Surely, God did not allow African Americans to experience oppression for over four hundred years just for us to dwell in an exclusive neighborhood, acquire material possessions, attain middle class status, or be a famous black first. African Americans are not in America to imitate our white brothers and sisters. Our situation is unique. We are insiders and outsiders, Americans and of African descent, free and unfree. We are a split people seeking wholeness. By bringing new insights into the life of African Americans, Rev. Phillips uses a number of case studies of his former high school students to reveal the severity of the split in the life of the students and their community at large. He contends that if we do not attain true wholeness, our unresolved conflicts would harm us psychologically and spiritually, which in turn could detrimentally affect us socially, politically and economically. Many have already become hopeless and mentally challenged. Our educational and social problems are troublesome. Despite our progress in America, many are still experiencing a meaningless life and are seeking answers. How can one attain wholeness in a materialistic and black phobic world? Rev. Phillips takes us on an engaging journey to discover the answer.

Teaching the World to Shell Peas

God's Covenant with Soul PeopleBy R. L. Phillips

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Rev. R. L. Phillips
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4685-6613-0

Contents

Acknowledgements.......................................................................................viiIntroduction...........................................................................................ixPart 1: The Symptoms and the Analysis of the Dual Existence of Soul People.............................1Chapter 1: Case Study: Abstract Language...............................................................5Chapter 2: Abstract Language vs. Experiential Language.................................................11Chapter 3: Case Study: Individualism...................................................................17Chapter 4: Individualism vs. Collectivism..............................................................20Chapter 5: Case Studies: Objective Existence...........................................................28Chapter 6: The Subjective Existence vs. Objective Existence............................................35Chapter 7: Case Studies: Fatalism: "What Will Happen, Will Happen".....................................50Chapter 8: Freedom or Self-Responsibility vs. Fatalism.................................................57Chapter 9: Psychological Effects of the Two Worlds.....................................................62Chapter 10: Case Studies: Victim's Morality............................................................65Chapter 11: Objectifier's Morality vs. Victim's Morality...............................................68Part 2: The Root of the Dual Existence of Soul People..................................................81Chapter 12: The Root of the Symptoms...................................................................83Chapter 13: The Psychology of Internal Conflicts.......................................................93Part 3: The Unfolding of Purpose in the History of Soul People.........................................99Chapter 14: The Four Major Periods of Black History....................................................101Chapter 15: Prophetic Voices of Black History: Douglass to Du Bois.....................................113Chapter 16: Prophetic Voices of Black History: Ellison to Morrison.....................................127Chapter 17: Howard University: Spiritual Immersion and Black Theology..................................140Part 4: The Actualization of Purpose in Soul History...................................................149Chapter 18: An Impassioned People with a Purpose.......................................................151Chapter 19: An Impassioned People Teaching the World to Shell Peas.....................................167Chapter 20: An Impassioned People with a Purpose to Overcome Their Split Existence.....................185Chapter 21: Impassioning a People to Pursue Their Purpose..............................................194Chapter 22: What Our Name Got to Do with It?...........................................................202

Chapter One

Case Study: Abstract Language

Case Study #1

In my first year as an educator, I was baffled at the number of students who had problems applying abstract formulas to solve math problems. In my 10th grade Geometry class, the students were instructed how to apply formulas to find the volume, area, and perimeter of various geometric figures. Most students, especially the males, in my class had serious problems applying the formulas.

Demetrius had the lowest average in class and he frequently would give up trying to solve his problems. When I would ask for the volume, he would give me the surface area and vice versa. If he were asked to solve for the area, he would frequently give me the perimeter of the figure, and if I wanted him to solve for the perimeter, he would give me the area. I would tell Demetrius to refer to the formulas that I had given him, but he had difficulties in selecting the appropriate formula. I would say to Demetrius, "Demetrius, in the formulas, V=L · W · H, and SA= 2 · L + 2 · W+2 · H; V stands for volume, the symbol "·" denotes multiplication, and SA stands for surface area. When I ask for the volume, Demetrius, use the formula with the V and if I ask for the surface area use the formula with the SA." Regardless of my clarification, Demetrius would continue to apply the formulas incorrectly. Some females loudly called him dumb. Nearly all the females were doing very well in my class. All my "A" students were females. I sympathized with the male students who were struggling as Demetrius was struggling in my class.

In search for a solution to their problems, I decided to use the "hands on" method to explain the concepts. I brought boxes, cans, sheets of paper, rulers, tape measures, etc. to class and had the students find the volume and surface area of the boxes, perimeter and area of various objects, etc. To my amazement, the male students who were previously failing were tutoring the students with an "A" average. The "A" students, for the most part, had difficulties in applying the formulas to concrete problems. I was excited in seeing Demetrius, who the females called dumb, assisting the females. He taught them how to use the ruler, how to measure various figures and apply the formulas. Demetrius never call the females dumb; mainly, because he attained gratification in assisting them. How could there be a complete reversal in understanding of the concepts?

Most females were perplexed by the concept of measurement, such as length, width, and height of the concrete boxes and the concrete application of the formulas. I noticed the previously failing male students needed concrete experiences of the subject matter in order to comprehend the meaning of the concepts. The females with "A's" knew how to perform well on the concepts of geometry on my exams but did not do as well in relating the concepts to the real world. If the "A" students had really understood the abstract formulas, they should have been capable of applying them to the real world. When I gave examples on how to find the volume or the surface area of a geometric figure, the "A" students were able to follow the procedures but to a large extent had no clue what the concepts meant or how to apply them to the real world. Nevertheless, they were able to score high on exams. Demetrius, as most of the males, on the other hand, was unable to follow the abstract procedures of the teacher; but once he was exposed to the concrete application of the concepts, he was better able to apprehend the subject matter. Demetrius conceived of the concepts of volume, area and perimeter as mere abstractions, which had no real meaning to him. Teachers have to be aware of the distinct learning styles of students.

Case Study #2

It pains me to see students struggling to solve very simple math problems. Many of these types of problems involve practical matters that students encounter in their everyday life. For example, I would ask the students to find the sales price of a product when sold at a discount. Their answers would frequently be greater than the original price. I would ask them how the sale price could be greater than the original price if one is buying a product at a discount. Nevertheless, many will continue to add the amount of discount to the original price instead of subtracting from it. The problem was not that they performed the incorrect arithmetic operation per se; on the contrary, the...