Week 18?

It's possible that I've lost track!!

Hello everyone!

For this week, leading up to MLK Day, I thought we would spend our week learning about him and his place in the Civil Rights Movement. To do this, we read books, some biographical with a factual delivery and some told as stories. It was important to me while teaching this, to embed it into the context of what the littles had been learning. We already spent a great deal talking about notable protests and strikes of the 1950s and 60s, focusing on the everyday people’s role in the movement. I want them to see great movements, such as these, and know that while Dr. King remains a beloved figure, it is the sanitation workers, laborers, teachers, and everyday people who made all of the changes we saw possible. What then was Dr. King’s role and why was he so important to the movement? This was a question I posed to them. After many discussions and reflection, we came to the conclusion that Dr. King’s gifts as an orator and continued advocacy for non-violence pushed the thinking of those who listened. His speeches, followed by his actions, inspired people to get involved in the fight for jobs, voting rights, and justice for Black people in America. Dr. King’s words were always met with action and he spoke with a conviction that could not be ignored. I shared the photos below to show that Dr. King was a multi-faceted person. To humanize a leader of his magnitude means our young learners can see themselves in the changemakers of history. The impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. remains in our current fight for Civil Rights and it is important that when we take Monday to honor him that we center our discussion and our service around what it was that he stood for, liberty and justice for those who hold marginalized identities.

During project time this week, students have been hard at work preparing their Community presentation. They each outlined their slides and scripted their videos! We are in the process of recording and putting it all together. In the meantime, please enjoy this short video:

Our lovely first and second graders ended the week with some fun in the snow. The entire class worked together to build a snow fort, each claiming their own role and responsibility in its making. Hearing them acknowledge everybody's inclusion and importance in their activity was a perfect way to head into a long weekend!

Have a beautiful weekend,

Tate