Amina's Voice

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. What is a stereotype? What is the difference between stereotypes, discrimination, and prejudice? What are some ways that biased thinking and actions can impact people?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may struggle to articulate the differences among these terms clearly. The first resource in the list below is an excellent way to clear up any confusion. It is likely that students will focus their answers to the final question on the recipients of biased thoughts and actions--you might challenge them to think about how bias places limits on the functioning of our whole society and limits the potential of people who think and act in biased ways, as well.

• This 5-minute video offers an easy-to-understand and -remember explanation of the differences among stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination. (Note: Depending on context, this video may be more appropriate as a teacher-facing resource. Although it offers an excellent explanation for middle-grade students, it briefly references topics not appropriate for all classrooms.)
• This 2-minute video gently explains why all people have a tendency to think in stereotyped ways and provokes thought about how this can limit us.

2. What is “Islamophobia”? Is it an example of stereotype, prejudice, or discrimination, and why? What important facts about Muslim people does “Islamophobia” ignore?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may or may not know the term “Islamophobia,” but they can make a good guess as to its meaning by breaking the word into its constituent parts. Asking them to explain whether it is a stereotype, a prejudice, or a form of discrimination will help them consolidate their learning from the previous question by applying it in this new context. They may struggle to answer the final question fully, and even if you are asking for written answers, this final question may merit some discussion as you challenge them to think about the ways that Muslim people are similar to all other people and the tremendous diversity among Muslims. The resources below can offer students insight into this diversity and help them understand where “Islamophobia” originates and how it affects Muslim people.

• This 8-minute video from ABC News profiles Dearborn, Michigan, the largest concentration of Muslim people in the United States, and its struggle to overcome prejudice against Islam.
• This 6-minute video from CBS Sunday Morning profiles a man who once planned a violent attack against a Muncie, Indiana mosque and explains his subsequent radical change of heart.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Do you think that most people are affected by stereotypes? What is one thing that people might assume is true about you because of how you look or because of a group you belong to, but that just isn’t true? How does it make you feel when you think people might misjudge you or ignore your individual personality and abilities because of a stereotype?

Teaching Suggestion: For some students, this question will be easy to answer, but others might struggle. Ask them to think about gender, physical appearance, age, social class, and other sources of stereotypes that might not immediately come to mind. You can also urge them to think about stereotypes that are positive on the surface—"boys are good at math,” “Asians are smart” –but that are still harmful. Because this question asks students to think about something quite personal, those who face obstacles to sharing personal information might hesitate to participate in a discussion. If this prompt is used for class discussion, it may be helpful to have students write first and then share only what they are comfortable sharing, guiding the conversation to prevent students of any one demographic group from dominating the discussion.