Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Malala was born in Pakistan, a country with a predominantly patriarchal culture. Define “patriarchal.” How do you think life might be different for men and women in a patriarchal culture? Consider their status and their rights. How do you think Pakistani culture differs from that of the United States and other Western countries? In what ways might it be similar?

Teaching Suggestion: Guide students to understand that in a patriarchal culture, women are typically less valued than men and have limited access to jobs and education because of their gender. Fighting Against Gender Inequality is an important theme in Malala’s memoir.

• Educators 4 Social Change offers many helpful resources for teaching about patriarchy, including lesson plans and articles.

2. The Taliban are a militant, Islamic fundamentalist organization that controls and enforces religious order. They forbid things they deem “Western” like music, clothing, and movies, and are especially restrictive towards women’s educational rights. What do you imagine life might be like living under their control? How would being unable to get an education impact your future? Watch the embedded video in this Guardian article:

Don't Miss Out!

Access Teaching Guide Now