Examples of Problem Posing Questions:

Based on the book, Malala's Magic Pencil

1. What voices are represented in this book? (Malala's voice and the unheard voices of her peers in Pakistan.)
2. What is fair in the main character's life? What is unfair? (Her life is unfair because she can not go get an education safely because of the "dangerous men".)
3. Whose perspective is missing in this book? (The perspective of other children in her village and the perspective of what adults are thinking about this are missing in this book.)
4. Who is perceived to be different because of their beliefs, appearance or status? (Women are perceived to be less because they are told they should not have the same rights as boys to an education.)
5. What does the book want me to believe? (This book wants me to believe that life is unfair for women in Pakistan and any women being prevented from being what they want to be.)
6. Who has the most power in this book? Does this change? (The power in this book at first is held by the "dangerous men" because of the fear they invoke. Later, Malala and the people hold the power because they are voices of resistance and fighting for what they believe in.)
7. What would "the dangerous men" say if they wrote this book? (The dangerous men would probably say that they are doing what they believe in and give a rationale behind it like anyone with an ideology. In Malala's interview with Ellen after she received the Nobel Peace Prize, she said the dangerous men probably just need to be re-educated in human rights and what is fair.)
8. What could I do to HELP those (Malala) that are treated unfairly in this book? (I could do more research and try to spread the word that these injustices still exist in the world and a right to an education is a human right!)
9. Is there anything in my community that is unjust? If so, what could I do to change things like the character in the book? (*just a potential example* In my community, there is an unjust problem of girls not being able to join the STEM club. I would like to start a girls only STEM club to change this injustice in my community.)
10. How can I live my life differently based on what I learned from this book? (Based on what I learned from this book, I could live my life differently by being more active in the fight for a right to an education.)