of school,
the Arts and even in STEAM/STEM. To motivate male students and keep
them on track, male educators are needed and have a positive influence
on female students as well in academic success and building positive
self-esteem.

The Call Me MISTER program at Edward Waters College has been
involved in many programs in Jacksonville, bringing attention to the
need for male teachers that are qualified and certified. Supported
by college President Nat Glover, Superintendent N. Vitti and Senator
Tony Hill and a community of others, the CMM young men are exposed
to mentors that are supportive and have a vested interest in the
investment of those that are in school and have a passion for educating
children in the schools.

Kenneth Francis, Call Me MISTER Program Manager, is an experienced
educator and former principal. His skills and qualifications helps to move
the program in a direction of success and transformative change in the
future lives of students that the Call Me MISTER students will be teaching.

According to the Department of Education, Black males only make-up
two-percent of the 4.8 million educators across the country. Less than
one-percent are elementary school teachers.
Edward Waters College is not the only higher educational institution involved,
this is a national program started at Clemson University and has expanded
too many HBCU’s nationally. There is even influence overseas where
experienced Call Me MISTER educators are recruited to inspire students of
culture and color that do not have or are short educators that are
knowledgeable and capable in educating children for positive and productive
careers in life.

Call Me Mister Programs
This is a short list of programs across the nation, there are more
across the nation successfully preparing males to enter into education.
Clemson University
http://www.clemson.edu/hehd/departments/education/centers/callmemister/
Edward Waters College
http://www.ewc.edu/index.php/academics/academic-programs/elementary-education/call-me-mister-program
Educational Requirements for Edward Waters Call Me MISTER
http://www.ewc.edu/index.php/academics/academic-programs/elementary-education/call-me-mister-program
Cheyney University
http://www.cheyney.edu/callmemister/
Coastal Carolina University
https://www.coastal.edu/admissions/callmemister.html
Longwood University
http://www.longwood.edu/callmemister/
College of Charleston
http://ehhp.cofc.edu/centers/mister/
South Carolina State University
http://www.scsu.edu/academicdepartments/departmentofeducation/callmemister.aspx
Winthrop University
http://www.winthrop.edu/coe/default.aspx?id=34343
University of South Carolina Beaufort
http://www.uscb.edu/academics/academic_departments/education/call_me_mister/index.html
Benedict College
http://www.benedict.edu/cms/?q=node/414
Midlands Technical School
http://www4.midlandstech.edu/mister/
Mississippi Learning Institute
http://www.jsums.edu/mli/mister/

Call Me MISTER by Roy Jones
https://www.bookdepository.com/Call-Me-Mister-Jr-Roy-Jones/9781599323398

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William Jackson, M.Ed. My Quest To Teach, MQTT sharing content to empower, encourage and inspire continued learning and applying learning for growth and development. ==================================== Church of Christ and Social Media based in Jacksonville, Florida and in collaboration with Let the Bible Speak TV based in Jos, Nigeria Sharing content to educate, enlighten and inspire the sharing of the gospel of Christ. Collaboration with the Facebook page Let the Bible Speak TV and how technology, Social Media and STREAM can be applied in ministry.