A Book, A Movie, A Journey: Girl Rising.

Every year at Saint Michael's College, the Education Department has a common read. This year, we were introduced to a book called Girl Rising by Tanya Lee Stone. After exploring the book, we were lucky enough to have an event with Tanya Lee Stone at Saint Michael's College. Stone spoke briefly about the book, but then shifted into the showing of the film that was produced before her book was published. I thought that it was interesting to read a book that was based on a film, rather than the usual scenario of a film being based off a book. I also thought it was an interesting text to read because seeing and reading the voices of those who suffer every day without an education made me think about how lucky I am to be getting an education as a woman in college in the United States. 

Girl Rising has allowed me to gain an understanding of the diverse cultures and communities around the world who may not have the same educational experience as I have, having grown up in the United States. By gaining a better understanding about different cultures and their education systems, I will be able to design an inclusive learning experience for students who have been through education systems which were not supportive to their learning through their adolescent lifetime. I hope to be able to provide an environment where all the students in my class, especially the female students, have an equitable space. 

Watching and reading the way girls and women are treated in countries, where they do not believe women should be educated, made me angry, sad, and empowered. After studying Girl Rising, I have made it a goal of mine to make sure every girl who goes through my classroom and school feels important and needed. It would remind students of how lucky they are to receive an education, and if I am in a public school, a free education, which is something some girls, and boys, could never even imagine in certain parts of our world. 

In order to obtain my goal above of making sure every girl who goes through my classroom and school in the future feels important and needed, I hope to teach Girl Rising for a portion of the school year to the my students in order to educate them about this topic. A way to achieve this goal in my future classroom would be to reflect on the lesson plan we were able to create in our Literacy course at Saint Michael's College. The lesson plan, which is linked below, is based on a pre-reading activity for Girl Rising. Having this lesson plan, or a similar lesson plan, implemented in my classroom in the future is a great way to introduce such a complex and diverse text to students who may have never heard of this issue before. If I am able to introduce a text as complex as Girl Rising through a welcoming and informing format, I hope my students would be able to develop ideas for what the book is about before they really start reading it. 

I hope that as years go on, this book is only a reminder of what used to happen to girls in education systems. At a time in my career, I want my students to see this book as a form of history, rather than a current event. Putting an end to the limits of education for girls in certain countries will empower the minds of millions of girls around the globe. I hope to be able to see this unravel throughout my future as an educator. 

 -------> Girl Rising Lesson Plan <-------