Teaching Civil Rights in International Schools: From Commemoration to Context, Connection, and Year Round Learning

By Dr. Derrick Gay

Each year, international schools around the world acknowledge major United States holidays connected to civil rights, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day. These moments offer meaningful opportunities for learning and reflection. However, when taught without sufficient context or localization, they risk becoming symbolic exercises that feel distant or disconnected from students’ lived experiences.

For international educators, the question is not whether to teach these holidays, but how to do so in ways that are historically accurate, globally relevant, and educationally purposeful. Teaching the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., for example, requires moving beyond a narrow narrative toward deeper understanding and shared human responsibility.

A common challenge lies in presenting Dr. King as a singular heroic figure whose work belongs to a completed chapter of history. This framing often relies on a limited set of quotes and a simplified portrayal of nonviolence, which can obscure the complexity and unfinished nature of his work. Students may mistakenly conclude that the struggles he addressed have been resolved or that contemporary issues of dignity and justice fall outside his legacy.

Effective practice begins with historical nuance. Dr. King was not only a United States civil rights leader but also a global thinker concerned with poverty, war, and structural injustice. Exploring the controversy surrounding his positions helps students understand that meaningful social change is often resisted before it is recognized, and that progress is rarely linear.

Equally important is situating King within a broader movement. Social transformation has always been collective work, shaped by communities, youth, and organizers across contexts. This emphasis aligns well with international school values by highlighting shared leadership and civic agency rather than individual exceptionalism.

Localization is essential. Educators can invite students to examine parallel struggles for dignity and rights within their own countries or regions, reinforcing that civil rights are a global concern. Moving beyond single day observances by integrating these themes throughout the year further deepens learning.

Ultimately, teaching civil rights holidays in international schools is most powerful when it embraces complexity, connects global histories to local realities, and supports students in translating reflection into meaningful action.

Practical Best Practices for Educators

1. Teach beyond the single narrative. Present civil rights figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. within the broader social movements, coalitions, and historical tensions that shaped their work.

2. Emphasize global relevance. Connect United States civil rights histories to parallel struggles for dignity, justice, and representation in students’ host countries and regions of origin.

3. Localize the learning. Invite students to examine how questions of belonging, power, and access manifest within their own school community and local context.

4. Integrate throughout the year. Revisit civil rights themes across disciplines and grade levels rather than limiting learning to a single holiday or commemorative week.

5. Use developmentally appropriate complexity. Scaffold honest discussions that acknowledge controversy, resistance, and unfinished work without oversimplifying the historical record.

6. Center collective action. Highlight youth leadership and community organizing to reinforce that social change is sustained through shared responsibility, not individual heroism.

7. Move from reflection to action. Encourage students to identify concrete, age appropriate ways they can contribute to a more just and connected school and community.

Small Steps Create Big Shifts

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Turn Intention Into Action

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Make Room for Growth

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.