Today we read books and talked in length about who Martin Luther King,
Jr. was. We talked about equality and his dream and compared what it
was like for a child 40 years ago to how we are treated today. The kids
noticed how different it is today and we thanked MLK for standing up
for his rights and making the world a better place through peaceful problem solving. Students made many connections with MLK, Jr. and noticed how he too showed many of the same behaviors we talk about. One child reported, "he showed that C.A.R.E.S - you know, the A one." In further questioning her, she shared with the class, "MLK, Jr. showed assertion when he told everybody to be nice and treat people fairly." In response, another child shared, "He also showed empathy - he went out of his way to be kind to other people who others weren't being kind to." The conversation and thoughtful responses continued throughout the morning. I was impressed with all that the children shared and reflected on about making peace in our world. Tomorrow, we'll hear bits and pieces of the actual speech in a beautifully illustrated book by Kadir Nelson.
