By Rebecca Honig, Director of Content & Curriculum
This weekend I had an opportunity to listen in to a mixed age conversation about dreams. It was a group of PreK-2nd graders. Under normal circumstances they’d be meeting in person to do projects, play together, learn together. This year, like so many things, they come together over Zoom.
Two weekends ago they had gathered to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a day of service. This weekend, to build on what they’d learned, they were reading and discussing his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
The teacher began by reading a short excerpt from this celebrated speech. The children nodded knowingly. One whispered, “Hey I know this.” Another, “This is really famous.”
When she finished, she let the children sit for a moment in silence. Then she asked them to get a pencil and paper. “Now…” she explained, “I’d like all you to write or draw a dream that you have.” The children raced off screen to grab their supplies and ten minutes of drawing and writing ensued.
Dreams Big and Small
When it came time to return to the screen, she summoned them back with an invitation. “Okay everyone time to share our dreams.” As in many mixed grade learning environments, the youngest students were invited to go first.
“Do I have any Pre-k students or Kindergarteners who’d like to share?” The teacher asked. Three hands shot up.
“I have a dream that I will have ice cream right now.” Said the first as she held up a drawing of a cone overflowing with strawberry ice cream. The next child contributed, “I have a dream that I will get a wand and there will be more wizards.” The third added, “I have a dream that unicorns will be real.”
“Okay” the teacher added with a bit of hesitation. “Let’s move on to the first graders.”
A single hand raised. “Yes?” she said calling on a boy who was excitedly waving his paper in anticipation of his moment to share. “I have a dream for my family. Because I love them.” “Yes…” she said expectantly, assuming this was just his opening line, and that specifics of the dream would follow. “Yup.” The boy added. “That’s all.”
“Well, I guess that means it’s time for the second graders.” She transitioned. Four children readied themselves to share.
“I have a dream that we will end poverty” the first child read aloud. The next contributed, “I have a dream that we will all get better at helping each other.” This was followed by a child who shared “I have a dream that someday all people everywhere will be safe.” And the final second grader added, “I have a dream that lots of people of all colors will get to be in charge, and that everyone will listen.”
A rich discussion followed this presentation of dreams, but I did not hear it. I was too busy, racing to find my own pencil and paper. As an educator, family engagement specialist and someone who’s work is rooted in child development, I HAD to reflect on what I had just heard.
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