1.10.2011

Why?

Today, after reading two books and two Scholastic News articles to our class about Martin Luther King, I asked the class if anyone had questions.

Audra raised her hand.

“Why?” She wondered.

“What do you mean?” I asked her.

“Why did people treat the African-Americans differently?” She posed.

And there you have it. The five-year-olds in our class couldn’t comprehend, on any level, why anyone would treat another person differently based on the color of their skin.

We’re going to spend the week learning how Dr. King changed our nation, but it’s kind of nice to know the next generation can’t even fathom how different attitudes were just forty years ago… I wonder how much views will change in the years to come.

14 comments:

Ginger Snaps said...

I always read, "Martin's Big Words" for MLK day. After we read the story, I ask them to think of two words that they thought of while reading to share with the class. I always get brave, mean, and unfair. I love this story! You should read it if you haven't yet!

Lisa said...

Today I read, "My Brother Martin".
I really like how it focuses on MLK growing up and what led him to become the civil rights leader he was.
A great read!

Kelly said...

Same thing happened in my class last week. The kids were like wait so... I'm confused, WHY would people have to have different shoes? Can't even grasp it. I love that :)

Unknown said...

And yet we must teach Why in order to stop it happening again.

Padee said...

Dear Audra,

I think there are many reasons why people are treated differently. They treated People differently because they had different skin colors.

mai said...

Dear Audra,

I think that things happened for reason. I think that people are they reason that Dr. king want a better life and world for people. But I think that your reason for why these reason come are from deep in yourself that you are gonna have to find.

Sunny said...

Hi Audra

I think you should just encourage yourself and belief in your self.I also think that you could think about the good things and don't think about the bad things.

jenee said...

Dear Audra, I think people acted like that back in the day because they were mean

Tou said...

Hi Little Audra,

I think your question was a good question! I guess there are many reasons or answers for your question. But for me I think people are treating me well. But sometimes they don't. But my answer for your question, I think that people just don't like those people that they treated that way. But hey, there will always be a person who will do that same thing to the person who treated you wrong.

brieanna,tsua,cyree said...

dear Audra,



we think every one gets treated differently because some people just don't accept the way people act or the color of their skin!!!!!!...

Enrico, Padra, Mary, Tersaen, Alex, Tyshawn, Mr. Yonah said...

Dear Audra,

I think there are many reasons why people are treated differently, they were treated different by their skins because some white people were bad.

dalila,qunshai,gina,andrea,mee,daishyia said...

hi audra the reason why the africans were treated like they were because they weren't consiterd as humans.people fought civil rights to change those things.

Jaleea,Yasmine,Jasmine,Brenda,Jimmy,Kou said...

Dear, Audra

There are many reasons why African Americans were treated differently. Because of the way they look was one of the reasons why. People were really mean around that time.

Cindy Marie Jenkins said...

Inspiring story!