I Have a Dream...

I was feeling somewhat concerned for the future of humanity after many of the selfish comments flying around my classroom this holiday season.  For instance, when they were asked to write in their journals about what they would wish for the world this season, responses were something along the lines of, "My wish for the world this season is that I would get an X-Box."  or "My wish for the world this season is that I would get to meet Santa Claus and go to the North Pole."  Umm...hmm...

Now it's the week of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Needless to say, I was worried about the "I have a dream" activities I'd planned.  I was fully prepared for the disappointment of reading, "I have a dream that I would have a million dollars." or " I have a dream that I would not have homework for the rest of my life!"  I braced myself and went ahead with the activity, attempting to keep in mind that these are 8 and 9 year old children with very little perspective on the world outside of Utah.  I did everything I could to explain that this was something for others.  Not for themselves.  I wanted a dream for humanity.  I wanted to know why they had this particular dream.  I wanted to know what they would do to help achieve it. 

Aside from this...

I have a dream that there are many other planets with other people and a place with water and oxygen and the other materials to live.  Why I have this dream is because I think it would be fun with other planets with different people.  I can make rockets to fly people to Mars.

and our newest member of the state legislature...

I have a dream that more schools will be built.  Why?  Because more children will learn more.  How I will achieve it?  I'll let the parents go to the school for free.  But they have to pay for lunch.  But little amounts of money at a time.

I have restored faith in what will become of us...

I have a dream to stop murderers.  Why I have this dream is because Martin Luther got shot and he died.  He was an innocent man.  There's also those little kindergarteners.  They got shot the same way Martin did.  And I feel really bad for their parents.  They're probably heartbroken.  I can stop this well at least I can help.  I would send them all I could and go to the school and cheer them up. 

I have a dream women will be paid the same as men in their job.  Some jobs women are not getting paid the same as men.  I will have a job that everyone is paid the same.

I have a dream to stop shootings.  I have the dream because lots of people die of shootings.  I can help achieve it by supporting Obama's gun rule!

I have a dream that I could help the kids in all the orphanages.  I have that dream because I worry about the kids in the orphanage.  They are maybe cold, sad, hungry, and need hope.  So I'm going to get a bucket, and a table, make a sign that will say: PLEASE DONATE!  THIS IS GOING TO ALL ORPHANAGES!  WE TAKE BLANKETS, WATER BOTTLES, ANYTHING WILL HELP!

I have a dream to go around the world and talk to kids about their problems.  I have this dream because some kids get labels, bullied, treated by the skin color, eye color, hair color, how much they weigh.  How I can help this is go to schools and talk to teachers and principals.  This happens to kids all over the world.  And that is my dream.

It's good to dream.  Even better to start making dreams a reality.  Especially if they're dreams like these.