I remember when I showed my students a presentation about Martin Luther King Jr. They were all paying attention because I told them I would tell them the story in the form of a tale about a very special person, for me and the world. The truth is that my students had already heard about MLK.
Suddenly, Christian, one of those kids who always questions everything, looked at me with a face that said “Here we go again,” and I couldn’t help but smile because I knew he would say something authentic… something “out of the box.”
Christian is the kind of kid who, when he comments, makes you laugh but also leaves you thinking. He’s the type of kid who is always looking for a solution, who raises his hand to give interesting ideas, and who can find a solution for everything, to turn things around. Sometimes, what he says is so sincere and authentic that it surprises you.
That day was no exception. After hearing about the famous “I Have a Dream,” Christian raised his hand and said, “That guy again.”
“Why don’t you like him, Christian? Do you know a lot about MLK?” I asked him.
“No, teacher, it’s just that I’ve been hearing the same thing for three years, that he had a dream. But really, he doesn’t say anything else that I remember, and I’m bored of that famous ‘I have a dream.’”
“Aren’t there other interesting people in the world? It’s the same every year. The dream, that the wise guy believes it, and we all only know one thing: that the guy had a dream… or was sleepy,” and he made everyone laugh.
That’s how the joke started that MLK didn’t have a dream, but was sleepy… you know, Christian turns everything around.
I paused for a moment, but I asked him to tell me what he would like to know about MLK, something different from his speech. Christian thought for a moment and said, “Honestly, not much. I’m more interested in other people who are alive, let the dead rest in peace.”
I couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Chris, think about it, MLK was an idol in his time, and you know he still is! That’s why he’s so powerful: whoever dies and stays alive in the memory of millions of people deserves to be remembered, don’t you think?”
Chris paused and said, “Well, teacher, if we have to learn something about this guy, let’s talk about him, what he ate, what he did on Sundays… No one ever talks about that.”
At that moment, I understood something important. Sometimes, students need to see those historical figures as real people, not just as characters in a history book. Kids want to feel connected and excited by real, tangible, and achievable events. All those glorious and popular moments of figures like Martin Luther King Jr. can be impactful, but what really connects kids to these people are the more human and everyday details.
So, here are some tips that can help you teach beyond the typical historical facts and make students value history and learn from it, making it feel closer and more valuable.
Tips to make leaders feel closer to kids:
- Humanize the heroes: Talk about what they did in their day-to-day lives, how they relaxed, what they ate, or how they spent time with their families.
- Make them feel connected: Instead of just focusing on speeches or achievements, tell them how those leaders also had doubts, fears, and difficulties.
- Connect with their interests: Ask your students what they would like to know about historical figures. Sometimes, kids want to know more about what they did in their free time or how they relaxed, which makes them seem more approachable.
- Use storytelling: (the most powerful tool of all) When telling a story, connect the lessons from these leaders with moments from the students’ lives. Relate their dreams and interests to those of the children. We all have dreams, but what’s important is how we fight to make them come true.
I also realized that my students weren’t prepared to fully understand the meaning of the “I Have a Dream” speech, so I gave them an idea of what he was trying to convey. After convincing them, we listened to it.
Christian said to me, “Well, honestly, Mr. King did want to do good things, but they’ve done a lot of advertising for him, you know, teacher, that marketing thing is really powerful.” You know, it’s inevitable not to laugh at these comments.
Teaching about figures like Martin Luther King Jr. isn’t just about telling their story. It’s about making students see those heroes as real people, just like themselves, so they can learn that, although they are great, they all have a story behind them full of moments of growth, sacrifice, and humanity.
What impacted me the most that day was what Christian said: “Now that I think about it, I want to understand a few more things about his life.” And that’s what we should aim for: awakening the genuine curiosity and interest in children about those who made a difference.
If you want to work with your students on the topic of MLK Jr., don’t hesitate to check out these resources.
-Martin Luther King, Jr. PPT: Childhood, Civil Rights & Non-Violence Questions
-Martin Luther King Jr. Activity, MLK Worksheets, Pennant and Medal
I assure you that your students will understand and connect with this historical figure more than ever.
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