Building with Malcolm, the Future Architect
This story provides six tips for reading volunteers to inspire children to use reading as a tool to build their dreams.
This story provides six tips for reading volunteers to inspire children to use reading as a tool to build their dreams.
As a child, I remember studying Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. only from one perspective—the man who had a dream. Without a deep understanding of Dr. King, I lacked the ability to apply some of his profound principles to my life. Years later as an adult, I read his autobiography and was amazed at the depth of his personhood. Out of this amazement, I created a booklist that allows children to understand Dr. King’s life as family member, activist, dreamer, and philosopher.
Last summer, I took my two sons to the library. As they played in the children’s section, I searched for books to read to them. Once I gathered all of the books, my youngest son ran up to me and placed a book in my hand. I looked at it and did not think it was worth reading. It was a simple looking book with a pig and elephant on it. I was only willing to give it a try because of my son’s enthusiasm. After reading that one book, Elephant and Piggie books became a permanent part of our reading time experience.
This booklist thematically identifies books that will have Black boys saying, “I am confident, I am loved, I am a smart student, I am an innovator and creator, and I am a hero.”
When I saw this picture, I thought it is a dramatic illustration of the importance of little Black girls seeing themselves in children’s books! This picture of Michelle Obama is … Continued
As fathers we are the windows through which our children see their dreams. When our children look through us, they see the possibility of accomplishing their dreams or overcoming the insurmountable odds that discourage them from dreaming.