Every year since I began teaching, my students and I read To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee together. They reluctantly open it and groan because after the first page, they almost unanimously claim confusion and therefore annoyance.
By the third chapter, they’re excited, irritated, laughing out loud, and angry. They love reading with a southern accent and can’t believe I’m letting them read a book with so many bad words in it.
That is, until we get to the “N” word, which everyone nervously reads or skips over. We always read a great opinion piece about the “N” word written by Leonard Pitts Jr. first, but that’s not the most controversial part of the book, at least not to my students or me.
The part they struggle with is the whole reason for the novel’s title To Kill A Mockingbird. They want to know why Tom Robinson’s found guilty and ultimately killed. Tom Robinson’s the black man accused of rape, but the evidence clearly shows it was impossible for him to do this. The jury comprised of white farmers remains unfair.
This year, a new element will enter into the inevitable discussion about change—What about Trayvon Martin?
The jury composed of six women appeared very different. The stories changed. Different characters. But, not different colors. There are the colors: it’s all still in black and white.
And, when that question comes: What about Trayvon Martin?
Suddenly, this room full of lackadaisical sixth graders will boom with anger and upset. And, what will I say?
Nothing.
No, not really, but yes, nothing, in the sense that I won’t give my opinion. I’ll have to let them read news stories and perhaps bring in articles themselves. But, ultimately, it will be up to them to decide what happened.
Mine? I act as a guide, just like with my own children, when they say the whole world is against Trayvon and black people, I say, I’m not sure about that.
Look at the jury, look at what happened, look at the facts, how are things different? How has the law changed? What can we do to change something like this in the future?
Should Zimmerman have had a gun?
Why did Trayvon beat him?
Would Zimmerman be alive and Trayvon be on trial if Zimmerman hadn’t shot him?
What if they were both black?
What if they were both white?
These are questions I don’t think any of us can completely answer. I don’t know that we’ll ever be able to answer this. I struggle with this.
I hate guns and in To Kill A Mockingbird my students learn how much the main character’s father and the lawyer defending Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch, hates them too. He teaches us to walk in someone else’s shoes and to be kind to our enemies.
When Atticus encounters Mrs. Dubose, a decaying hateful woman who likes to call him a “Nigger lover” for defending Tom Robinson, Atticus removes his hat and tells her she looks like a picture. His daughter, Scout says, “It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived.”
I’ve been told that I shouldn’t read To Kill A Mockingbird with sixth graders, but now, I know I have to.
I do believe times have changed, but how? What’s changed? Are we better or did we just learn how to play a different game? What kind of game are we playing? Did we just change the rules and create illusions?
I’m not sure, but I know my sixth graders will spend time this year trying to figure it out.
Written by Lisa Chesser
Related articles
- www.miamiherald.com (Leonard Pitts, Jr. on Zimmerman Verdict)
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – review (guardian.co.uk)
BraveSmartBold 
Sixth grade is young for this book, but you seem to be a perfect teacher for them. Good luck, and kudos for your style!
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I know. I thought the same thing before I started teaching, then I read a book, “Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire” by Rafe Esquith. He reads it with fifth graders. So, I tried it out and it turns out that most kids watch so many “inappropriate” films and video games that this novel helps them see it all with a more human perspective.
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Wonderful post. It reminded me of the time I read this book and how I felt about it. ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ is one of my most favourite books till date and the way you’re teaching it to students as young as yours is commendable. A really good approach 🙂
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Thank you and it does remind you of what’s really important. I know it makes a difference in people’s lives if they actually take the time to understand the characters and what Atticus tries to teach his children.
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Personally Grade 6 is a bit young… but it’s true, so many children watch movies that are so inappropriate for them! Thank you, by the way, for this! I’m reblogging 🙂
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Reblogged this on Born Special and commented:
This needs to be shared: Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” in light of this week’s tragedy in the case of Trayvon Martin.
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Thank you!
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Excellent and thoughtful post. I thought of this book also in relation to this recent trial. There are no easy answers…in black and white only.
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It’s true. I think it reminds us that we can learn from the past but not to hold onto it. It’s basic but very difficult to accomplish.
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Great post. I love how you are making it so relevant to your students. At our school, we read it in 9th grade. But kids are seeming to grow up more and more these days. These are tricky times we are living them – glad they have a grounded, level guide in teachers like you! 🙂 Thanks for coming by my blog as well!
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Thank you, it’s a bit daunting to teach, especially when they complain. I’m just glad the principal and the parents let me do it. The students find ways to amaze me every year.
You’re blog has a great feel. I enjoyed reading it.
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I teach in a Christian school and we’ve had issues with The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men. Very sad for me. I’ve butted heads with administration over it, but lost those battles. I can do Huck Finn, even with the N word – but that definitely will make for interesting discussion this fall with the Martin/Zimmerman case as well.
Daunting stuff! We have our work cut out for us!
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You are fortunate to have agreeable admin. I used to teach The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men, and I got shut down after a year on each. I teach at a Christian school, and there complaints…I fought for it and was disappointed when I got overridden.
Instead, we are doing Huck Finn this year. There is the N word in there, too…it will be interesting to see where the discussions go in light of Martin/Zimmerman.
On the other hand, I wonder at how much the kids have stepped out of their own worlds and even know about it.
Seems to be a growing trend among high-schoolers. :{
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I agree. It’s rough anyway and then you try to engage them with The Great Gatsby and it gets taken from you. That’s exactly why I’ve stayed away from religious schools even though I really think students need that too. So sorry I didn’t reply sooner. I didn’t have an Internet connection.
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This book is very worthy of teaching, and I agree that there are connections to be made to the Trayvon Martin case. It is not easy to teach a book that deals with race, racial injustice and the morality. Glad to know you are doing it anyway.
http://collegereadycoach.com/2013/08/11/food-for-thought-harper-lee-on-the-power-of-books/
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