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Lessons from Room 106

Each January, in Room 106, my students and I read and discuss Freedom Walkers together. This book is the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. We discuss in depth many topics: Civil Rights movement, Jim Crowe laws, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., sundown towns, segregation, and integration. We also listen to Martin Luther King’s speech.

Halfway through our reading, I always ask them to respond to two questions in their journals:
1. How can people work together to bring about change?
2. What is your dream?

On Friday, I read the journal responses of my 125 students.
Once again, I was reminded how much I learn from my students in Room 106.
Once again, I was reminded how fortunate I am to be a 6th-grade teacher.

Here are their responses:
1. When people work together, we can:
  •           Create kindness
  •           Improve our health
  •           Improve our environment
  •           Treat one another with respect
  •           Help others
  •           Look past skin color
  •           Improve our world
  •           Listen to each other
  •           Learn to be more patient
  •           End arrogant attitudes
  •           End violence
  •           Develop trust with each other
  •           Shine our lights on the darkness in the world
  •           Promote happiness
  •           Forgive each other
  •           Spend time together
  •           Speak truth to each other
  •           Notice each other
  •           Care about each other
  •           Become more efficient
  •           Make better choices
  •           Think before we speak
  •           Become more mature
  •           Encourage one another
  •           Love each other
2. My dream is:
  • To have a more peaceful world
  • To be healthier
  • To help my family
  • To become a better athlete: basketball, gymnastics, softball, soccer, cheerleading
  • To rid the world of scoliosis
  • To have a secure future
  • To adopt a child when I am an adult
  • To become a: marine biologist, voice-over actor, doctor, nurse, teacher, leader, mom, dad, photographer
  • To become a better student
  • To travel
  • To show kindness
  • To stop people from hurting emotionally
  • To help the homeless
  • To win the lottery and donate to shelters for humans and animals
  • To be someone who makes others feel good about themselves
  • To feel safe
  • To be able to relax
  • To open my eyes, ears, hearts, and mind to others
  • To promote unity and discourage “cliques”
  • To worship with my family on a regular basis
  • To pray with my family on a regular basis
  • To help others know God
  • To be a better friend
  • To reunite with my parents one day
  • To help sick children
  • To learn to trust others
  • To have a pet
  • To be less selfish
  • To spend more time with my family
  • To understand what it means to seek God
  • To be kinder to myself
Each of my classes lasts only 50 minutes. This is not nearly enough time to allow my students to share things with me and still cover our curriculum. I am thankful for opportunities in our curriculum units for students to be able to journal. These responses teach me about my students. However, they also reassure me they are going to go out and change the world. They are already changing mine.

 ~ Jan 💓

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