"I Have a Dream..." Dress-up Day!

With all the winter holidays flying by, friends and parents sometimes forget the profound importance of remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. We began last week by reading simple biographies to learn about who Dr. King was, how he lived, and why he was important. We talked together about fairness and equality, and we talked about the dreams he had for a better future. Over the weekend, we asked our friends to think about their dreams, what they hope or wish, and what is important to them. We asked them to remember why they would not be at school on Monday and what life might be like without Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, we tied it all in for a special dress-up opportunity. For "I Have a Dream..."

Dress-up Day, friends were asked to use their imagination and show us whatever they dreamed of being or doing. And, our friends had some very interesting

dreams. We had a fairy princess, a pro hockey player, an

obstetrician, an astronaut, and even a lion roaming our classroom. Even our friends who did not dress up were eager to share their dreams of being space cowboys, train conductors, and dinosaurs.

Rather than tethering them to reality, we tried to draw these ideas out and give each friend a chance to share a passion or a goal with their friends. It gave some of our quieter friends a chance to speak out and some of our more rambunctious friends a chance to settle in and focus on a topic of interest.

With a tangible experience to relate to, they showed an increased interest and a deeper understanding of King's life and work. We used our dreams to tie the discussion back into King's speech and the dreams he had for the world. We considered together how much life has changed since his time, and how it will continue to change throughout the future.