I Have a Dream

 Last week I took the opportunity to focus on the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with my students. We started the week by reading about heroes in our Social Studies book. What makes someone a hero? A day after reading I asked my kids to recall things they remembered from the previous day’s reading. To my surprise, they remembered so much. “A hero is brave.” “A hero is honest.” “A hero is kind.” “A hero helps people.” And my personal favorite: “A hero NEVER GIVES UP!”

Their small little minds could hardly believe that white and black kids weren’t allowed to go to school together, or drink from the same water fountain. They said “So Ms. Thomson! You wouldn’t have been allowed to be our teacher because you’re white!”

We read lots of books about Dr. King. My favorite from the week was:

I told the kids that Dr. King made a very famous speech in front of thousands of people! 

 We talked about how Dr. King had a dream that people would be treated fairly and not judged by what they looked like. They LOVED the picture of Dr. King and that huge “tower” (aka the Washington Monument!)

My sweet mentor at school gave me a craft idea where the students make an “I Have a Dream” mobile. I told the kids that Dr. King saw that things weren’t fair in the world and that he spent his life fighting for people to be treated fairly. I asked them what their dream was for their community. I asked if there were things in their neighborhood that aren’t fair or that they wished would change. 

I couldn’t believe their responses (they are 6 and 7 years old.)

“My neighborhood isn’t safe. I wish it was safe.”

“There are people that shoot guns every night when I go to sleep.”

“A lot of people get raped around here.”

“I know people that do drugs. I know someone that puts drugs in needles and shoots it in their arms.”

“My daddy gets high upstairs and I can’t go up there.”

“I wish people didn’t get robbed.”

“I wish people didn’t smoke drugs.”

I held back the tears as they told me all the scary things that happen in their neighborhood. They were dreaming and wishing that those things didn’t happen.

Dr. King had a dream and so do I. I sat there listening to my kids and I was reminded about my dream. Sometimes it’s so hard to remember why I am doing what I do. I so easily get caught up in the little things like testing, planning and meetings… that I forget why I am teaching. Why this 22 year old white girl goes into a scary neighborhood and spends 40 hours a week with 15 1^st graders.

Thank you Dr. King for reminding me to be brave, honest and kind. To help people. And most importantly, to never give up.

Isaiah 61:1-4

¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,^{[a] 2} to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, ³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy
instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness,  a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.