Help me give my students an eye-opening experience into a world far away from their own. "I Am Malala" will give our class material for writing, discussions, and questions about our own passions and voice.
My students are creative, inquisitive young people that inspire me daily. Our rural community limits their opportunities to fully embrace diversity.
Many of my students have never left their home county and due to a lack of exposure struggle to understand cultures apart from their own.
As a teacher my job is to make sure my students have what they need to be productive members of society and excellent global citizens. They have big hearts, hungry minds and a desire to learn. These books will spark meaningful discussions and build comprehension.
My Project
As an English and Social Studies teacher I seek out opportunities to introduce my students to cultures apart from their own. One of the ways I do this is through reading and writing a variety of texts. If my students were allowed to take notes in the margins of a novel and then carry that novel home to keep or pass on to someone else, it would create a sense of ownership.
Ownership leads to empowerment and an understanding of the power of literacy.
It is essential that students are not only introduced to novels, but to writing that wrestles with fundamental ideals and multiple worldviews. One way we do this is through carefully chosen texts that introduce controversial topics or ask students to grapple with their own cultural perceptions.
"I Am Malala" is a great first step in the process of understanding another person's struggle and perspective. With this book my students and I will study together, challenging each other, and writing our thoughts/notes on the pages of our books. Then, students will be invited to keep the books for themselves or pass the book along to a friend who can also learn from the experience.
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