Black History provides our students with wonderful models of people who persevered in some of the most difficult situations. At LCCC we believe that teaching Black History to our students will open their worlds and their hearts.
There are many heroes in Black History who may have experienced our world as unjust and unfair, but they did not let that define them. Instead they moved forward, broke barriers and achieved their goals against the odds!
1. TO TEACH PERSEVERANCE
Perseverance is such a critical character trait to have at school and in life.
We don’t want our children to give up when faced with failure or obstacles.
We want our children to get back up and try again when they don’t succeed. EXAMPLE : Harriet Tubman can travel 90 miles in the dark, primarily by foot, guided by the North Star to freedom, then go back and do it again and again to save her loved ones, children can learn to not give up on virtually anything they put their minds to.
2. TO TEACH COURAGE
Young children are oftentimes fearful of many things. Courage helps children learn to hold their head high and face the unknown. It helps them to bravely approach situations where they might be nervous or fearful.
EXAMPLE: Ruby Bridges - six-year-old Ruby can walk past a mob of angry protesters who yelled and threw things at her day after day because she was determined to get the education that she deserved; then children today can certainly face their fears.
3. TO TEACH PEACEFUL PROBLEM SOLVING
Life is full of problem solving opportunities, big and small. It’s critical that children learn to solve problems; but it’s also important for them to learn peaceful ways to do so.
EXAMPLE: Martin Luther King Jr. epitomized peaceful problem solving.
His persistence to make substantial changes in an unjust world at that time. Many people were intrigued, shocked, and disappointed when they learned how differently people were treated solely by the color of their skin.
4. TO NURTURE LIFELONG LEARNING
Of course, we want our students to become lifelong learners. We hope that as they progress through the years they grow into adults who continue to wonder, explore, investigate, and learn. We realize that learning is so much more than going to school.
EXAMPLE: George Washington Carver, scientist and inventor, was a lifelong seeker of knowledge who never passed up an opportunity to learn and grow. He was especially interested in plants and became a botanist who invented hundreds of products using peanuts, sweet potatoes and soybeans.
