Helping Kids Understand the Black Lives Matter Movement …

Teaching Strategies

June 29, 2020 by Jackie Glassman

At BrainPOP, we are devastated and deeply disturbed by the senseless murder of George Floyd and many other Black Americans. We stand in solidarity with the Black community indeclaring that Black Lives Matterand we are inspired by the thousands upon thousands of people coming together to demand justice in protests across the country and around the world.

Just like adults, young people are trying to make sense of what is happening in their world. Understandably, they have lots of questions! Because every BrainPOP movie is inspired by a real question, weve been receiving tons of email from families and teachers with questions from kids! Here are a few:

Dear Tim and Moby, Why did the police kill George Floyd in Minneapolis?

Dear Tim and Moby, Im hearing stuff on the news about riots for racial equality. I thought that stuff was over with? Im confused.

My son asked, What is the Black Lives Matter movement? Can you add a kid-friendly movie to the site?

In support of our mission to empower kids to shape the world around them and within them, we produced a new movieBlack Lives Matter Protests.

The movie provides context for the ongoing protests, as well as background on the movement. Its development was made possible by the invaluable insight, expertise, and feedback of several key advisors: Dena Simmons, activist, educator, and author of the forthcoming book, White Rules for Black People; Renae Williams, COO & Co-leader at BLEND Employee Resource Group; and Christy Crawford, Director of Culturally Responsive/Sustaining Education & Equity Initiatives at Computer Science For All.

We strongly suggest parents, caregivers, and teachers preview the movie before watching it with children as it describes acts of racist violence. While we dont advise this movie for younger students, you can find collections of free, age-appropriate topics that support antiracism on both BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. Please note we are committed to expanding these collections in the coming months.

Our hope is that the Black Lives Matter Protests movie opens the door to challenging and essential conversations at home and in the classroom, as well as inspires action. We understand that these discussions may not be easy, but silence is not an option. Silence allows racism to thrive.

Following are some suggestions from Dr. Jean Schlegel Ph.D., a New York-based clinical and school psychologist, to guide you on how to begin these important discussions and how to keep them going:

Create a space that is safe for kids to reflect on their emotional responses to the recent tragic events. Start by asking what theyve heard. Focus on themes they understand, such as fairness and empathy. You can point out that George Floyd was not treated fairly and in our school/family, we believe everyone should be treated fairly.

Its okay not to have all the answers. But its important to recognize that upsetting events are happening and this is a safe space to talk about it, listen to one another, and learn how we can change things. For more ideas on how to create a safe space for reflection, see Facing History and Ourselves.

Children, like adults, see skin color. Even from a young age, theyre aware of these kinds of differences. Its essential to acknowledge race even if you think it doesnt impact your family because it does, in fact, affect everyone. When we discuss identityand encourage kids to take pride in who they are and respect the differences in otherswe empower them to stand up to racial injustice. Talking about these issues with children also allows us to show how they can disrupt inequality and combat systemic racism. Talking about race is not racist. Its important!

White parents tend to avoid conversations about race with their children much more frequently than Black parents and other people of color, according to the study Identity Matters conducted by Sesame Workshop and NORC at the University of Chicago. There are multiple reasons why this may happen. Perhaps some white parents feel ill-equipped to have the conversations. Or they want to shield their kids from conversations about race. Or they worry about their own biasesthat its better to pretend that race doesnt exist. They think their kids will be happier and less racist if they dont talk about it.

Regardless of the reason, avoiding these discussions has negative consequences. For example, it places an undue burden on Black families because it means the people who are experiencing the effects of racism are the only ones talking about itand the only ones advocating for change.

The Child Mind Institute, in their article Racism and Violence: How to Help Kids Handle the News, makes these four suggestions for engaging in conversations about race with your child:

Be clear, direct, and factual about current events and history. Emphasize that racial violence is wrong.

Encourage questions even if you cant answer them. Its okay to acknowledge that this is a difficult topic and that you are uncomfortable, but its not a reason to stop talking.

Dont hide your emotions. Letting your child know youre sad and angry about injustice is good modeling of human behavior that can assure them that its okay to express their feelings.

Keep the conversation open. Racism and violence are important topics that require ongoing dialogue. Let your kids know that youre always available to talk, and be sure to keep checking in on them, too.

From the Child Mind Institute

Black Lives Matter doesnt mean that only Black lives matter. It means that racism unfairly affects Black livesthe Black Lives Matter movement is calling on everyone to change that. Even if the intention is sincere, help your child understand that the phrase All Lives Matter implies that the BLM movements critique of systemic racism and its effects on Black people is invalid. For more teacher support on this topic, see Dena Simmons article, How to Be an Antiracist Educator. For more family support, read 6 Reasons All Lives Matter Doesnt Workin Terms Simple Enough for a Child from Parents.com.

Racial colorblindness is the idea that NOT seeing color is a good thing; that race shouldnt matter. But, in fact, it does the opposite. When we dont recognize race, we perpetuate racial misunderstandings and we erase the specific lived experience of those affected by racism. For a truly antiracist society to exist one day, its essential to be aware of and talk about race. We cant afford to be silent.

Acknowledge kids anxieties and fear, but also reassure them that many people are working very hard to change things and keep them safe. Its important to give children hope. We can give them hope by offering tools to work with. Explain that mass protest movementsfrom Civil Rights and Womens Suffrage to Black Lives Matterhave historically been able to change institutions and systems. Assure them that society can continue to improve. Empower young people by encouraging them to use their voice and actions to participate and make a difference. They can stand up for their friends and classmates, write letters, and engage in adult-guided activitieslike fundraisers.

Since BrainPOPs earliest days, weve helped kids understand difficult subjects, from September 11th to Coronavirus. By building background knowledge about challenging topics, we prepare and equip them to have critical conversations. To that end, BrainPOP is committed to developing additional new topics to help children, families, and teachers have necessary conversations about racism and identity.

For more on BrainPOPs thoughts and response to recent events, read the letter from our CEO which includes a link to a blog post featuring our free resources for supporting antiracist education.

Additional writing by Tamara Fisch.

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