It's never easy teaching preschoolers the concept of who Dr. King was, or why we celebrate his life. They just have no concept of "different". Which is a good thing. We aren't born intolerant. We learn those things as we go along.
We read a story about MLK today and the children were shocked that little kids couldn't go into a restaurant or into a park because there were "White Only" signs. We talked about him working to help people understand how silly that was, and how much better it is now that everyone is "equal".
When I was done talking to the kids after the story I said something about children not even being able to go to the same schools, but that thanks to many people, including MLK we all can be together. Right in front of me sat two children. An African American little girl, and a Caucasian little boy, who happen to be good friends. They simultaneously yelled "Yeah!" and hugged each other. I get teary eyed writing that, and I had to move on quickly to the next thing at circle time, or I would have lost it.
Living here in northern Wisconsin I grew up not really knowing anyone of color. Now I have a multi-racial family, and have had dozens of beautiful children of color in my classes over the years. I feel so far removed from anything "racial" because acceptance (of any kind) isn't an issue for me. People are people, and that's the way it should be. I was raised that way.
So if MLK looked down on preschool today I think he would be proud. Not that we honor him, but that his work made, and is still making, a difference. You have to be taught to be racist, you aren't born that way. :) It's nice to see that as generations come and go, things, they are a changin'.
We read a story about MLK today and the children were shocked that little kids couldn't go into a restaurant or into a park because there were "White Only" signs. We talked about him working to help people understand how silly that was, and how much better it is now that everyone is "equal".
When I was done talking to the kids after the story I said something about children not even being able to go to the same schools, but that thanks to many people, including MLK we all can be together. Right in front of me sat two children. An African American little girl, and a Caucasian little boy, who happen to be good friends. They simultaneously yelled "Yeah!" and hugged each other. I get teary eyed writing that, and I had to move on quickly to the next thing at circle time, or I would have lost it.
Living here in northern Wisconsin I grew up not really knowing anyone of color. Now I have a multi-racial family, and have had dozens of beautiful children of color in my classes over the years. I feel so far removed from anything "racial" because acceptance (of any kind) isn't an issue for me. People are people, and that's the way it should be. I was raised that way.
So if MLK looked down on preschool today I think he would be proud. Not that we honor him, but that his work made, and is still making, a difference. You have to be taught to be racist, you aren't born that way. :) It's nice to see that as generations come and go, things, they are a changin'.
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