News from The ARKGROUP - August, 2011

Children's Center for Self-esteem (The ARKGROUP)

News from The ARKGroup

(Adults Relating to Kids)

August's ARK N' ACTION

Coming to you from:

Lonestar College, University Park

Houston, Texas 77070

We're Glad you've chosen to read and share your ideas with us.

Summer News from ARK

August 2011

Welcome to everyone and especially to all of you who are beginning this last month of summer with special plans for family, neighbors, friends, and colleagues. This summer season has brought many unusual weather events, some interesting political discussions and a lot of wonderful articles on the "state" of education conditions and progress. Glenn, Jan, Omega, Peggy and Quintina are excited about the approach of school and our hopes and dreams are with you as you take all those you love into your care these final days of summer.

Check Out The ARKGroup website for information and materials

Thanks

to all who found room in their businesses this summer to place High School kids and College students in jobs where they could experience the opportunity for employment with all the lessons of being responsible for doing tasks "well done".. And to you Mom, Dads and dear Teachers and to our neighbors too who have participated in growing those traits which contribute to persons with character, citizenship and creating an expectation of productive society.

Jim Leach in a presentation to the Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, New York, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. "Whatever our backgrounds, in politics as in family, vigilance must be maintained to ensure that everyone understands each other." He believes rightly that "argumentation is a social good", that it prevents tyranny and keeps us away from dogmatism.

"Putting ourselves in the shoes of others. Acting as we would if we were still members of extended families and having to be tolerant and patient and to compromise on a daily basis.

Our education systems put an emphasis on self-fulfilment and self-achievement, on students as consumers.

Our economic systems promotes being and acting in whatever ways our money can buy.

And where are we on kindness? Naomi Shihab Nye writes in her poem "kindness," to be kind, "you must lose things." You must notice those who are suffering and "see how this could be you." You must feel loss, know sorrow. "catch the thread of all sorrow until you see the size of the cloth. Then it will only be kindness"that makes sense anymore."

Recognizing you in me and me in you would be a first step toward making mutual plans for a better future, toward moving forward in mutual respect. A first step toward bringing decency and humanty back into our public actions.

Tom Palaima -Professor of Classics at The University of Texas

Our Partner in the Spotlight

Westmoreland Heights Neighborhood Association in West Dallas

"Kids, G-kids, and Great G-Kids"

Westmoreland Heights empowers senior citizens, adults and youth to become better Christians and make good choices with their lives. The mission is to promote the implementation of community activities, planning and development, public safety, education, health and nutrition and a better quality of life. Ms. Pat Steven, President, is known to all as "Ms. Pat".

Jan and Omega have had a wonderful experience working as ARK facilitators at Westmoreland Heights Neighborhood Association this summer. The ARK group participants consisted of one young lady, grandparents, and great-grand parents ranging from ages 20-93. The extent of parental experiences, problems, concerns and successes was monumental!

We all learned about the great amount of time that grandparents and great-grand parents continue to invest, not only in their children, but in the lives of the very young to teenage G-kids (grandkids) and great-G-kids (great-grandkids). The stories and parental advice were endless and shared with much retrospect and humor.

Some of the ladies remarked that they would have disciplined their children differently, if they had had more insight learned from the ARK faith-based lessons; but were willing to make the effort to still develop better relationships with the G-kids and great G-kids now. We all agreed that it was never too late.

The discussions following the ARK faith-based lessons were received favorably, and the participants commented on their relevance for themselves in dealing with the younger generations. So, whereas, it is often wise to begin with the young moms and dads, we now understand that it is just as relevant from the perspective of a grand- and great-grand parent.

Jan and Omega are grateful to have had such an enjoyable time with the ladies at Westmoreland Heights and thank Ms. Pat for having the desire and insight to invite ARK to become part of the Westmoreland Height's family. The ARK for Parents Program will be more than happy to return and help meet the needs of any generation of parents.

Check out these videos on The ARKGroup

In 1800 less than 4% of the U.S. population was urban

in 2011 greater than 80% of U.S. population was urban

In 2006 greater than 50% of the world was urban

In 2050 greater than 75% of the world will be urban.

The time is now for you to become a member of a small group network, and ARK for Teachers and or an ARK for Parents group.

Cities are the result of our interaction. The most imprtant network of cities is YOU.

Just Musing - Must We Assume Behaviors are Impossible to Modify?

My thanks to Professor Robert Sapolski , Standford University for his work on "Biology and Human Behavior, The Neurological Origins of Individuality".

For the better part of the 20th century, most recognized scientific research was based on technology and studies that gave a larger part of the credit for human behavior to DNA over the environment. Thanks to the development of brain imaging and research, first with primates and in the late 1990's with humans, we have emerged with dramatic new views from our prior understandings.

Certainly DNA, and the whole impact of hormones, endocrinology, cellular and synaptic development have an affect on human behavior tendencies. However, our most current research findings consistently show the environment in which we live directs our practices of living. Specifically, children who have relationships of care and nurture are themselves caring and nurturing individuals. Likewise, children who experience violence and a lack of love are themselves violent and not capable of caring for others. The implications of non-social behaviors determine ones ability to be successful in school, work, family and in the world of communities.

I know you and I have known this for some time, certainly as we emerged from Adolescent to Odessey to Adulthood. The ARK programs and processes have been built on this principles from inception.

This has enormous implications for the way we live and are intentional in the lives of our families and our neighborhoods with adults and children. The ARKGroup small group process and programs has the potential in you to change the world with your impact in helping our children and neighbors to experience their lives, as they form beliefs and practice living lives of what is good, beautiful and true.

I issue a challenge to you to have high expectations for your children and students. The practice of expectations in an environment of care and nurture affects our daily decisions in the classroom, home, church, shopping centers and on the street. Adults relationships are the key to our young people future.

Just Musing,

Bill

Check Dr. Robert Brooks for excellent articles on the Resilient Child

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