With MLK Day right around the corner and the start of the long weekend, you might have a lot on your mind. Maybe you’re busy grading some of your students’ essay writing. Or perhaps you’re preparing lesson plans and adding January’s writing contest to yours!
But with the holiday, we wanted to take some time out to reflect on the life and writing of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His life is a powerful story, permeated with famous words and a resolute spirit. In more ways than one, he was a symbol of hope and a person with many gifts and much talent. Here’s 2 lessons we can take from him, for writing and for making a difference.
Imagine for a second standing in front of a sea of people who are waiting for one thing: your speech. Throughout Dr. King’s life, he was willing to step up to do and say what he thought was right. The bravery required for him was surely enormous.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s words were the perfect mix of empathy and boldness. When you look at his words, you find a straightforwardness that matched his audience, but a candor and honesty that took them even further. He took time to understand his listeners, even those who would oppose him. And when you listen to many of his speeches, you can hear his ideas boldly allied with a deeper perspective that cuts across all our lives.
If you know or are a teacher interested in building confident writers with Writing with Design, give us a shout!