Yesterday we began a unit on famous people in American history. I plan on discussing George Washington, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, Abraham Lincoln, and Susan B. Anthony. This is the first year that I have African American students in my class (one boy and one girl). I am worried about discussing slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. I don't want other children to treat them differently. Last year I had a student make a list of kids who she wouldn't have been able to be friends with if it wasn't for Martin Luther king Jr. I had a few students with a darker complexion, and she wrote their names down. I want to avoid things like this from happening! I don't want students to look at my African American students differently, but I don't know how to avoid this. Help!
You just may find your class conversations are richer and more meaningful because those student's are in your class... Yesterday my class spontaneously compared skin tones during our MLK. conversation... My fading summer tan, a child of Indian descent, a Korean child, and a biracial child compared arms...we all had amazingly similar skin tones...it was shocking to my third graders that anyone would exclude someone based on skin color. Sometimes kids can almost make you weep over their good, loving hearts.
I did Martin Luther King Jr. units every year when I taught 3rd grade. I worried about my African American students too. At the end of the year when they wrote things they liked about the class, I found that many of the African American students put down that learning about Martin Luther King Jr. was one of their favorite things that we learned that year. This was true of the other ethnic groups as well. He is someone who connects children together...I can't completely explain it.
I agree 100%. My students don't seem to think in terms of color/race, so it's hard for me to want to even present the issue to them.
YES, that's exactly how I feel! I think it is important for them to know the history, but I honestly don't think they even see differences in skin color. I am planning on teaching the concepts just like I have in the past. I hope their reactions will be appropriate.
Perhaps you could focus your discussions around the overall theme of "Equality" and how MLK Jr. promoted that value. The actual issue of race could be the beginning point, but who knows where your kids will take you?
I have an activity I do each year with my kiddos: I present 2 eggs - one white, one "yard" (brown). We examine them and describe their differences. Then I break both eggs into the same bowl, and the students are amazed that they can't tell the insides apart! My class consists entirely of African American students. I am of Native American and Caucasian descent. I explain to my kiddos that first, (except perhaps albinos) no one is truly white. I let them know that my ancestors were also mistreated, killed, run off their land, and sometimes enslaved (Native Americans). We talk about how we all bleed the same when we are hurt, and we all need to eat and drink nutritious stuff to stay healthy. In truth, my Social Studies plan for the entire month of January is about Martin Luther King, Jr., and it leads perfectly into Black History Month (February), and the mini-biographies my kiddos do of famous black Americans.
I think it's really important for kids to have an understanding of the past. It may be uncomfortable, but they need to realize that things were different. I always like to read about Ruby Bridges at the beginning of the school year. It's pretty powerful when the kids realize that they wouldn't be going to school together if not for people like her. I always get a little misty-eyed as I look around the room and think about which kids would be at a different school. It always opens up some great discussions. Another lesson I like to do actually came from A to Z several years ago. Here's the link: http://lessons.atozteacherstuff.com/424/being-treated-equally/. Basically, you give out treats to half the class for an arbitrary trait suchas gender or hair color, then, without explanation begin to read a book aboutMLK. You'd be amazed at the level of discussion this lesson brings about. Of course, I always give the other group a treat at the end. I'm sure you've already taught about MLK by now judging by the date, and I hope it went well. Maybe this will give you or others some thoughts for next year.
