A Charge to Keep: Ms. Kimberley Worthy

Ms. Worthy, an educator for the past 12 years, has focused her career on being an advocate for educational excellence in schools within urban areas. She serves as a “Culturally Relevant Teacher” in the social studies and in English. Throughout her lecture to my freshman seminar class on Tuesday, she covered three key points: cultural relevance, the values of LEAP, and ubunto – humanity. Ms. Worthy discussed the importance of teaching the youth of today aspects of their culture that are relevant to today. She stated that the teaching of cultural relevance validates traditional cultures, promotes holistic learning, and places emphasis on a relationship with African roots. Cultural relevance, in total, empowers students politically, economically, and socially. Ms. Worthy in her lecture also focused on the values of her education program in South Africa, LEAP. She shared with us that her students in the LEAP program learn values such as be kind, confront issues, and be open to change. Those along with the other values of LEAP are aspects her students are educated by. They also contribute to the idea of ubunto, which means humanity. Humanity, or ubunto, focuses on one’s appreciation of man as well as the importance of man. It is a Zulu proverb that a person is a person through other persons and that we affirm our humanity when we acknowledge that of others. Ultimately, Ms. Worthy’s presentation highlighted that these three key points can add value and meaning to one’s education. It allows education to be expanded and broadens the definition of it.