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It only takes one educator to make a world of difference in the life of a student, according to Principal Baruti Kafele, award-winning educator and best-selling author. 

Kafele returned, via Zoom on Thursday, Jan. 13, to the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) with inspiration to stay the course and look for ways to progress in reaching, motivating and educating students.

Kafele, who calls himself “America’s Principal” and an advocate for the potential of Black and Latino students, has worked with the CHS for more than eight years. In Kafele’s presentation, “Just One Educator Can Completely Alter the Trajectory of a Child,” he laid out a blueprint for the new year. 

Kafele noted the “exhaustion” expressed by numerous educators he has met with across the country. The COVID pandemic has added another layer of work and strain for teachers, and it has placed many students in a deficit. Therefore, in using a sporting analogy, Kafele said teachers must be ready to “train” and help their students achieve a winning season. 

“How do we pivot and maintain effectiveness but in a very different climate?” he asked. 

His answers were found in a four-point plan:

• Situation Analysis (Where am I now?)
• Goals (Where am I going?)
• Strategy (How will I get there?)
• Implementation (Walking in my plan) 

For the first three points in the Blueprint, Kafele asked CHS teachers to work through and answer three categories:

• Areas where I want to continue to grow (my wins)
• Areas where I need to improve (my deficiencies)
• Areas where I need to pivot (a shift) 

“What are things that have no real application to the times we are in now?” he queried. “There are a lot of exhausted people, because they are trying to do things that used to work prior to the pandemic. We are in a different time now, and you have to come up with new strategies.” 

For the implementation step, Kafele charged the educators to do self-reflection, self-assessment, self-adjustment and self-improvement. 

“Don’t treat this plan as a New Year’s resolution,” he warned. “This is a plan to be used daily. Stay the course.” 

“The amazing thing about Principal Kafele is that he gives us quick wins,” said CHS Director Gina Jeffries, EdD. “What he gives is culturally relevant, effective, researched based and student-centered. Our CHS team can start using these strategies immediately.”

The SIUE Charter High School is a school-of-choice for families in the East St. Louis School District 189. The mission of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School is to prepare students who are career- and college-ready upon graduation. To achieve this mission, the school and its staff will positively impact the educational and economic lives of East St. Louis, Illinois youth through individualized instruction in core academic subjects, exploration of career interests and aptitudes, assistance in realizing students’ talents, high academic goals, and expectations that graduates will become competitive employees for the 21st century.  

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Principal Baruti Kafele is an award-winning educator and best-selling author.