“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi
I’m guilty. I’m one of those teachers that sometimes says “Just ignore it and it will get better.” We know that sometimes it does not get better and something has to be done. I’ve learned this week that I have to be an activist in order to teach my students how to become them. Through careful selections in books and thoughtful discussions, students can learn to find their own voice to invoke change in the world today. According to Laminack and Kelly (2019), “children see injustice more easily and more clearly than many adults do.” I believe that is because we have learned to turn a blind eye to the injustices going on around us. The sense of apathy is something that we do not want to pass on to our students, especially if we want to see change in our world.
This week, I was given the opportunity to read two books. They were Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed and Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan: Two Stories of Bravery by Jeanette Winter. Both books showed a strong, thematic connection to activism.
Of course, I would begin my instruction by asking students “What do you notice about the illustration on the cover of the book? What do you wonder about the book based on the cover?” Both of these questions get students thinking about what the book will be about and any connections to their own world. On the cover of Amal Unbound, I noticed that she has henna tattoos on her hands, perhaps from a wedding. There is a book on her hand and it seems as though the books impact her life in some way because of the lines coming out from it. There is some connection to the day and night, as reflected on her fingers. In addition, it looks as though she is bound by something in some way. All of those comments might be noticed by students. Of course, they would also have many wonders in our discussion as well.
As we are reading, we would discuss the things that were happening to the characters and the issues going on around them. The characters in the books listed above are ordinary people, but ones who are strong-willed and willing to take a stand. Those are the characters that we should be showcasing to our students, especially if we want them to learn how to take a stand in their own communities/world. Amal was an ordinary girl from an ordinary family. However, she had to overcome many hardships along the way. She had to help out around the house and take care of her family while her mother was in a depressed state. In addition, she was forced into indentured servitude, when she truly did not do much harm. Amal had to overcome those hardships and still take a stand for what was truly right. Students may be able to relate to going through hard times, but still overcoming. Characters like Amal are ones that students can, in a sense, relate to even though she lived in a different area of the world. In addition to discussing the characters, we will talk about injustices present in the text. For example, in the book Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh, students can learn about segregation of Mexican Americans and their struggle to overcome. According to Laminack and Kelly (2019), supplemental material can be added to help build students’ understanding, including photographs, primary documents, video clips, passages from other books, articles, and guest speakers. These extra “texts” allow students to better understand the social issue at hand and get a deeper comprehension of it. Once students understand the text and relate it to their own lives, the can learn how to take a stand in their own community or school. One way of doing this would be to write a letter to their principal (or another leader in charge). Students can explain the issue at hand and how they want to change it. Another idea is to write a letter to the editor of a popular book. According to Laminack and Kelly (2019), students wrote a letter to the “Who Was” series editor asking for them to include a book about Sylvia Mendez, since her family overcame such a huge obstacle. Students Showing students that they have a voice and can help to invoke change is very powerful. If they know that they can take a stand as a kid, it will help them understand that they can continue to do that for the rest of their life.
Another example that Laminack and Kelly (2019) mentioned was creating a Venn diagram to compare and contrast Malala to another important female advocate. Students could read the book Malala, A Brave Girl From Pakistan/Iqbal, A Brave Boy From Pakistan and compare/contrast her to another important figure like Rosa Parks. Learning can be taken a step further and applied to their own lives. Students can use the book to compare and contrast themselves with either Malala or Iqbal. This will show students how they are the same and different from these two characters. Students can also write about the impact these two made and how they can be advocates in their own lives.
Through instruction and texts that show activism, students can begin to see that they can use their voice to make changes in our world. A great resource to check out is https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Malala-a-Brave-Girl-from-Pakistan-Iqbal-a-Brave-Boy-from-Pakistan/Jeanette-Winter/9781481422949. This gives information about the book, author/illustrator, awards, and great resources to use in the classroom.
References
Laminack, L. and Kelly, K. (2019). Reading to make a difference: Using literature to help
students speak freely, think deeply, and take action. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Saeed, A. (2018). Amal Unbound. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books.
Tonatiuh, D. (2014). Separate is never equal: sylvia mendez and her familys fight for
desegregation. Harry N Abrams.
Winter, J. (2015). Malala, a brave girl from Pakistan ; Iqbal, a brave boy from Pakistan.
London: Simon & Schuster Childrens.
Mrs. Pitman's Classroom 