Then, in 1993, Maya Angelou stole Michael Jordan’s star power. I happily picture the young philosophers as they watched rebroadcasts of her reciting her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” at the Clinton Inauguration—their eyes wide, bodies completely still, posture growing more erect, big smiles when she included “children” in her invitation to a new day. A rocking celebrity poet! Dr. Angelou was the cool one now. I repeatedly used her poem to discuss the concept of Justice with them and I also suggest an activity based on it in Little Big Minds. Quite a delight it was to witness the children’s first tiptoes into poetry—from Virginia to Chicago to California.
Read MoreAuthor and philosopher Marietta McCarty is passionate about challenging young minds to think big. In this post with KidsThinkAboutIt.com, she shares her inspiration, her experiences, and her successes with child philosophers. Although you’ve taught philosophy to college students for a number of years, your first experience with kid thinkers happened somewhere outside of the classroom ...
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When Lucille Clifton asks, “won’t you celebrate with me,” we answer yes. What does this Black woman decide when she finds no model for how to create her life? “what did i see but to be myself?” she responds. The poet fastens her hands and makes her life of “starshine and clay.” What does a boy from the staunchly-segregated south long to do before he dies? Jimmy Carter casts his ballot for Kamala Harris. Won’t you celebrate the 39th president with me?