Altogether Holding on to the Dream

By HELENE DEBELAK
Director of Curriculum

Each morning at Birchwood, students begin the day freshly inspired as teachers read stories of people – extraordinary and ordinary – whose lives shine in the light of virtue. 

Among the powerful storylines in United States history are those of African Americans. These examples of hope, faith, wisdom, and strength uplift us to understand ourselves as human beings. The great capacity of the human spirit can be seen in the lives of those who experience human suffering.

Intentionally, each year around Martin Luther King Day, teachers tap into the stories of those who took a stand for civil rights in the 20th century by holding firmly to the self-evident truth of equality, thus providing a beacon of hope for all people. The following are highlights.

The 1st graders learn about famous men and women who have worked to solve problems peacefully. For example, Mahatma Gandhi from India fought for people’s rights without any violence; Martin Luther King Jr., who was inspired by Gandhi; and Rosa Parks. Then they read “Peace Week in Miss Fox’s Class” by Eileen Spinelli and brainstormed ways that they can be peacemakers in their family, at school, and in their communities. 

Tying black history into mathematics, the 3rd and 4th grade math classes experienced a four-part series, using slideshows, on each of the women from the book/movie “Hidden Figures.”  They learn that not only were these NASA employees black, but they were also women, making their struggle even greater.

Each student in the 8th grade selected a section of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and presented an analysis of its greatness based upon the rich imagery, rhetorical style, and the moral propositions and enduring truths. The reading of these sections was videotaped as a class collaboration. The 7th graders read award-winning books and picture books by African-American writers like Virginia Hamilton, Mildred Taylor, and Faith Ringgold.

The month culminates in an assembly which will include a presentation of African-American music and dance by students in the younger grades, clips from singer Marion Anderson’s historic performance in 1939 in front of the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of 75,000 people, and all of our students will sing together "Left Every Voice and Sing."

Yet, at Birchwood, we also have joined the aspiration of John Hope Franklin, first African-American president of the American Historical Association, to weave the story of African Americans into the fabric of our American history. 

In Social Studies, the contributions of African Americans are alongside others in the pantheon of great Clevelanders, the heroes of Ohio history, and those who made important contributions to society. Vivid presentations packed with 10-page bibliographies come to us each year from students in History Day – this year, projects about the Tuskegee Airmen and the Harlem Renaissance. 

In the reading classrooms, African-American literature is part of a systematic plan through the grades: a rich array of biography, poetry, and in-depth historical fiction units which expand to contextual and thematic studies – and they include stories about the everyday life of children and young adults of many diverse backgrounds.

Helene Debelak is Director of Curriculum at Birchwood School of Hawken. She and her husband, Head of School Charles Debelak, founded Birchwood in 1984. Mrs. Debelak’s writing provides parents with information about sound educational principles and child development issues gleaned from a lifelong career of educating children across a variety of subjects, for which she has earned multiple education honors. This article appeared in the January/February 2024 edition of the school's monthly newsletter, "The Clipboard." 
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