I Am Malalia for rising 6th graders

[Anonymous]

I read Diary of Anne Frank, Under the Stars, and a novel about a child surviving under the Khmer Rouge in elementary school. I Am Malala is more current than those books. PH County Public School, in the early 90s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That book is not about suicide, its about survival and equal rights for women / girls to be educated.

Its really important and its not depressing.

It's not about suicide. It's about a child being shot in the face and left for dead for trying to get an education. I get the 'trying to get an education' part but do we really have to let our pre-pubescent kids think about a kid being shot in the face on a bus and left for dead? Why can't we find other examples and save the horror of life for later?

Yeah, for 9th grade when their schoolmate brings a rifle to high school and starts shooting at random.
Bitch, please! In this country, in particular, it's a travesty to pretend people -- and children -- don't get shot.

A lot of people are becoming concerned about the effects of lock down drills on children. Why shove it down their throats with a book like this? What value does it add to the idea that not everyone has easy access to a good education?

The value added: importance of education, appreciation for your freedom, female empowerment, perseverance, geopolitical dynamics, ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they reading the Young Readers edition?

No, please! My kids' class read that one in 4th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That book is not about suicide, its about survival and equal rights for women / girls to be educated.

Its really important and its not depressing.

It's not about suicide. It's about a child being shot in the face and left for dead for trying to get an education. I get the 'trying to get an education' part but do we really have to let our pre-pubescent kids think about a kid being shot in the face on a bus and left for dead? Why can't we find other examples and save the horror of life for later?

Yeah, for 9th grade when their schoolmate brings a rifle to high school and starts shooting at random.
Bitch, please! In this country, in particular, it's a travesty to pretend people -- and children -- don't get shot.

A lot of people are becoming concerned about the effects of lock down drills on children. Why shove it down their throats with a book like this? What value does it add to the idea that not everyone has easy access to a good education?

The value added: importance of education, appreciation for your freedom, female empowerment, perseverance, geopolitical dynamics, ....

I'm asking, what is the added value of having the main character be shot in the face and left for dead? Can't we teach our young people about the value of education without including something like that? I can think of many ways to do that, including discussing how kids in inner cities and low-income rural areas right here america are struggling to get an education.

[Anonymous]

Totally appropriate. My third grader knows about Malala, and knows she stood up for girls' right to an education and was hurt in the process by someone with a gun.

Are you worried that your kids are so fragile that they can't hear this without becoming traumatized? You should have more faith in your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally appropriate. My third grader knows about Malala, and knows she stood up for girls' right to an education and was hurt in the process by someone with a gun.

Are you worried that your kids are so fragile that they can't hear this without becoming traumatized? You should have more faith in your kid.

It has nothing to do with faith in them. Human beings become traumatized and desensitized by exposure to violence, especially at a young age. Do you think being traumatized is a sign of lack of character or something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else think this is pretty ghastly for a rising 6th grader to think about? I wish MCPS treated our kids like kids and protected their emotions, instead of exposing them to depressing subjects like this when they're too young for it, and then holding suicide and depression prevention meetings when they're teens.

Well, what do you think an appropriate age to read this book would be?

Also, if your kid is just starting the book now, you have completely missed the point of the exercise. Focus on that.

What does this mean?

It means if you let your kid blow off the assignment the entire summer, and then force him or her to do it on the holiday weekend before school starts, you are doing it wrong, and you should pay attention to setting your kid up for success, and focus less on puritanical notions of what is appropriate for tweens.

Why is it puritanical to shield children from violence? Doing it at the last minute has nothing to do with this. That's not the issue. The question was about the book.

Yes, I know the question was about the book. Numerous people have answered you. I just provided some free advice re better ways to spend your time and improve your kids' education.

Are you opting your 6th grader out of health this year, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else think this is pretty ghastly for a rising 6th grader to think about? I wish MCPS treated our kids like kids and protected their emotions, instead of exposing them to depressing subjects like this when they're too young for it, and then holding suicide and depression prevention meetings when they're teens.

Well, what do you think an appropriate age to read this book would be?

Also, if your kid is just starting the book now, you have completely missed the point of the exercise. Focus on that.

What does this mean?

It means if you let your kid blow off the assignment the entire summer, and then force him or her to do it on the holiday weekend before school starts, you are doing it wrong, and you should pay attention to setting your kid up for success, and focus less on puritanical notions of what is appropriate for tweens.

Why is it puritanical to shield children from violence? Doing it at the last minute has nothing to do with this. That's not the issue. The question was about the book.

Yes, I know the question was about the book. Numerous people have answered you. I just provided some free advice re better ways to spend your time and improve your kids' education.

Are you opting your 6th grader out of health this year, too?

Too bad you have to resort to becoming bitchy instead of discussing the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else think this is pretty ghastly for a rising 6th grader to think about? I wish MCPS treated our kids like kids and protected their emotions, instead of exposing them to depressing subjects like this when they're too young for it, and then holding suicide and depression prevention meetings when they're teens.

Well, what do you think an appropriate age to read this book would be?

Also, if your kid is just starting the book now, you have completely missed the point of the exercise. Focus on that.

My HS student just started her book yesterday. She has found that she is expected to be current on it the first week of school. Starting early is not helpful in the case of summer HW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read Diary of Anne Frank, Under the Stars, and a novel about a child surviving under the Khmer Rouge in elementary school. I Am Malala is more current than those books. PH County Public School, in the early 90s.

Diary of Anne Frank is a hundred times better and more powerful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else think this is pretty ghastly for a rising 6th grader to think about? I wish MCPS treated our kids like kids and protected their emotions, instead of exposing them to depressing subjects like this when they're too young for it, and then holding suicide and depression prevention meetings when they're teens.

Well, what do you think an appropriate age to read this book would be?

Also, if your kid is just starting the book now, you have completely missed the point of the exercise. Focus on that.

What does this mean?

It means if you let your kid blow off the assignment the entire summer, and then force him or her to do it on the holiday weekend before school starts, you are doing it wrong, and you should pay attention to setting your kid up for success, and focus less on puritanical notions of what is appropriate for tweens.

Why is it puritanical to shield children from violence? Doing it at the last minute has nothing to do with this. That's not the issue. The question was about the book.

Yes, I know the question was about the book. Numerous people have answered you. I just provided some free advice re better ways to spend your time and improve your kids' education.

Are you opting your 6th grader out of health this year, too?

Too bad you have to resort to becoming bitchy instead of discussing the issue.

NP, and I am kind of curious about the PP's question given your inability to understand why kids should read I Am Malala. It's not just about violence or the importance of education; it's about many of the things other PPs mentioned (especially the PP who included geopolitical dynamics) and it's also about kids understanding that they DO have power. It is to inspire them and teach them they have the ability, the responsibility even, to speak truth to power and stand up for what is right. What other book is going to teach all of those things from a peer-level perspective? It's in the same category as Diary of Anne Frank in that it's difficult to read but it is essential to understanding things from the viewpoint of someone their own age to whom they can relate, not something written by adults. That is the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally appropriate. My third grader knows about Malala, and knows she stood up for girls' right to an education and was hurt in the process by someone with a gun.

Are you worried that your kids are so fragile that they can't hear this without becoming traumatized? You should have more faith in your kid.

It has nothing to do with faith in them. Human beings become traumatized and desensitized by exposure to violence, especially at a young age. Do you think being traumatized is a sign of lack of character or something?

You sound sort of hysterical about this reading assignment. Are you really saying that you think your child is such a fragile snowflake that they can’t handle reading a book that tons of other kids their age have with no ill effects ? There is nothing stigmatising about being traumatised by actual traumas—reading a book like this would not qualify as a trauma.

[Anonymous]

My kid also read it in 3rd grade at a DCC school. Get it together OP. School shootings happen en Masse. This isn’t the early 00s, 90s, 80s or any other prior decade. Morality has shifted as so should our education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else think this is pretty ghastly for a rising 6th grader to think about? I wish MCPS treated our kids like kids and protected their emotions, instead of exposing them to depressing subjects like this when they're too young for it, and then holding suicide and depression prevention meetings when they're teens.

Well, what do you think an appropriate age to read this book would be?

Also, if your kid is just starting the book now, you have completely missed the point of the exercise. Focus on that.

What does this mean?

It means if you let your kid blow off the assignment the entire summer, and then force him or her to do it on the holiday weekend before school starts, you are doing it wrong, and you should pay attention to setting your kid up for success, and focus less on puritanical notions of what is appropriate for tweens.

Why is it puritanical to shield children from violence? Doing it at the last minute has nothing to do with this. That's not the issue. The question was about the book.

Get back to us in a few weeks when your child's school does the active-shooter drill. I think it's inappropriate for 6th graders to grow up in a country where this is a thing. I also think it's inappropriate for people to shoot 15-year-olds in the head for advocating for education for girls. Reading I Am Malala in 6th grade, in contrast, is perfectly fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read Diary of Anne Frank, Under the Stars, and a novel about a child surviving under the Khmer Rouge in elementary school. I Am Malala is more current than those books. PH County Public School, in the early 90s.

Diary of Anne Frank is a hundred times better and more powerful.

It's not a contest. And one can read both.