|
|
|
|
 The Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall passes through downtown Wapakoneta Wednesday, September 1. Staff photo/William Laney By CARLA MEYER
Staff Writer
For 45 minutes, the roar of motorcycles could be heard passing under an American flag hanging from two ladder trucks. For 45 minutes, area residents gathered in the shadow of the Auglaize County Courthouse and Wapakoneta Fire Station waved and clapped as motorcyclists rode by.
The smiles and waves turned into clapping and cheers as the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall passed down Willipie Street on its way to Custenborder Field in Sidney where it was greeted by a field of American flags.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Keeping MLK's 'Dream' alive |
|
Wednesday, 27 January 2010 |
 Joey Beacom and Ava Caroll, second-grade students in Abi Kuck’s class, intently and respectfully watch a computer streaming presentation on American hero and leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during class last week at Centennial Elementary School. Photo provided By KRISTA HAYES
Staff Writer
With the passing of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day, two groups of Centennial Elementary School students received the opportunity to experience prejudice through lifestyle.
Students in Abby Truesdale’s second-grade class recently conducted a learning activity last week in celebration of the holiday. They discussed how blacks were not granted the same opportunities as whites in the past.
The students and their teacher visited and discussed how blacks were not permitted to ride or sit in the same bus seats, eat in the same restaurants, drink from the same water fountains, use the same restrooms, play on the same athletic teams and attend the same schools as whites.
“I started off my class lesson by introducing who Martin Luther King Jr. was and what he did that was so important and helped shape American history forever,” Truesdale said. “I then had students read an article about his life in the ‘Weekly Reader’ and afterwards we held an imitation, giving each student a chance to experience prejudice through lifestyle.”
From there, Truesdale divided her students into three separate groups according to their hair color. Those with blond hair, representing blacks, were kicked out of class and told to sit on the hallway floor with their noses against the heater where they received no privileges. Those with brown hair were then required to sit at their desk and complete work while receiving limited privileges, and those with black hair representing the high, over-privledged class, received all the free time and candy they could handle.
After remaining in their given status positions for approximately five minutes, students met with Truesdale to collaborate on how the exercise made them feel.
“Those students with blond hair all said they felt sad and disappointed, while those with brown hair felt angry after watching all the students with black hair get all the candy they wanted,” Truesdale said. “However, those students with black hair loved the separation and thought it was great.
“Overall, I definitely think the exercise got the point across to students that you shouldn’t judge people by the outside, but by the inside,” she said. “Prejudice is something that they will have to deal with every day of their life as they come across people very different from them, and I just hope and pray they will be better people who will not judge those by the color of their skin.”
While many Centennial students read stories or color pictures of King each year, students in Abi Kuck’s class took their learning one step further as they visited and talked about the civil rights movement.
The second-grade pupils and their teacher read an article about King in the latest edition of “Weekly Reader” and viewed a streaming video about the life of the American human rights leader on the computer, recognizing his contributions to the nation and its way of life.
Students spent 40 minutes completing a lesson regarding Martin Luther King Jr. which included reading an article about him in the ‘Weekly Reader’, watching a video about his life including bits of his speech and peacefully protesting, and constructing a necklace timeline of his life they finished as their morning work the following day Kuck said.
In completing these activities, Kuck said she felt the lesson left a positive image on her students.
“What’s funny is that kids think the civil rights movement happened over 100 years ago, when really it was only 50 years ago,” Kuck said. “Martin Luther King Jr. is great example of how history can change without violence, but with peace, and how one man’s legend can live forever.
“In learning about Martin Luther King Jr., the students really seemed to enjoy our discussion and class activities,” she said. “Kids grow up learning prejudice and I think the lesson helped set the example that even within a classroom or a school, change can occur without violence and bullying.”
Stressing the importance of teaching Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in today’s school systems was former Findlay High School educator and current state Rep. Cliff Hite, R-Findlay , representing eastern Auglaize County.
“As a former educator, my theory has always been that the more versatile the subject matter is taught and learned in class, the more students understand the versatility of our nation,” Hite said. “Although what is required to be taught in the classroom has changed over the years, I think it’s still vital that students learn about important people like Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement so they can see how the movement applies to present time in history, comparing and contrasting how it effects them today as American citizens.”
At Northridge Elementary School, students learned about King in Kay Dorner’s third-grade class by completing a unity activity.
“Students in the class cut out two hands coming together in unity, one black and one white, and wrote things they will do to help keep Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream alive today on each hand,” Northridge Elementary School Principal Mark Selvaggio said. While most third-graders were treated to a movie, timeline or read about King’s life, students in Amy Puthoff’s second-grade class held their own peaceful protest.
“Students held a protest in their classroom last week where they marched around the room with signs protesting against homework given by their teacher,” Selvaggio said. Students also took a paper plate, cut out the center and replaced the centerwith the face of MLK. The students then listed facts about King and his influence on American history along the outside edge of the plate.
“MLK was definitely one of the most influential men of our time, and we think it’s very important that our students learn about him and his contributions to American history,” Selvaggio said. “The lesson is just a great way to expose them to other people and other cultures outside their own.”
|
|
Last Updated ( Thursday, 28 January 2010 )
|
|
|
|
