Last week, I showed all my sixth graders Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. We discussed its historical context and the impact it had on the Civil Rights Movement in this country. I gave them the assignment to write their own “Dream Statements”, a few of which were chosen to be read at our awards ceremony for last quarter. Some of the kids wrote deep and moving pieces about domestic tranquility and global change. Some of them wrote the following, which are profound in their own way. [Vocabulary words are in all-caps. I didn’t tell them to include them, but I’m glad they did. Though I need to review a little bit with Tobias.]
Cayla: I have a dream for the world to meet people not judge a color by it’s book.
Bongani: I wish I could meet Obama not with his bodyguard like I really want to touch with the bodyguard touch me or stuff. [My family] will like nobody to get sick no more. We will except for me no more baby.
Hillary: …without bullys and fighting i wouldn’t be all shy. This would allow more HARMONIOUS work to happen! It would make me ECSTATIC!
Callie: As a country we need to decrease our death average. I don’t necessarily want everyone to have peace with each other because of course we’d all collapse but at least of whos life your taking away, or who your harming. Think about all the pros and cons, or just dont do it.
Layla: My biggest dream is there to be less crazy people, and what I mean by that is teens and school shootings, parents hanging and raping and droping babys off of briges.
Gabby: I do not be jugged by my hair.
Brandon: …in my dream, everybody puts a weapon into a spaceship and it goes toward the sun, and it just disintegrates because it gets so hot.
Nelson: Since I started 6 grade I want to be somewhere around Americas crime rates. Just something that will help the nation incredibly…I want them to decrease not increase. Less people are getting kilt, less drugs sneaked around in our nation.
Siarra: I dream too, that my New born nethew is going to grow up healthy, safe, and Atheletic.
Jay: I will have enoght money to buy a ferreri. but befor that happens I half to go to a good collidg.
Kalim: When I grow up I want to be a good Basketball player because you can Learn a Lot from Like Hit three Point, Layup and Free thorw I aslo want to Past collge so I can g a Degree
Tobias: I have a dream that I am very successful in life. Three of those things are get into a good college and be SCHOLAR[L]Y. Also [for my family to] follow there dreams and be successful and have a AMIABLE life.
Jeremiah: I Have a other dream that people [don’t] call me mexican when Im not…I want my family to stop getting in my bisness my love bisness too.