Celebrate Martin Luther King’s Holiday by Promoting Peaceful Solutions

Many schools and families celebrate the Martin Luther King Holiday by participating in community service activities to promote peaceful solutions. Our blogging team created a reflective writing activity for students at a local school. After reading an article about Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on nonviolent social change for freedom, students completed the following questions:

List 5 dreams you have for a more equitable and peaceful life in your classroom or at home. Draw a picture of 1 dream.

1. _________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________________________________

When reflecting on this activity, students shared that they felt excited about resolving conflicts at school by learning how to set boundaries for acceptable and not acceptable behaviors. For example, they could talk with the yard duty supervisor when a student violated their defined boundaries. A major challenge for most students is learning how to speak up when another child says mean or ugly statements. When students are insulted, they can learn how to tell another child to stop the behavior and then play with those who are caring and kind.

Parents can reinforce this activity by completing it at home. You and your children can brainstorm how you will care for each other when one of your children is rude or disrespectful. Some children are encouraged to take a time-out to reflect on their feelings and then talk with the offending sibling. You can also help your children learn how to talk with each other about their frustrations when experiencing mean and ugly behaviors from each other.

May you and your children have much success in honoring each other with nonviolent negotiated boundaries for personal growth.

Warm regards,

Mary Ann

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