Honoring Dr. King
1/13/2018
Happy new year! Our first week back from a lovely holiday break was short but busy! Our language arts and social studies times throughout the week were dedicated to preparations for the Martin Luther King Jr. assembly that will take place this Monday morning. We actually began discussing equity and Dr. King's dreams several weeks ago, reading some of his words, brainstorming ideas, and listening to the voices of people who have faced inequities in their lives. Students talked with family members and friends who've had firsthand experiences with prejudice and inequity: as black Americans in the South during the Civi Rights movement, here in Alaska as Alaska Natives, and as Japanese Americans in Japanese internment camps during WW2. We also read about inequities and challenges faced today, such as in Saudi Arabia, where women just recently gained the right to drive but still stand in separate lines at fast food restaurants. We pondered the controversy of NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem. We read an excerpt from King's Strive Toward Freedom about the Montgomery bus boycotts and King's 6 Principles of Nonviolence and vision of a "Beloved Community." And throughout this process, students reflected on all they heard and read and its application in our lives today. Throughout their work, the driving goal was to synthesize all they learned to create a presentation for an assembly that would be appropriate for a wide ranging audience and that would properly honor Dr. King. As I reflect on this project and the process our class went through, I was constantly reminded that learning is messy, and the process of teaching students to be independent learners and thinkers is challenging. Though I, as the teacher, had many ideas for the assembly and was anxious to move the work forward, it was important that the ideas came from the students themselves. We had multiple planning sessions that lead us to dead ends, and as this week arrived, they really still had no solid plan. Yet they continued to work, and by the end of the day on Monday, a plan began to form. With a deadline looming, the class went into action, forming teams to work on the various parts, creating props, writing scripts, negotiating roles, and debating pros and cons of various approaches. The class feels good about the resulting plan and they've moved into the weekend with the goal of practicing their lines and being prepared to put their best foot forward on Monday morning. Most importantly, this presentation came from them - it was not dictated by an adult or found in a textbook. It came from their minds, their hearts, and their imaginations. It focused on the things that were most meaningful to them. It was messy and challenging, but in the end that is how our students take steps toward independence as learners. We hope you join the students of PNA on Monday morning as they celebrate Dr. King's vision of nonviolence and love. Comments are closed.
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Sarah Mariner
Ms. Mariner earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Science from Colorado State University, and was awarded a teaching certificate through the University of Alaska, Southeast. Her varied background includes being an environmental education field instructor in Massachusetts, Colorado, and Baja, Mexico. She also served two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Archives
April 2021
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