There is a moment, when you are telling a story or reading a book that you know your listeners are engaged. That magical moment when all fidgeting stops, the eyes are on you, and the kids are open to everything that you are sharing with them. I was reading The School is Not White by Doreen Rappaport and got that reaction.
Set in 1965, the Carter family decides to send their children to the white school. The night before school starts, shots are fired at their house. The family huddles together in fear, yet firm in their resolve to pursue a better education for the children. At school, the kids face derision, taunting and worse. They are shunned by both their fellow students and the teachers. And yet the Carter kids persevere, for they want a life beyond the cotton fields. Early in the book, Mama Carter listens to John F. Kennedy's speech on the availability of education for everyone. I used the exact clip of that speech, and rather than read it myself, had the students listen to the president speak. This lesson was powerful and compelling. Repeating the lesson for the lowest students in our school led to a lively discussion about race, and fairness, and kindness.
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