MLK Day and Critical Thinking in 3rd Grade

As the nation observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Ms. Byler is ensuring that her 3rd grade students understand the complexity of history and the continued relevance of MLK’s message.

Often, young children are introduced to Dr. King through a simplified lens, focusing on his famous “I Have a Dream” speech and portraying him as a universally beloved figure who single-handedly ended racism. However, Byler is using this holiday to delve deeper into Dr. King’s work, particularly through his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” a powerful text written during his imprisonment for protesting discriminatory laws. Byler is encouraging students to see beyond the hero narrative. “They learn that not all rules are fair, that breaking unjust laws can be a form of justice, and that Dr. King was arrested for challenging systemic racism and segregation, not because he was in the wrong.”

The students also talked about fair and unfair rules and racism and segregation in an age-appropriate manner. Byler’s teaching philosophy does not sanitize Dr. King’s legacy but presents him as an organizer and resistor within a larger movement and that understanding justice is as important as admiring it. “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”

They also read a story from Shine! The Bible story book about how Jesus broke the laws of the Sabbath to heal and to let his disciples harvest and eat grain. She said, “We are used to following rules because they’re rules, and this lesson is telling us that sometimes they might be unjust. These are BIG things to think about, and I told them I trust third graders to start to think about these things, even though it feels messy and sometimes unsettling.”

Byler praises her third graders for their insightful questions and thoughtful reflections, underscoring the importance of continuing these conversations at home with parents.

As the nation and world mark MLK Jr. Day and reflect we are challenged not just to honor MLK Jr.’s legacy, but to practice critical thinking ourselves and lead with love.