“He changed the rules!” noted one student, after reading a book about Dr. Martin Luther King. Our students were fascinated as they learned about a time when children were divided up to attend different schools, based on the color of their skin. As they looked around the classroom, noting the range of similarities and differences they shared on the outside, one student noted that they were all friends.

Morah Fran, our Pre-K teacher decided to cement the lesson. She brought in a brown egg and a white egg, and she asked the students to guess whether they would be similar or different when they cracked them open. The vote was certainly divided. Once the eggs were cracked into a bowl, everyone observed they were identical on the inside! What a vivid way to explore the concept of equality.

As the students finished the day, laying on the rug with their arms outstretched, they noted the different skin colors, freckles, wrinkles, and more that made each of us unique. Just like the eggs, we all appear quite different on the outside, but we are all made the same on the inside, with beautiful identities and feelings. Our students really took this lesson to heart, and it is encouraging to see lessons of acceptance and pride coming to life in the course of a day at Shomrei Preschool.