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Nasreen's Secret School by Jeanette Winter.  Nasreen is a child living in Afghanistan.  Her parents are gone as a result of the Taliban.  Nasreen stops talking and smiling.  Her grandma finds a secret school for girls and sends Nasreen.  She finds her voice and her smile again. 

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Nasreen's Secret School by Jeanette Winter.  Nasreen is a child living in Afghanistan.  Her parents are gone as a result of the Taliban.  Nasreen stops talking and smiling.  Her grandma finds a secret school for girls and sends Nasreen.  She finds her voice and her smile again. 

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Renowned picture book creator Jeanette Winter tells the story of a young girl in Afghanistan who attends a secret school for girls.

Young Nasreen has not spoken a word to anyone since her parents disappeared.

In despair, her grandmother risks everything to enroll Nasreen in a secret school for girls. Will a devoted teacher, a new friend, and the worlds she discovers in books be enough to draw Nasreen out of her shell of sadness?

Based on a true story from Afghanistan, this inspiring book will touch readers deeply as it affirms both the life-changing power of education and the healing power of love.

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Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan

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Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan [Winter, Jeanette, Winter, Jeanette] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan

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One Green Apple by Eve Bunting.  This is a story about a child named Farah.  She is in a school with students who don't speak the same language as her.  She thinks America is very different than her home country, until they take a field trip to an apple orchard.  She hears familiar sounds and she realizes that even though her apple is the only green one, it combines with the other apples to make a delicious apple cider.

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One Green Apple by Eve Bunting.  This is a story about a child named Farah.  She is in a school with students who don't speak the same language as her.  She thinks America is very different than her home country, until they take a field trip to an apple orchard.  She hears familiar sounds and she realizes that even though her apple is the only green one, it combines with the other apples to make a delicious apple cider.

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Discover and share books you love on Goodreads.

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The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi.  Unhei is a child from Korea who is nervous that the kids at school won't be able to say her name.  She told her class that she will choose a name by the next week.  Her classmates give her suggestions of what name she should pick.  One of the kids from schools finds out her real name and what it means.  She decides to introduce herself to the class using her real name, Unhei. 

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The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi.  Unhei is a child from Korea who is nervous that the kids at school won't be able to say her name.  She told her class that she will choose a name by the next week.  Her classmates give her suggestions of what name she should pick.  One of the kids from schools finds out her real name and what it means.  She decides to introduce herself to the class using her real name, Unhei. 

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Discover and share books you love on Goodreads.

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Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan.  Esperanza is living in Mexico and has a wonderful life until her papa is killed.  Her uncles try and force her mama to marry one of them.  When she refuses they burn down Esperanza's home.  Esperanza and her family must leave Mexico and travel to America in order to be safe.  Although her life isn't as comfortable in America, Esperanza learns what is important in life.

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Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan.  Esperanza is living in Mexico and has a wonderful life until her papa is killed.  Her uncles try and force her mama to marry one of them.  When she refuses they burn down Esperanza's home.  Esperanza and her family must leave Mexico and travel to America in order to be safe.  Although her life isn't as comfortable in America, Esperanza learns what is important in life.

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Teaching Tools | Resources for Teachers from Scholastic

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Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan by Jeanette Winter is about a young girl named Malala.  She stood up for the rights of girls to receive an education. The Taliban said girls couldn't go to school but she went anyways. As a result of her bravery she was shot when she was 15 years old.  She survived being shot and continues to speak about the right of girls to get an education. 

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Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan by Jeanette Winter is about a young girl named Malala.  She stood up for the rights of girls to receive an education. The Taliban said girls couldn't go to school but she went anyways. As a result of her bravery she was shot when she was 15 years old.  She survived being shot and continues to speak about the right of girls to get an education. 

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Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan

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Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan has 551 ratings and 122 reviews. Krista the Krazy Kataloguer said: This was not as in...

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Inside out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai is a story about a little girl living in Saigon.  When the Vietnam war comes to her home Saigon falls.  Her family is forced to leave the only home they've known and go to America. 

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Inside out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai is a story about a little girl living in Saigon.  When the Vietnam war comes to her home Saigon falls.  Her family is forced to leave the only home they've known and go to America. 

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Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award!

Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee-fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama-this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration.

For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food . . . and the strength of her very own family.

This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it "enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny." An author's note explains how and why Thanhha Lai translated her personal experiences into Hà's story.

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Inside Out and Back Again - Thanhha Lai - Hardcover

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Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award! Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee-fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama-this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration.

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Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan is about a boy named Iqbal living in Pakistan.  When he was 4 years old his parents gave him to a carpet maker in exchange for a $12 loan.  Iqbal was chained to loom to make carpets.  He made 20 cents a day.  He was set free when he was 10 years old.  Iqbal spoke out against inhumane child slavery and was shot and killed when he was just 12 years old.

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Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan is about a boy named Iqbal living in Pakistan.  When he was 4 years old his parents gave him to a carpet maker in exchange for a $12 loan.  Iqbal was chained to loom to make carpets.  He made 20 cents a day.  He was set free when he was 10 years old.  Iqbal spoke out against inhumane child slavery and was shot and killed when he was just 12 years old.

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Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan

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Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan has 551 ratings and 122 reviews. Krista the Krazy Kataloguer said: This was not as in...

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I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai is a story about a girl named Malala who stood up to the Taliban.  She fought for her right, and all girls' rights, to go to school.  Even though girls were forbidden to attend school Malala went anyways. She was shot on her way home from school one day and almost died. This is a remarkable story about this girl who risked her life for the right to receive an education.

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I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai is a story about a girl named Malala who stood up to the Taliban.  She fought for her right, and all girls' rights, to go to school.  Even though girls were forbidden to attend school Malala went anyways. She was shot on her way home from school one day and almost died. This is a remarkable story about this girl who risked her life for the right to receive an education.

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I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Edu…

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I come from a country that was created at midnight. Whe…

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I Hate English by Ellen Levine is a book about a little girl who came to America from Hong Kong. She does not like the sounds of English.  In school everything happens in English.  She thinks the sounds don't go together like they do in Chinese. She loved speaking Chinese, writing in Chinese, and living in Hong Kong.  Her teacher helps her learn to speak in two languages.

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I Hate English by Ellen Levine is a book about a little girl who came to America from Hong Kong. She does not like the sounds of English.  In school everything happens in English.  She thinks the sounds don't go together like they do in Chinese. She loved speaking Chinese, writing in Chinese, and living in Hong Kong.  Her teacher helps her learn to speak in two languages.

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How did people escape on the Underground Railroad? What was it like to land on Ellis Island?How did it feel to travel the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon? Ellen Levine has revealed worldsof fascinating adventure with her nonfiction books for young readers.

Although Ellen Levine enjoys reading and writing fiction, most of her books for young readershave been nonfiction. "Writing nonfiction lets me in behind the scenes of the story. I enjoylearning new things and meeting new people, even if they lived 200 years ago."

"Real heroes," Levine says, "aren't necessarily on TV or in the news. They can be ordinarypeople who are willing to take risks for causes they believe in. Nonfiction offers a way tointroduce young readers to real people who have shown tremendous courage, even when facedwith great danger. All of us have the potential. And one doesn't have to be a grown-up," sheadds.

When she's not writing, Levine likes to share the excitement of research and the importance ofaccuracy with young readers. "Many young people think research is dull; you go to anencyclopedia, copy information, give it a title, and call it a report." Using her books asexamples, Ellen explains how to get other, more interesting information. "I may not mention theexact words, but I talk to young people about primary and secondary sources. If I'm speakingwith third graders, I ask them, 'Where would I go if I wanted to find out what it's like to be athird grader?' Most will say, 'Read a book.' But when they say, 'Ask a third grader,' I knowthey've understood what I mean by a primary source of inspiration."

For If You Were an Animal Doctor, for example, Ellen witnessed an emergency operation on acow. While doing research in Wyoming for Ready, Aim, Fire!, her biography of Annie Oakley,she got to hold the gun Ms. Oakley is believed to have shot in the presence of the Queen ofEngland. "It gave me such a strong feeling about this person," she says. "That's part of research,too."

Ellen Levine is the author of many acclaimed books, both fiction and nonfiction. Among them:If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon, If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island, I Hate English!, If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King, and Secret Missions. Her recent book, Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories, was named one of the Ten Best Children's Books of the Year by The New York Times, and Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association.

Ellen divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.

Steve Bjorkman is the celebrated illustrator of numerous books for children, including Jeff Foxworthy's New York Times bestsellering picture books DIRT ON MY SHIRT and SILLY STREET, as well as EMIILY'S EVERYDAY MANNERS by Cindy Post Senning and Peggy Post, and Jay McGraw's LIFE STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH BULLIES. He lives with his wife in California. SPLIT! SPLAT! is his first book with Scholastic Press.

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people & places - united states - asian american

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juvenile fiction / people & places / united states / asian american

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people & places - united states - asian american

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juvenile fiction / people & places / united states / asian american

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I Hate English! (A Blue Ribbon Book) [Ellen Levine, Steve Björkman] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. I Hate English! (A Blue Ribbon Book)

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My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits is a story about a little girl named Yoon.  Her family comes to the United States from Korea and she is having a hard time to adjusting to American life and speaking English.  She loves how her name looks when written in Korean.  She doesn't like how it looks when she writes it in English.  Yoon thinks about changing her name.

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My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits is a story about a little girl named Yoon.  Her family comes to the United States from Korea and she is having a hard time to adjusting to American life and speaking English.  She loves how her name looks when written in Korean.  She doesn't like how it looks when she writes it in English.  Yoon thinks about changing her name.

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My Name Is Yoon [Recorvits, Helen, Swiatkowska, Gabi] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. My Name Is Yoon

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Who Belongs Here?: An American Story by Margy Burns Knight.  This is the story of a boy who is forced to leave Cambodia because of the war. Both of his parents died so he comes to America with his grandma. Kids at school are not nice to him.  They tell him he should go back to where he belongs. His teacher does an interesting lesson with the class that makes all the kids realize they aren't so different than Nary. 

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Who Belongs Here?: An American Story by Margy Burns Knight.  This is the story of a boy who is forced to leave Cambodia because of the war. Both of his parents died so he comes to America with his grandma. Kids at school are not nice to him.  They tell him he should go back to where he belongs. His teacher does an interesting lesson with the class that makes all the kids realize they aren't so different than Nary. 

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united states - emigration and immigration

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education of socially divergent students

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juvenile fiction / people & places / general

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juvenile nonfiction / social topics / general (see also headings under family)

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Nary is a young boy fleeing war-torn Cambodia for safety in the U.S. To some of his classmates, however, he is a "chink" who should go back to where he belongs. But what if everyone whose family came from another place was forced to return to his or her homeland?

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The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter.  This story is about a librarian in Basra named Alia.  She hears that a war is coming to her city so she wants to move the books from the library so they are safe.  The governor says no.  Alia moves them anyways.  She risks her life in order to save the books.

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The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter.  This story is about a librarian in Basra named Alia.  She hears that a war is coming to her city so she wants to move the books from the library so they are safe.  The governor says no.  Alia moves them anyways.  She risks her life in order to save the books.

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the librarian of basra: a true story from iraq

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libraries - destruction and pillage - iraq - baosrah

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libraries - destruction and pillage - iraq - basrah

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juvenile fiction / people & places / middle east

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juvenile nonfiction / biography & autobiography / general

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juvenile nonfiction / biography & autobiography / women

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juvenile nonfiction / history / military & wars

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juvenile nonfiction / people & places / middle east

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juvenile nonfiction/people & places - middle east

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libraries - destruction and pillage - iraq - baosrah

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libraries - destruction and pillage - iraq - basrah

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile fiction / people & places / middle east

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction / biography & autobiography / general

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction / biography & autobiography / women

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction / history / military & wars

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction / people & places / middle east

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juvenile nonfiction/people & places - middle east

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The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq

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"In the Koran, the first thing God said to Muhammad was 'Read.'"* --Alia Muhammad Baker Alia Muhammad Baker is a librarian in Basra, Iraq. For fourteen years, her library has been a meeting place for those who love books. Until now. Now war has come, and Alia fears that the library--along with th...

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Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai. This is a story about a 12 year old boy named Fadi. He lives in Afghanistan.  Fadi's parents decide to take the entire family to America due to the war and the Taliban.  During their travels they lose their little sister Mariam and she is left in Afghanistan alone. Fadi believes it was his fault that she was left in Afghanistan and tries everything to find her and bring her back to be with the rest of the family.

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Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai. This is a story about a 12 year old boy named Fadi. He lives in Afghanistan.  Fadi's parents decide to take the entire family to America due to the war and the Taliban.  During their travels they lose their little sister Mariam and she is left in Afghanistan alone. Fadi believes it was his fault that she was left in Afghanistan and tries everything to find her and bring her back to be with the rest of the family.

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afghan americans - california - san francisco bay area

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juvenile fiction / family / general (see also headings under social themes)

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juvenile fiction / people & places / middle east

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juvenile fiction / social themes / emigration & immigration

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juvenile fiction / social themes / prejudice & racism

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juvenile fiction/people & places - united states - asian american

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social themes - emigration & immigration

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In the summer of 2001, twelve year old Fadi's parents make the difficult decision to illegally leave Afghanistan and move the family to the United States. When their underground transport arrives at the rendezvous point, chaos ensues, and Fadi is left dragging his younger sister Mariam thro...

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Brothers in Hope: The Story of The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams. Garang is an 8 year old boy living in the Sudan. Both of his parents are gone because of the Civil War. He meets other kids who also have no home.  Eventually there are thousands of boys walking together. They walk miles and miles to try and find a safe place to live.  They go first to Ethiopia then to Kenya. These boys become known as The Lost Boys of the Sudan.

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Brothers in Hope: The Story of The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams. Garang is an 8 year old boy living in the Sudan. Both of his parents are gone because of the Civil War. He meets other kids who also have no home.  Eventually there are thousands of boys walking together. They walk miles and miles to try and find a safe place to live.  They go first to Ethiopia then to Kenya. These boys become known as The Lost Boys of the Sudan.

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Rain School by James Rumford is the story about kids living in Chad in Africa.  The kids are so excited to start school.  When they get to school they find the teacher waiting for them.  Their first lesson is that they have to build the school themselves.  they make the school, the chairs, and the desks out of mud.  They learn for 9 months until the rainy season starts.  When the rain comes the school is washed away. When they begin school the following year they will have to rebuild everything again.

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Rain School by James Rumford is the story about kids living in Chad in Africa.  The kids are so excited to start school.  When they get to school they find the teacher waiting for them.  Their first lesson is that they have to build the school themselves.  they make the school, the chairs, and the desks out of mud.  They learn for 9 months until the rainy season starts.  When the rain comes the school is washed away. When they begin school the following year they will have to rebuild everything again.

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Rain School book. Read 146 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. It is the first day of school in Chad, Africa. Children are filling th...

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A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park.  This book combines two stories.  One story is about Nya, a girl whose family is living in the Sudan in 2008.  She has to walk miles every day to get water for her family.  The other story is about Salva, an 11 year old living in the Sudan in the 1980s.  The war took away Salva's home and he had to walk miles and miles to find safety. Nya's and Salva's stories intersect in a surprising way.

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A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park.  This book combines two stories.  One story is about Nya, a girl whose family is living in the Sudan in 2008.  She has to walk miles every day to get water for her family.  The other story is about Salva, an 11 year old living in the Sudan in the 1980s.  The war took away Salva's home and he had to walk miles and miles to find safety. Nya's and Salva's stories intersect in a surprising way.

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A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story

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Read 10.8k reviews from the world’s largest community for readers. A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about a girl i…

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Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey by Margriet Ruurs is about a young girl living in Syria.  When war comes to Syria and bombs almost hit her home, her family is forced to leave.  They leave their home and head for Europe.

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Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey by Margriet Ruurs is about a young girl living in Syria.  When war comes to Syria and bombs almost hit her home, her family is forced to leave.  They leave their home and head for Europe.

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stepping stones: a refugee family's journey (arabic and english edition)

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social themes - emigration & immigration

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juvenile fiction / family / multigenerational

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juvenile fiction / people & places / middle east

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juvenile fiction / social themes / emigration & immigration

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juvenile fiction/people & places - middle east

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Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey (Arabic and English Edition)

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This unique picture book was inspired by the stone artwork of Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr, discovered by chance by Canadian children's writer Margriet Ruurs. The author was immediately impressed by the strong narrative quality of Mr. Badr's work, and, using many of Mr. Badr's already-created pie...

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The Journey by Francesca Sanna. A family has to make the extremely difficult decision to leave their country after their father is killed.  They have to escape the war and all of the dangers that come with it. The story is based on a few different true stories of refugees and their journeys.

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The Journey by Francesca Sanna. A family has to make the extremely difficult decision to leave their country after their father is killed.  They have to escape the war and all of the dangers that come with it. The story is based on a few different true stories of refugees and their journeys.

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The Journey has 1,403 ratings and 374 reviews. Amy | shoutame said: An extremely beautiful tale told through the eyes of a family who need to uproot from...

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The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Amira is a 12 year old who lives in a village in the Sudan. She really wants to learn to read and write but her mother says no.  She says she is a woman so she should get married and have kids, not learn. Janjaweed attackers come to her village and do horrible things. They travel to a refugee camp.  Amira starts feeling better when someone gives her a pad of paper and a red pencil.  She decides she is going to travel through a war zone to be able to go to a school. 

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The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Amira is a 12 year old who lives in a village in the Sudan. She really wants to learn to read and write but her mother says no.  She says she is a woman so she should get married and have kids, not learn. Janjaweed attackers come to her village and do horrible things. They travel to a refugee camp.  Amira starts feeling better when someone gives her a pad of paper and a red pencil.  She decides she is going to travel through a war zone to be able to go to a school. 

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4.5
What a quietly poetical and soothing story.
Red Pencil tells the story in free verses of Amira, of her desire for more, her hunger to learn, to discover. Through her eyes we are told the story of her parents, her family, her village, Sudanese war.
I found myself more and more attracted to middle grade books written in verse, it conveys so much with little words. This one was no exception for me. The poetry was not breathtaking but always tender, sweet and heartbreaking at times.
I am so happy...more

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4.5What a quietly poetical and soothing story. Red Pencil tells the story in free verses of Amira, of her desire for more, her hunger to learn, to discover. Through her eyes we are told the story of her parents, her family, her village, Sudanese war.I found myself more and more attracted to middle grade books written in verse, it conveys so much with little words.

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Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins. This is a story about a Burmese boy named Chiko.  He isn't allowed to read or write, even though he knows how.  He has to hide the newspaper so soldiers don't see him reading.  He is forced into the military and to fight for the Burmese.  He meets another teenage boy named Tu Reh.  Tu Reh is Karreni but decides to help Chiko. It is very dangerous for Tu Reh to help Chiko but he does so anyways.

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Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins. This is a story about a Burmese boy named Chiko.  He isn't allowed to read or write, even though he knows how.  He has to hide the newspaper so soldiers don't see him reading.  He is forced into the military and to fight for the Burmese.  He meets another teenage boy named Tu Reh.  Tu Reh is Karreni but decides to help Chiko. It is very dangerous for Tu Reh to help Chiko but he does so anyways.

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children's / teenage fiction & true stories

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children's / teenage fiction: general fiction

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children's / teenage social issues: war & conflict issues

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juvenile fiction / action & adventure / survival stories

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juvenile fiction / people & places / asia

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juvenile fiction / readers / chapter books

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juvenile fiction / social themes / prejudice & racism

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juvenile fiction / social themes / violence

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juvenile fiction/social themes - prejudice & racism

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myanmar;coming of age;refugees;war;burma;karenni;current events;repression;military regime;child soldier;middle grade;friendship;modern history;books for kids age 9 12;books for boys age 9 12;kids books ages 9-12;childrens books by age 9 to 12;books for girls age 9 12;books for 10 year old boys;books for 10 year old girls;books for 12 year old girls;books for 9 year old girls;books for 12 year old boys;books for 11 year old girls;books for 11 year old boys;books for 9 year old boys

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social issues: war & conflict issues (children's / teenage)

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young adult fiction / action & adventure / survival stories

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young adult fiction / people & places / asia

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juvenile fiction / action & adventure / survival stories

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juvenile fiction / people & places / asia

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juvenile fiction / readers / chapter books

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juvenile fiction / social themes / prejudice & racism

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juvenile fiction / social themes / violence

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juvenile fiction/social themes - prejudice & racism

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young adult fiction / action & adventure / survival stories

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young adult fiction / people & places / asia

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children's / teenage fiction & true stories

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social issues: war & conflict issues (children's / teenage)

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children's / teenage fiction: general fiction

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children's / teenage social issues: war & conflict issues

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A refugee and child soldier challenge the rules of war in this coming-of-age novel set against the political and military backdrop of modern-day Burma. Chiko isn't a fighter by nature. He's a book-loving Burmese boy whose father, a doctor, is in prison for resisting the government. Tu...

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Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Ballerina by Michaela DePrince and Elaine DePrince. Michaela DePrince was living in Sierra Leone during the war. She has a skin condition and was seen as a 'demon child' and was abandoned. She was adopted by an American family when she was 4 years old. She has become a fairly famous ballerina and recently appeared in Beyonce's 'Lemonade'.

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Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Ballerina by Michaela DePrince and Elaine DePrince. Michaela DePrince was living in Sierra Leone during the war. She has a skin condition and was seen as a 'demon child' and was abandoned. She was adopted by an American family when she was 4 years old. She has become a fairly famous ballerina and recently appeared in Beyonce's 'Lemonade'.

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Taking Flight has 2,072 ratings and 385 reviews. Ellis said: This is somewhat of a personal review - at one remove, as I am married to the magical balle...

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Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes. This is a story about a family living in Mosul, Iraq.  When they are forced to leave their home they decide to bring their family cat with them, Kunkush. They take a car, they walk for some of the journey, then they take a boat. On the boat the cat escapes and the family loses him. Workers in Greece find the cat and work for months to try and find the family.  Through social media and the news they are able to find the family and reunite them with the cat.

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Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes. This is a story about a family living in Mosul, Iraq.  When they are forced to leave their home they decide to bring their family cat with them, Kunkush. They take a car, they walk for some of the journey, then they take a boat. On the boat the cat escapes and the family loses him. Workers in Greece find the cat and work for months to try and find the family.  Through social media and the news they are able to find the family and reunite them with the cat.

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The true story about one cat's journey to be reunited with his war-torn family has been seen by millions of people and is now a heartwarm...

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Do young people have the ability to create change in our world?
Can a children's book change the world?

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How important is it to be kind?
What does it mean to be a refugee?
What does it mean to be an immigrant?
What are the unexpected consequences of being displaced?
What if everyone whose ancestors came from another country was forced to return to his or her homeland?  Who would be left?

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What is the cost of war?
Who is impacted the most by war?
What other reasons may displace a family from their home?

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Diane Sawyer interviews Malala. She gives a background of Malala's history. They talk about how she may be the bravest girl in the world. She discusses what she is afraid of and how brave she has to be to stand up for what she believes in.

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Diane Sawyer Sits Down With the Inspirational Malala Yousafzai

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This is a video about the courage Iqbal showed. It also talks about what he went through in his 6 years of slavery.

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This is a video of refugee children sharing what their favorite things are.  This is a good video to show that no matter where kids come from they may be more similar than they thing.  For example a lot of the kids like pizza and Tom and Jerry.

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This is a video of refugee children sharing what their favorite things are.  This is a good video to show that no matter where kids come from they may be more similar than they thing.  For example a lot of the kids like pizza and Tom and Jerry.

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These Refugee Children Share What They Love Most | World Refugee Day | NowThis

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The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) asked these refugee children what they love the most and the answers are a reminder of how we are all the same.

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Malala Yousafzai by Readworks. This is an article about Malala and her bravery.  It gives an overview of what she believed in and how her family felt about what she was doing.

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Assign articles and research-based reading comprehension curriculum to your students at www.readworks.org, completely free.

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This is a video created by educators. It gives a background of the Syrian Refugee crisis and why there are so many refugees coming from that country.

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Teaching and Learning about the Syrian Refugee Crisis

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Growing up in Darfur: Sudanese Children Struggle to Survive. This is a story about a girl named Sumaya who was living in a village in the Sudan in 2003 when her village was attacked. She walked 100 miles with her family. The article highlights the struggles that people often place living in refugee camps.

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Improve your students' reading comprehension with ReadWorks. Access thousands of high-quality, free K-12 articles, and create online assignments with them for your students.

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Waiting for the BiblioBurro by Monica Brown.  Ana is a young girl who owns one book.  She desperately wants more books.  Her teacher moved away and now there isn't anyone to teach the children. A traveling Biblioburro comes to her village to let kids borrow books.  Now Ana has the opportunity to read a variety of books and she is so happy! 

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Waiting for the BiblioBurro by Monica Brown.  Ana is a young girl who owns one book.  She desperately wants more books.  Her teacher moved away and now there isn't anyone to teach the children. A traveling Biblioburro comes to her village to let kids borrow books.  Now Ana has the opportunity to read a variety of books and she is so happy! 

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Ana loves stories. She often makes them up to help her little brother fall asleep. But in her small village there are only a few books an...

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This is a video from ABC. They included footage from years ago that led to war. It interviews boys that were a part of the Lost Boys of Sudan. They talk about everything they lost and the hardships they faced.

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This is a video of kids from Syria explaining the war and why they left. One child talks about how his father went to work one day and was killed. Another child talks about how he was injured by a shell and he was in a place where he didn't know anyone.

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This video shows Salva Dut. It gives a background on what caused him to lose his home in 1985. It shows how The Lost Boys of the Sudan came to be. Salva Dut was selected for resettlement in the US. He talks about what it was like when he first got to America. He also talks about how his father was sick from drinking bad water. It also talks about why Salva started his project, Water for Sudan.

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1) I will have a refugee or immigrant come and tell his/her story (hopefully a relative of one of my students). They can tell the story of why they had to leave their home

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This is a smart board activity that allows students to go through the steps of decision making that refugees make. They are able to choose a 'character' that they will use to go through the simulation.

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The Syrian conflict has torn the country apart, leaving thousands dead and driving millions to flee their homes. Many seek refuge in neighbouring countries but others pay traffickers to take them to Europe - risking death, capture and deportation.

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Syrian Journey: Choose your own escape route

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The Syrian conflict has torn the country apart, leaving thousands dead and driving millions to flee their homes. Many seek refuge in neighbouring countries but others pay traffickers to take them to Europe - risking death, capture and deportation.

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Students will write a diary as though they are a Syrian refugee teenager that is about to flee their country. This will be done after they complete the Syrian Journey activity.

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Coming to the USA by Readworks. This is an article about two girls from Somalia who came to the United States in 2000. They left their country because of famine and war. For many years they didn't have a permanent home.

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Improve your students' reading comprehension with ReadWorks. Access thousands of high-quality, free K-12 articles, and create online assignments with them for your students.

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The Lost Boys of the Sudan. This is an article that gives a background about these boys. The vocabulary in this article is above grade level but the students' background knowledge should help in their understanding of this article.

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[ Contents] - [ Next Page] - [ Previous Page]

Panel 3

Since 1983, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Sudanese Government have been at war in southern Sudan. The conflict has already claimed more than 500,000 lives and displaced huge numbers of people. Among these were at least 20,000 children, mostly boys, between 7 and 17 years of age who were separated from their families. These 'lost boys' of the Sudan trekked enormous distances over a vast unforgiving wilderness, seeking refuge from the fighting. Hungry, frightened and weakened by sleeplessness and disease, they crossed from the Sudan into Ethiopia and back, with many dying along the way. The survivors are now in camps in Kenya, the Sudan and Uganda.

Photo: After years of separation, a Sudanese mother and son are finally reunited. ©

This extraordinary exodus has its origins in traditional forms of migration. After being initiated into manhood, young adolescent boys in southern Sudan have generally been quite mobile. Organized into small groups of their peers, they would leave home for a period to look after cattle. Or they might head for the towns or cities to go to school or to seek their fortune, before eventually returning home. In addition, at times of stress families all over Africa send their children elsewhere to find safety, food, work and schooling.

But during the war this process has escalated dramatically. Fearing they would be targeted as potential combatants, many boys left their villages and headed for cities such as Juba and Khartoum. Here they hoped to find work or schooling, though as these cities became saturated with migrants, the boys often had to resort to begging or petty crime.

Others set out for refugee camps in Ethiopia. Some travelled with friends or relatives, others slipped away on their own at night. Few had any idea of what lay ahead of them. They believed the trek would last only a few days and discovered that they faced a harrowing journey of 6 to 10 weeks. Continually under threat, they would flee for their lives, losing their way in the wilderness. Often they lost everything en route—blankets, sheets, shoes, clothes and pots—to soldiers, swindlers or bandits. Many fell victim to killer diseases. Others were so weakened by hunger and lack of sleep that they could go no further and sat down by the roadside—prey for lions and other animals.

The survivors who reached the camps in Ethiopia started to lead a relatively peaceful life. But it was not to last. Following the change of government in Ethiopia in May 1991 they had to flee again, back to camps in the Sudan. This time the journey was during heavy rains, and many perished crossing the swollen rivers or were hit by aerial bombardment. The luckier ones made it to a camp where they received help from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

This relative security was shattered again late in 1991 when fighting erupted around them, and they and children from other camps were on the move once more, eventually heading for Kenya.

Since 1992, UNICEF has managed to reunite nearly 1,200 boys with their families. But approximately 17,000 remain in camps in the region. The harsh memories remain as well. As 14-year-old Simon Majok puts it: "We were suffering because of war. Some have been killed. Some have died because of hunger and disease. We children of the Sudan, we were not lucky."

[Next Page] - [Go to top of page] - [Previous Page]

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Contents] - [ Next Page] - [ Previous Page] Panel 3 Since 1983, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Sudanese Government have been at war in southern Sudan. The conflict has already claimed more than 500,000 lives and displaced huge numbers of people.

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This is an article about Michaela DePrince done by NBC. The article summarizes an interview with her. She talks about her life in the orphanage and the horrible things she both saw and endured. The article also talks her overcoming bullies and harassment when it came to dancing. People said horrible things to her, even adults.

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"They kept saying, 'Why would somebody want to adopt the Devil's Child," DePrince says now.

"So they ranked us, like number one was the favorite child and number 27 was the least favorite... I was number 27." That meant she was the last child to get food at dinner, the last to receive clothing. She got rags.

She had only one friend at the orphanage - number 26, also named Mabinty. She was way down in the pecking order, simply because she was left-handed and wet the bed. The two looked out for each other and comforted each other. Mabinty number 26 would sing songs when number 27 struggled to fall asleep at night.

"She was at fault for almost everything in the orphanage," number 26 says. "So instead of having her be timed-out by herself, we decided that we would both take the blame for it."

It was a bleak existence. But one day, Mabinty number 27 made a discovery that would change her life. A gust of wind blew an old magazine up against the gate outside the orphanage and she found it. It was a magazine called "Dance Magazine" with a photo on the cover of a white ballerina in a pink tutu, standing on her toes. Mabinty had never seen anything like it before.
Related: The 'Adultification' of Black Girls: Less Protection, More Discipline
"It was not just the fact that she's a ballerina. It's that she looks happy. And I wanted to be happy," DePrince says. "If what she was doing made her happy, that's what I wanted to do... So I took the cover off and I put it in my underwear, because that was the only... safe space."

She showed the magazine to a beloved teacher who explained that what the woman was doing was called "ballet" and she was a "ballerina." For the first time in her life, Mabinty Bangura had something to dream about. But first she had to withstand a few nightmares.

Outside the orphanage, a group of rebels attacked that favorite teacher of hers. The teacher was pregnant. Mabinty ran out to try and intervene but she couldn't stop the horror.

"They cut her stomach open because... they had a bet-they wanted to know if it was a girl or boy. And so they decided to find out," DePrince says.

Then a rebel boy turned on Mabinty, slicing her stomach with a machete. She was spared only because a night watchman at the orphanage begged for her life.

"When I got stabbed, I was really hoping - I felt very much alone," DePrince recounts through tears. "I really wanted to die. I didn't see the point. I didn't think I would have anything good in my life at all. I think it's really sad that a child at three years old already wants to die...I mean, the ballerina on the front of the magazine gave me hope, but it didn't mean that it'd be a reality at all."

Shortly after that, she learned that Americans were coming to adopt the orphans. Her best friend-number 26-was one of the lucky ones, chosen by a family who sent a book of photos. But no one was coming for number 27.

Michaela DePrince (L) with adopted sister NBC

At least, not at first.

Thousands of miles away, in New Jersey, Elaine DePrince and her husband Charles had sent that photo book to number 26. Elaine and her husband Charles had adopted before - three American boys. Tragically, they all would die of AIDS from contaminated blood. After the first two deaths, Elaine was heartbroken, but she wasn't going to let that stop her from living and loving. One of the sons who had died had urged them to adopt from a war-torn country in Africa.
Related: Meet The Black Woman Reclaiming the Narrative of the Civil War
"And then i got a call from the adoption agency," Elaine DePrince says. They asked her, "Which Mabinty are you adopting? We have two of them."

Elaine was told that twelve families had refused to take the other Mabinty - Number 27 - because of her vitiligo. Elaine's answer was immediate.

"I said, 'We'll take her.' I said 'I really don't have a problem with spots, after dealing with AIDS.'"

When Elaine arrived in Africa to adopt both 4-year-olds, she was the one who broke the unexpectedly good news to Number 27.

"She was standing there with her arms folded really angry. I think... she just thought there was gonna be more rejection ahead of her," Elaine says.

Michaela finishes the story: "Then she takes our hands and she says 'I'm your new mama.'"

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How Michaela DePrince went from an orphanage in Sierra Leone to world class ballerina

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"They kept saying, 'Why would somebody want to adopt the Devil's Child," DePrince says now. "So they ranked us, like number one was the favorite child and number 27 was the least favorite... I was number 27." That meant she was the last child to get food at dinner, the last to receive clothing.

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This article is called Providing support and education for refugee children in the U.S.. It talks about what refugee children are going to and what we can do to help. Although the article is intended for adults it would be something helpful for students to read. It will help them know what to expect and give them some ideas on how they can help.

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Daily Video

In the United States, where hundreds of thousands of people arrive each year seeking safety and opportunities for their families, education becomes one of the biggest challenges for refugee children.

Many refugees come to Houston, Texas because of the relative affordability and welcoming and supportive local environment. Many new refugee and immigrant children enroll at Las Americas Newcomer School, where they receive help learning English and getting accustomed to American culture.

Students at the school come from more than 32 countries and speak nearly 30 different languages at any given time, according to Principal Marie Moreno.

"Coming in with not knowing the language, not knowing the culture, it just takes them at least a year or two just to kind of acclimate," said Moreno.

Students are grouped by English language proficiency when they arrive. Moreno invests in technology to help bridge the language barrier between students and teachers.

Many of the students wrestle with more than just language barriers. The emotional toll of whatever they experience before their arrival in the U.S. and homesickness make the transition even harder for some.

"I'm seeing kids who don't know who they are," said Sarah Howell, the leader of a team of social workers at the school. "Our refugee kids may not have ever had an identity."

Most students only stay for a year before transitioning into traditional public schools in the area.

Moreno said she and the school are preparing for more refugee children expected to arrive in Houston in the coming months, many likely coming from Syria.

Vocab

English Language Learner - abbreviated "ELL," students who are learning the English language in addition to their native language

integrate - bring (people or groups) into equal participation in or membership of society or an institution

1. What challenges do you think refugees face when they move to a new country?

2. Should the U.S. welcome refugee children from war-torn countries?

3. Describe your ideal school environment if you moved to another country where you didn't speak the language.

Critical thinking questions

1. Do you think more schools or programs need to be created to accommodate the growing number of refugee children? Explain.

2. Why is it important for teachers to receive special training in order to best educate refugee students?

3. What are some ways schools can make the transition for refugee children easier?

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Providing support and education for refugee children in the U.S. | PBS NewsHour Extra

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In the United States, where hundreds of thousands of people arrive each year seeking safety and opportunities for their families, education becomes one of the biggest challenges for refugee children. Many refugees come to Houston, Texas because of the relative affordability and welcoming and supportive local environment.

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Students will create an x-ray for one of the brave characters we read about. They will include their character traits and things that we can't see from the outside (courage, bravery, smart).

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1) How can we make a difference in the Sudan? I will have students brainstorm a project they could do to help the people of Sudan. (A walkathon holding gallons of water to raise money, a penny drive, a water bottle drive, etc.)

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We can discuss as a class ways we could make refugees and immigrants feel welcome at school (learn how to say hello in different languages, have posters in different languages, etc.) Let students create the materials that are needed to welcome refugees and immigrants.

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Have students find out where they are from. Have them create a blog post about what it is like in the country their ancestors came from currently. Then they will post about what they feel like having to move back, the things they might experience attending school in another country, etc. Students will interact with the other students' blog posts.

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Armando and the Blue Tarp School by Edith Hope Fine and Judith Pinkerton Josephson. In Armando's neighborhood there is a makeshift school that happens on a blue tarp. Armando isn't allowed to go to school because he has to help his dad go through the garbage to find stuff his family can use. Armando's family finally agrees to let him go to school and he couldn't be happier!

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Armando and the Blue Tarp School by Edith Hope Fine and Judith Pinkerton Josephson. In Armando's neighborhood there is a makeshift school that happens on a blue tarp. Armando isn't allowed to go to school because he has to help his dad go through the garbage to find stuff his family can use. Armando's family finally agrees to let him go to school and he couldn't be happier!

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Armando and the Blue Tarp School is a children's picturebook based on true events. An upbeat book about hope for the future. Especially recommended as a way to remind young boys and girls how lucky they are to have the opportunity to learn.

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Is education a privilege or a right?
Why are girls not allowed to get an education in some places?
Do kids in America take their education for granted?

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Putting Principles into Practice for Out of School Children in East Asia. The blog post talks about children whose villages are located in remote locations on the side of mountains so it is difficult for them to receive an education.

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A boarding house run by a Thai man and his wife is all that is keeping 46 hill tribe children in Thailand's northernmost province of Chiang Rai from joining the millions of out-of-school children in Southeast Asia.

Like many of those children, the educational opportunities open to the young learners at the "Home for Hill Tribe Students" are limited by distance.

The children who live there belong to the Lahu, Akha and Karen tribes and come from 18 villages high up in the mountains of Mae Suai. "These villages are very far. It is impossible for the children to go to school since they would have to travel 10-25 kilometers," says Yodying Kongsasemtara, 34, who along with his wife runs the boarding house located near a Thai public school. "That is why the parents send them to stay with me."

Established in 1978, the Home for Hill Tribe Students is a second home to these children in Chiang Rai, one of Thailand's most ethnically and culturally diverse areas. Bordered by Myanmar and Lao PDR, the province is home to more than 212,000 non-Thais and hill tribes from at least 10 ethnic groups. Many of them live in under-resourced highland and border areas of this northernmost province.

Distance and limited access to public services mean that the majority of the hill tribe labor force is uneducated, placing them at a greater risk of living in poverty with little access to adequate health care.

A region's challenges

Across ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries, more than 10 million primary and lower secondary school-aged children are out of school.

As we pursue Education 2030's vision of "inclusive and equitable quality education" and "lifelong learning opportunities for all", we must respond to this challenge.

The ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Education for Out-of-School Children and Youth, agreed to by the heads of all member states in 2016, is predicated on the belief that the benefits of education should transcend borders and demographics. It reflects a consensus to strengthen cooperation on education within ASEAN and to develop sustainable strategies to respond to barriers to quality basic education.

UNESCO, the ASEAN Secretariat, and UNICEF's East Asia and Pacific Regional Office have organized two workshops in 2017, during which member states developed a national action plan framework, as well as concrete regional and national plans and activities.

The third workshop held last week in Jakarta, Indonesia, reviewed three regional project proposals: a regional inclusive equivalency framework; advocacy for the ASEAN Declaration; and statistical monitoring/evaluation enhancement for out-of-school children and youth. This workshop also looked beyond ASEAN to include the grouping's official Dialogue Partners - 10 countries, including Canada, Germany, Japan, Norway and the Republic of Korea.

From declaration to grassroots dedication

As crucial as these concerted efforts are to advancing the declaration's principles at the education-system level, there is also a need for everyone - governments, local communities, children, parents and teachers - to play their parts.

To put the principles of the Declaration into practice, UNESCO and Educate a Child have been assisting ASEAN member states in promoting education for marginalized out-of-school children.

In Thailand, UNESCO Bangkok and Educate a Child support an equivalency program at the primary level conducted at schools and migrant learning centers along the Thai-Myanmar border. The curriculum is recognized by the ministries of education of Thailand and Myanmar, providing opportunities for migrant and undocumented children to continue in both formal and non-formal education systems in both countries.

UNESCO and Educate a Child also support grassroots efforts of people whose work embodies the spirit of the ASEAN Declaration, such as the Home for Hill Tribe Students run by Yodying and his wife.

Yodying, himself a member of the Lahu tribe and a former resident of the home, and his wife, have been running the boarding house for the past 14 years. He receives only 4,000 baht (US$120) per child a year from the families of the children under his care, who stay with him full-time, returning to their villages once a month.

"This year we have 46 children between 5 to 13 years old," he said. "Their parents are very busy working in the field and have no time to take care of them. They also would like their children to learn Lahu language."

Yodying's schedule revolves around the children's needs - making two trips in his pickup to drop the children off at school, and then turning his attention during the day to tending to the vegetables, pigs, chicken and catfish he keeps to ensure the children have nutritious food. Weekends are spent teaching the children life skills and ensuring that they keep their mother tongue through language lessons.

For Yodying, the benefits of inclusive, equitable education are not abstract principles espoused in a declaration - they're his reality. He also grew up at the Home for Hill Tribe Students and went on to higher education in Chiang Mai before returning to share education's benefits with a new generation. "I like to be around the kids. I want to teach them to become good persons who are proud of their cultural identity," says Yodying.

UNESCO Bangkok, in collaboration with the Chiang Rai Provincial Office of the Non-Formal and Informal Education, and with funding from Educate a Child, support the Home for Hill Tribe Students' efforts to enroll out-of-school hill tribe children in school through the Strengthening Education Systems for Out-of-School Children initiative.

Related articles:

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Putting principles into practice for out-of-school children in Southeast Asia

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A boarding house welcomes 46 hill tribe children in Thailand in an effort to prevent them from joining the millions of out-of-school children in Southeast Asia.

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Do Refugee Children Have a Right to Education? This blog post discusses the question 'is education a right?' and specifically in regards to refugee children.

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As a Palestinian refugee in Syria, and later a Palestinian/Syrian refugee in Lebanon, I have had my fair share of forced migration and obstacles growing up. Before leaving Syria, I had just finished high school and had been accepted to the school of aviation engineering in Aleppo.

However, due to the unrest in the city, I was unable to attend and decided to leave to Lebanon. There, I struggled for the first six months and had to work to support myself and pay rent. It wasn't until I began working with Jusoor that my life took a turn in a positive direction.

Finding support to continue my education

Jusoor is a non-profit organization that focuses on helping Syrian youth discover their potential through education programs. Through my hard work and dedication, I was able to receive a scholarship and begin studying at one of the most prestigious universities in Lebanon, after I thought I would never be able to continue my education.

In addition to studying, I continued working with Jusoor. This work and my own experiences have provided me with a very personal point of view on topics relating to refugee education.

Is education really a right? Often, I think to myself and wonder - where I would be now if I was not able to continue my education?

Where would I be if, like countless other Syrian refugees before me, I could not get a scholarship, could not work, or worst of all, could not leave Syria in the depths of the ongoing war?

In a parallel universe, I may not be here today to write this post, or may not speak anything other than my native Arabic. However, as one of the lucky ones, I think it is important for me to talk about these things that many of us take for granted.

According to Human Rights Watch, more than half of school-aged Syrian children registered in Lebanon are not enrolled in formal education. Syria, a country that once had the highest school enrollment rate in the Arab world, now has a rate of lower than 50%. About four million Syrian children and youth aged 5-17 years are in need of education assistance, including 2.1 million out-of-school children inside Syria and 700,000 Syrian children in neighboring countries.

Educating refugee children so that they can help rebuild their countries

A group of students playing during their break at one of our schools.

Before beginning the discussion on the power of educators and volunteers in a non-formal education context, it is worth taking a look at the importance of education for refugee children. Unfortunately, in today's society, education is a privilege rather than a right.

However, the benefits of education are bountiful. Most children fleeing from war are at a vulnerable and critical age of development. It is crucial to supply them with information that will allow them to explore the world and use the full capacity of their brains. While an educational setting can foster a future doctor, engineer, or astronaut, without this setting, these children can develop extremist ideas that will severely impact their personalities and lives in the future.

Schools also provide many of these children with a safe haven. I have seen this first hand in the schools I work with in Lebanon, where many of the students do not want to return home after school because there isn't anything positive to look forward to. Their lives are so full of darkness and loss that coming to school is something they look forward to.

These children are the future of Syria. They will play a critical role in the rebuilding and re-development phase of Syria after the war is over.

While no one knows when that may be, we must be prepared for whenever it does happen with educated individuals who are willing and able to return to Syria to rebuild their country.

Volunteers help greatly with non-formal education

Through my work with Jusoor, I have met over 300 volunteers and 70 educators that have shown me the importance of their role in non-formal education. Every year, Jusoor organizes a summer volunteer program, in which volunteers from all over the world, spend a month working at one of our schools.

Volunteers allow the children to feel the support of others. As one of our volunteers says in his blog post "t he kids are ready to be loved, and yet more importantly, love," and education plays a key role in this. Another one of our volunteers discusses the importance of human connection in working with refugee children where she says, " I understand the importance of education, but what I find just as important is human connection. "

Most of these children have probably never left Syria until now, and do not have any cross-cultural experiences. These volunteers bring a different perspective and experience for these kids, where they are curious and eager to see where in the world our volunteers came from, therefore exposing them to different cultures.

Teachers are, without a doubt, the heart and soul of any educational institution.

The most important thing that I have realized through my work in non-formal education is the importance of having teachers from the same community as the refugees themselves. Having educators with the same background gives them a personal connection to their students where these teachers have felt the same struggles and hardships. It is important to children anywhere to have teachers or educators that they can relate to not only in an educational setting, but also with their personal lives and experiences.

Non-formal education is a temporary fix until the public system can resume

The questions still remain: how can we as a society deny these children from their safe havens? Who are we to decide whether or not a person has a future strictly based on where they were born? Through the work of many different organizations, we are taking a step in the right direction in providing non-formal education to those who need it.

However, it is important to note that non-formal education is not a replacement for formal education. Through the work of volunteers and educators, we are able to create an educational platform that would not be possible otherwise.

There is still a long way to go. While politicians and governments argue about the fate of these refugees, the children are the ones suffering the most.

We need calls for action. Our governments need to work together to provide money to finance education. In a parallel universe, who knows what one of these kids could become.
Mahmoud is one of GPE's youth advocates

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Do refugee children have a right to education?

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As a Palestinian refugee in Syria, and later a Palestinian/Syrian refugee in Lebanon, I have had my fair share of forced migration and obstacles growing up. Before leaving Syria, I had just finished high school and had been accepted to the school of aviation engineering in Aleppo.

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This short video clips has some moving images of schools ruined with books all over the ground. It talks about all the different countries facing war and how essential education is to their future.

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This video shows how essential is to these refugees. It also shows a teacher talking about being able to teach refugees and how much he enjoys it. This is more about adult education and refugees but it gives students another perspective.

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Jesuit Refugee Service provides counseling services and after school programs for refugees at a camp in Mai Aini, Ethiopia. For urban refugees in the country's capital of Addis Ababa, JRS runs the only Refugee Community Center in the city, providing a range of services from adult education to computer access to emergency needs.

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Students will create a survey for their peers using survey monkey. They will work in small groups and come up with 2 or 3 questions to ask other kids. Their questions may include (do you think education is a right or a privilege, do you think girls have as much of a right to education as boys do?, do you think all kids in other countries have a right to education, is education in America different than education in other countries, etc.)

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Students will create a padlet. They will be partnered with a student who may or may not attend school in another country. Students will interact through padlet as they compare their schools or their education or lack thereof. An example of this is The Global Read Aloud.

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A Venn Diagram comparing education in America to education in another country. Students would have to research another country and their laws/rules about education. They could use the texts we read as a source of information.

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Students will write a letter to someone they find brave. They may choose to write to Malala or they may choose someone else. Students will be allowed to independently choose a person who they find brave or courageous.

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Students will choose one of the books and create a readers theater based on one of the characters. They will create the script, choose the parts, and video tape it. They will post the video and we will watch them as a class.