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Last summer, I wrote a book about the guiding principles
The book just came out on October 27, 2020!
You can order it at:
Do you really talk to little kids about
Black Lives Matter?
I sure do. Want to know more? Click below to watch me explain what I do in more detail.
What do kids say?
I asked my five- and six-year-old students, "What do you know about Black Lives Matter. Here's what they said:
Want more details? Check out the
Teachers Guide to What We Believe.
It's got instructions, answers to frequently asked questions, and a host of resources, including books you can use for read-alouds, grouped by principle.
Black Lives Matter :
more than police brutality?
So much more! I've been teaching both kindergarten classes in my New York City school about Black Lives Matter since 2017. The kids are thoughtful, curious, and engaged. The principles are woven into our Social Studies curriculum all year long, which focuses on community. There are gorgeous posters for each principle (which you can buy here), that we use as visual aids when we introduce each one, usually with the help of a read-aloud. The posters remain up on our walls all year, and the children often refer back to them in other conversations.
How did BLM at School start?
Great question! Here are some great articles by two organizations every educator should know about: Rethinking Schools and Teaching Tolerance. Definitely read them both (you can click on the pictures).
To sum up:
2016-17 (Fall) - Seattle
(Spring) -Philadelphia
2017-18 - goes national: New York City and over a dozen other cities join in
2019-20 - over 40 cities participate
A Week of Action?
And then some! The Thirteen Principles are woven into our Social Studies curriculum, all year long; this year, lots of other schools are also participating in the Year Of Purpose. During the Black Lives Matter in School Week of Action, we focus on the demands. We talk about our responsibility as community members of our larger society to work together for equity. Like many big ideas, the demands are simple when viewed from the point of view of a child. Of course, "kids need teachers to help them make a better choice another time." Of course, "kids should have some teachers who look like them and some teachers who don't; that way they know everybody could be a teacher." And so on and so forth.
How can I find out more?
So glad you asked! If you're in New York City, check out our website, and get involved!
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Not in NYC? No problem; this is a national movement! Here you go!
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