Year 2

Year 1 have been studying Malala's Magic Pencil, Malala Yousafzai's excellent picture book.

Our children produced diary entries Malala may have written in her diary.

Nephele - Sadler's Wells

Dear Diary,

In the morning, I ate my pancakes and I was excited because it was a sunny day. It looked like it was going to be the best day of my life, but it turned out to be the worst because the Taliban banned girls from going to school! Before that, I was as ecstatic as a child riding a unicorn on a sparkly, beautiful rainbow. I had thought about the wonderful day at school and wondered what lesson we were doing today because Miss said we were doing something very special.

At midday, I felt heartbroken because the Taliban forbid girls from going to school. They also banned girls from watching TV and dancing. At that moment, I began to cry. Where was I going to do my multiplication? I felt as vexed as a cross bull and as miserable as a kid without a granny because I love school and that was heartbreaking for me. I thought about how it was not fair that girls were not equal to boys because they are. Girls and boys are the same!

In the evening, I had a chat about it and we agreed that I will write letters to the world and I did. We all fought back to the Taliban with a protest. Then girls were able to go to school again and also watch TV and go dancing. I was so happy and glad that I began to cry and I was so extremely proud of myself because I stood up to the Taliban. I also stood up straight so everyone could see me. PS. I was actually happy with me because I had made the right decision to write those letters.

Malala x

Darcy - Vaudeville

Dear Diary,

In the morning, as I was eating breakfast with my brothers, I felt calm like a sloth but then annoyed because of my brothers. When I got to school. I saw only two girls in the class and I felt excluded. It was not equal between boys and girls.

At the end of the day I talked to Aba about my feelings. I said “How much did they take away from girls and our rights?”. After the talk with Aba I decided to be brave and make a letter telling the world what the Taliban had done.

Love, from Malala.

Ray - Adelphi

Dear Diary,

In the morning, I woke up and chose a beautiful dress that was as colourful as a parakeet flying in the sky. Then I went to school and I felt as happy as a honeybee buzzing to collect pollen. I thought, what should I do? Bus or foot? I chose bus! After that, I went to have lunch and it was delicious.

Once I heard the news, I felt as thunderous as a crumbling crowd going to erupt. I thought about my family having to deal with the Taliban. I went home and went to bed. I relaxed and I wrote stuff in my diary. I thought about what I could write.

Malala.