Note to teachers: Please preview the entire film before sharing it with students to make sure it is appropriate for your class. It deals with issues related to teenage sexuality.
What does it mean to be a “strong girl” instead of a “good girl?”
“Why I’ll Raise My Daughters to Be Strong, Not Polite” is a five-minute film that touches on themes of building inner strength and developing a strong sense of self-worth. It profiles a mother, Asya, who reflects on her own childhood and adolescence as she considers how she wants to raise her daughters.
1. Watch the short film above. While you watch, you might take notes using our Film Club Double-Entry Journal (PDF) to help you remember specific moments.
2. After watching, think about these questions:
• What moments in this film stood out for you? Why?
• Were there any surprises? Anything that challenged what you know — or thought you knew?
• What messages, emotions or ideas will you take away from this film? Why?
• What questions do you still have?
3. An additional challenge: What connections can you make between this film and your own life or experience? Why? Does this film remind you of anything else you’ve read or seen? If so, how and why?
4. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)
5. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the “Reply” button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.
6. To learn more, read about the video series, Conception. “Conception Season 2: What’s It Like to Be a Parent in 2018?” begins:
In 2018, it can feel like what divides our society — race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status — is more evident than what unites it.
So, our video series asked parents: What is it like to parent in the context of major cultural, social and political shifts, such as #MeToo, the immigration discussion, the opioid crisis and the gun debate? How do we raise children in a world that already sees them — and you — in a certain way?
Hundreds of you submitted your stories about parenting in the context of race, mental health, gender identity, the rise of social media, infertility, the changing nature of work, incarceration and income inequality.
• See all the films in this series.
• Read our list of practical teaching ideas, along with responses from students and teachers, for how you can use these documentaries in the classroom.
• Our next Film Club will take place on Thursday, Feb. 7.