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In this lesson, students look closely at the state of girls' education in Afghanistan to identify and reflect on the myriad factors that impede girls' educational advancement and have impact on their role in society overall. In this study, students also compare their educational experiences with those of Afghan girls.
The video clips provided in this lesson are from What Tomorrow Brings, a film about the first girls' school in a small Afghan village where education goes far beyond the classroom as the students discover the differences between the lives they were born into and the lives they dream of leading.
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By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Cite the educational opportunities young people generally have in the United States
- Recognize the obstacles Afghan girls face when it comes to education
- Compare and contrast U.S. and Afghan girls' educational opportunities
- Name some of the social, political and economic benefits educated girls can bring to Afghanistan (and/or other developing nations)
GRADE LEVELS: 6-8, 9-12
SUBJECT AREAS
Language Arts, Social Studies
MATERIALS
- Film clips from What Tomorrow Brings and equipment on which to show them
ESTIMATED TIME NEEDED
One 50-minute class period, plus homework
FILM CLIPS
Film clips provided with this lesson are from What Tomorrow Brings.
Clip 1: "Poisoning Hope" (6:25 min.)
The clip starts 3:12 with Pashtana saying, "My biggest hope is to finish school." It ends at 9:37 with a title card that reads, "In 2015 alone, attacks, threats and intimidation closed 213 schools in Afghanistan, affecting more than 50,000 girls."
Clip 2: "Holding Your Head Up High" (5:27 min.)
The clip starts at 10:00 with Sahib, the town mayor, greeting Razia. It ends at 15:27 with Pashtana's mother, Fatema, saying, "It's a great school."
Clip 3: "Rihala's Future" (3:55 min.)
The clip starts at 16:38 with Rihala getting her picture taken. It ends at 20:33 with Rihala saying, "Me, too."
Clip 4: "A Proud Moment" (3:50 min.)
The clip starts at 26:07 with girls playing outside and Nazima saying, "Welcome. Welcome, girls." It ends at 29:57 with Fazi saying, "This is a proud moment."
1. Start by asking students to work in pairs to discuss and list the educational opportunities available to students in the United States. They can begin with their experiences and/or reflect on specific categories, including educational requirements (compulsory education); access to education for all genders, races and ethnicities; benefits of education; transportation to and from school; availability of resources (computers, books); and community support of education.
2. Invite each group to post and present its list. Have the class review and present a basic analysis of the various listings and note, in short, how education in the United States can present numerous opportunities. (NOTE: Some findings might include inequities and challenges in the U.S. educational system, which students can revisit after they watch segments of What Tomorrow Brings.)
3. Ask students whether education around the world offers youth the same benefits/opportunities as education in the United States does. Students are likely to note that in some nations educational systems have a variety of deficits. Briefly discuss with them why this might be the case, and then focus the discussion on what they know about how schools function in Afghanistan.
4. Point to what students shared to introduce What Tomorrow Brings. Let students know that they are going to view clips from the film, which is about the Zabuli Education Center, the first girls' school in a small Afghan village. Tell students to think about the various educational opportunities they noted earlier as they watch Clips 1-4.
5. Have students discuss the clips using some or all of the following prompts. You can pick and choose from the prompts below to fit the level of your class (whether younger students in middle school or advanced high school students) and how much time you have.
Note: Many of these prompts come from the What Tomorrow Brings Educational Guide developed by the HotDocs Docs For Schools program. For additional prompts and lesson activity ideas, download the full guide at: http://assets.hotdocs.ca/doc/HD16_DFS_EDPKG_WHATTOMORROWBRINGS_FA.pdf.
- What about the clips resonated with you?
- Does anything you viewed in the clips remind you of your own experiences? What are the differences and/or similarities?
- What similarities and/or differences do you notice between how the young women in the film act and how you and your peers act? How about the teachers? Do any of the students or teachers remind you of your own peers or teachers? In what ways?
- What are the different issues and themes that surface in this film?
- What social and traditional obstacles and restrictions do the women in the film face, and why?
- What are women's expected roles in Afghanistan? How do the women in the film react to these expectations?
- Why are there increasing fears for girls' schools in Afghanistan, and what type of attacks have been made against these schools?
- What influence do the teachers at the school have on the students, and how do they support their dreams?
- For those girls in the film who do have some educational opportunities, what is the ultimate benefit of those opportunities in their lives, beyond school? What do girls' futures say about the status/quality of their educational experiences overall? Is an education enough to guarantee that they'll develop the skills and have opportunities for lifelong educational and professional success?
- How do the educational rights and freedoms of the girls in Afghanistan differ from your rights and freedoms? (Reflect on your earlier thoughts about education in the United States. Include any challenges or inequities to compare and contrast.)
- How would education ultimately benefit not only girls, but also Afghanistan at large (economically, politically, socially)?
6. Have students think about what it would take to transform perceptions of and access to education for girls in Afghanistan. Tell them they will present their ideas in the form of newspaper editorials or op-eds. Instruct them to map out strategies and arguments that they will use to write the editorials for homework.
Homework: Assign students to write the first drafts of their editorials or op-eds. For advanced classes (and if time permits), students might conduct additional research to learn about strategies in other nations that have bolstered girls' educational opportunities and the social, economic and political impact those opportunities have had. If you have time, the editorials can also be compiled and reviewed by the class to identify the various viewpoints and select those that could potentially be activated in Afghanistan's current climate.
1. International Status of Girls' Education
Have students examine the state of girls' education in countries around the world to determine how various nations approach education for girls, where policies and practices have supported girls' educational advancement and ongoing success and why some nations struggle with educating girls. Student groups can select one or two countries to examine. Break students into groups to identify those countries that have effectively worked toward achieving Target 3.A of the third United Nations Millennium Development Goals (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/gender.shtml): "Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015." Then have groups present and compare and contrast their findings.
The following sites provide helpful information:
- eGirl Power: "10 Facts on the Status of Girls Education in Developing Countries Today"
http://egirlpower.org/blog/10-facts-status-girls-education-developing-countries-today - Global Partnership for Education: "Girls' Education and Gender Equality"
http://www.globalpartnership.org/focus-areas/girls-education - UNESCO: "Girls' Education--The Facts"
https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/sites/gem-report/files/girls-factsheet-en.pdf - The World Bank: "Girls' Education"
http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/girlseducation
2. Over the Years: Women's Rights in Afghanistan
Work with students to research the evolution of women's rights in Afghanistan over the last century, with a specific eye toward major changes and their causes. Given this timeline, students should also reflect on the shape of women's rights in the nation in the future.
The following timeline from the PBS series Women, War & Peace can jumpstart students' research and thinking: "Timeline of Women's Rights in Afghanistan" http://www.pbs.org/wnet/women-war-and-peace/uncategorized/timeline-of-womens-rights-in-afghanistan/
3. The Impact of Educating Girls
Invite students, individually or in groups, to brainstorm the impact educating girls has on the individual, family, community and global level. Have students examine the following USAID infographic: "An Educated Girl Has a Ripple Effect in Her Family, Community and Country" https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1869/usaid_lgl_poster_web-ready.pdf.
Either in class or as homework, have students create written or visual reflections on the impact of educating girls. These can be in the form of essays, poems, fiction or nonfiction pieces, songs, photographs, paintings, drawings or work in other mediums. Students can choose the medium that best suits their messages.
4. Deep Dive Into What Tomorrow Brings
Screen the full film for students and use the HotDocs comprehensive teacher's guide, which includes pre- and post-viewing activities, discussion prompts, quotes from the film to explore, culminating activity ideas and more. Download the PDF at http://assets.hotdocs.ca/doc/HD16_DFS_EDPKG_WHATTOMORROWBRINGS_FA.pdf.
POV Resources
POV: What Tomorrow Brings
http://www.pbs.org/pov/whattomorrowbrings/ - The POV site has many features, including an interview with the filmmakers, a general discussion guide with additional information, resources and activity ideas, a reading list of suggested books and more.
POV: Media Literacy Questions for Analyzing POV Films http://www.pbs.org/pov/educators/media-literacy.php - This list of questions provides a useful starting point for leading rich discussions that challenge students to think critically about documentaries.
Film Related Websites
What Tomorrow Brings
http://www.whattomorrowbringsfilm.com/ - The film's official website offers information about the film and ways to get involved.
HotDocs Docs for Schools: What Tomorrow Brings Teacher's Guide
http://assets.hotdocs.ca/doc/HD16_DFS_EDPKG_WHATTOMORROWBRINGS_FA.pdf - This is a comprehensive viewing guide for use in the classroom, with pre- and post-viewing activities, discussion prompts, quotes from the film to explore, culminating activity ideas and more.
Principle Pictures
http://principlepictures.com/what-tomorrow-brings/ - The production company website provides information on the film and notes from the journal the filmmaker kept while in Afghanistan.
Razia's Ray of Hope Foundation
https://raziasrayofhope.org/ - The website for Razia Jan's foundation offers information on the Zabuli Education Center and ways to support the effort to educate Afghanistan's girls.
Articles and Information About Girls' Education
Amnesty International: Women's Rights in Afghanistan
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/cse/search/women%27s%20rights%20in%20Afghanistan
Brookings: "Expanding and Improving the Quality of Girls' Education in Afghanistan"
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2015/08/19/expanding-and-improving-the-quality-of-girls-education-in-afghanistan/
CNN: "Acid Attacks, Poison: What Afghan Girls Risk by Going to School"
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/02/world/meast/cnnheroes-jan-afghan-school/index.html
The GroundTruth Project: GroundTruth Podcast, Episode 4: "The Fight for Afghanistan's Girls"
http://thegroundtruthproject.org/groundtruth-episode-4/
Malala Fund: Girls' Education
https://www.malala.org/girls-education
Marie Claire: These Girls in Afghanistan Have Written Letters Begging to Go to College
http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/uncategorised/girls-in-afghanistan-have-written-letters-begging-to-go-to-college-65835
NPR: "#15Girls: Teens Taking Control and Changing Their Fate"
http://www.npr.org/series/446115168/-15girls
NPR: "Where Are They Now? Our #15Girls, A Year Later"
http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/10/10/497035273/where-are-they-now-our-15girls-a-year-later
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan: "Education and Healthcare at Risk: Key Trends and Incidents Affecting Children's Access to Healthcare and Education in Afghanistan" https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/education_and_healthcare_at_risk.pdf
UN Women: "In the Midst of War, a Women's Rights Warrior"
http://beijing20.unwomen.org/en/news-and-events/stories/2015/5/woa-afghanistan-habiba-sarabi
United States Institute of Peace: "Education in Afghanistan: Then and Now"
http://www.usip.org/events/education-in-afghanistan-then-and-now
USAID: "Afghanistan: Education"
https://www.usaid.gov/afghanistan/education
Yes! Magazine: "In a Place Where Teaching Girls Can Get You Poisoned, This Afghan Woman Got Men on Her Side"
http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/place-where-teaching-girls-poison-razia-jan-zabuli-men
Organizations
Global Partnership for Education
www.globalpartnership.org/education - The Global Partnership for Education makes the case for the right of every child to receive an education; for resources related specifically to girls' education, see www.globalpartnership.org/focus-areas/girls-education.
Let Girls Learn
https://letgirlslearn.gov/ - Let Girls Learn is a United States government initiative designed to ensure that adolescent girls get the education they deserve.
No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project
http://noceilings.org - This project uses a data-driven approach to gender equality.
Too Young to Wed
http://tooyoungtowed.org - Too Young to Wed is a multimedia partnership between the United Nations Population Fund and premier photo agency VII and seeks to raise awareness of the practice of child marriage.
United Nations Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI)
http://www.ungei.org/ - UNGEI strives to promote girls' education and gender equality through policy advocacy and support to governments and other development actors to deliver on gender- and education-related sustainable development goals.
USAID
https://www.usaid.gov/education - USAID is a U.S. government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. Its education programs work to reduce barriers to education for children around the world.
Women's Global Education Project
http://womensglobal.org/learn-more/ - This organization offers a summary of the benefits of educating girls on its website.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects (http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/)
SL.7.2 Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text or issue under study.
SL.8.2 Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.
SL.9-10.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
SL.11-12.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
W.6.1, W.7.1, W.8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.9-10.1.A Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons and evidence.
W.11-12.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (NCSS)
(http://www.socialstudies.org/standards & https://www.mhschool.com/socialstudies/2009/teacher/pdf/ncss.pdf)
Standard IV. Individual Development & Identity
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and identity, so that the learner can: e. identify and describe ways family, groups and community influence the individual's daily life and personal choices.
Standard V. Individuals, Groups & Institutions
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals, groups and institutions, so that the learner can:
b. give examples of and explain group and institutional influences such as religious beliefs, laws and peer pressure, on people, events and elements of culture;
c. identify examples of institutions and describe the interactions of people with institutions;
d. identify and describe examples of tensions between and among individuals, groups or institutions, and how belonging to more than one group can cause internal conflicts;
e. identify and describe examples of tensions between an individual's beliefs and government policies and laws;
g. show how groups and institutions work to meet individual needs and promote the common good, and identify examples of where they fail to do so.
Standard VI. Power, Authority & Governance
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority and governance, so that the learner can:
a. examine the rights and responsibilities of the individual in relation to his or her social group, such as family, peer groups and school class;
c. give examples of how government does or does not provide for the needs and wants of people, establish order and security and manage conflict;
f. identify and describe factors that contribute to cooperation and cause disputes within and among groups and nations;
h. recognize and give examples of the tensions between the wants and needs of individuals and groups, and concepts such as fairness, equity and justice.
Standard IX. Global Connections
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of global connections and independence, so that the learner can:
b. give examples of conflict, cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups and nations;
f. investigate concerns, issues, standards and conflicts related to universal human rights, such as the treatment of children, religious groups and effects of war.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michele Israel owns Educational Writing & Consulting (www.micheleisrael.com), where she works with large and small educational, nonprofit and media organizations to bolster products and programs. Her rich career spans more than 25 years of successful experience developing educational materials and resources, designing and facilitating training, generating communication materials and grant proposals and assisting in organizational and program development. Her long list of clients includes Tiffany & Co., Frost Valley YMCA, Teaching Tolerance, the Public Broadcasting Service, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, WETA Public Television, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Harm Reduction Coalition and IEEE.