It’s no secret that the best way to achieve dreams is through education. If students are going to go after their dreams, they need to have the desire as well as the skills to research, prepare, and take action toward their goals. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day every January is a powerful reminder to dream big, but our classrooms today are the perfect environment for students to prepare to achieve them.

We’ve all heard of our young kids and students wanting to be astronauts, doctors, and football players, and more. But are we adequately supporting their dreams? The answer is yes! Educating our students and equipping them with the necessary discipline and skills to meet their goals is an essential part of our role as teachers. Looking ahead, taking aim, and executing plans are life skills that students need not only in the classroom but also in their personal lives. Let's take this opportunity seriously. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that education was a pillar to reaching a human's full potential, so it's no surprise that education equality was one of the movements that he advocated for. As educators, we have the opportunity every day to guide and support students as they begin "reaching their full potential." We are providing our students with agency as they learn to read, write, research, and advocate for themselves. 

MLK's “I Have a Dream” Speech is his most well-known and most quoted speech. As MLK Day arrives, we’ve been thinking about how to incorporate MLK's power of dreaming into our classrooms. We have the perfect opportunity to support students in this way, and it may be simpler than we think. 

Mobile Ed has 5 easy ways to encourage dreaming in our classrooms:

• • • Start with the Growth Mindset. The growth mindset is, simply put, the belief that we can learn and become smarter, not that we are born smart. This perspective is to the ability to set a goal (or a dream) and recognize ways to reach it. With the right mindset, even the furthest dreams are possible. 

• • • Move on to Small Goals. Starting small can have large impacts later on. Starting with setting small goals creates proof that goals can be reached and a habit of setting them. This helps students learn to continuously reach higher than they think they are able to. 

• • • Include a Variety of Perspectives. Providing a wide variety of topics and perspectives in our classrooms can expose students to important lessons and concepts they may not have been exposed to before. One of your students might develop a new passion right in your classroom. 

• • • Bring in Guest Speakers. Another thing we can do as educators is expose students to people (in person or in our history) with different backgrounds, interests, and talents, or maybe even people who have already accomplished some of their dreams. We can never know what one impression will do for our students. 

• • • Teach Students How to be Curious. If students are going to "reach for the stars," how do they get there? Teaching tools like research, asking the right questions, teamwork, and asking for help are simple tools we are already teaching in our classrooms that can be applied to their short-term and long-term dreams. 

Mobile Ed’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Program has been teaching students about MLK, Jr.’s legacy for over 30 years. Our team travels to schools across the country so students can learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. in an exciting, interactive, and memorable way. In our Martin Luther King Jr. program, students will hear “Dr. King” share powerful stories of his life first-hand. Students have the chance to participate in this program through audience interaction, questions, and songs. 

In Mobile Ed’s Martin Luther King, Jr. program, students learn about the following: 

• • • The life of Dr. King
    • Growing up in the 1950s
    • Morals and values
    • The Civil Rights Movement 
    • Social injustice
    • Inequality

 Easily contact our team with any questions or inquiries you have on our website as well.