What’s missing from lesson plans: Race Matters in Second Grade
I teach before and after school in Southeast San Diego. I’m not one of those “do gooder” types, I just realized that you don’t need to go anywhere other than your backyard to help people, and I’d never say I want to save the world. So, when I moved back to San Diego in May 2009, I decided to do this job.
Let me begin by saying that it has taught me a lot about patience, a lot about people, and a lot about pieces of the world.
In my first week of work, I met a second grade boy who I will call Henry (for confidentiality’s sake). I wanted the kids in the morning program to make animals that they might find in the jungle, which I would then hang up for all of their classmates to see. Henry intently drew a tiger on bright orange construction paper. One of his best friends, Adrian, was sitting next to him, working hard to get a panda’s ears just right.
For the past three days, the two of them had taken advantage of my ignorance about their names. They switched hoodies, and called each other by their own name: I called Adrian Henry, and Henry Adrian. When I learned that they had duped me from my boss, I began calling them by their correct names. “How did she figure it out?” I heard one whisper loudly (elementary school kids rarely develop quiet whispers before 6th grade).
Adrian is what most people would call white, and Henry is what most people would call Black. So when they do the “twin swap” game, it’s very easy to tell them apart.
While they cut out their respective animals, they talked about their identity swap.
“You know, Adrian,” Henry said, “she could tell us apart because I am Black, and you are white.”
“You’re right,” Adrian said, as he put the scissors down carefully.
“I can never be as white as you, and you can never be as Black as me,” said Henry.
“Yep,” said Adrian.
Kids have so much to teach.
