"Miss Saunders is telling me to tell her the whole truth. I want to tell her that the truth will get my butt kicked good. That if I open my big mouth, ain't nothing she or Momma can do to keep Charlese from getting me back. Only I don't say nothing, I just keep my mouth shut" (Flake, 1998). How many young teenagers can relate to the above quote? I would say many, if not most of them. The Skin I'm In is a realistic fiction novel that tells the story of an African-American female (Maleeka) who is continuously bullied by other students in middle school. She chooses to befriend the cruelest girl in class (Char) to deal with the daily taunts she receives from classmates. Ironically though, Maleeka is bullied by Char, too.
Why does everyone bully Maleeka? As you read the story, it's clear that most students are jealous of Maleeka. It's not because of her fancy clothes, but her beauty and intelligence that motivates the bullies. A new teacher, Miss Saunders helps Maleeka become comfortable in her own skin, even though Maleeka resists her at first.
Bullying is a major concern in today's schools. Children and young adults can be so cruel to one another, and unfortunately, that cruelty has led to harsh consequences. Some children are bullied to the point of suicide, drug abuse, and the desire to hurt/kill others. Flake does an amazing job detailing bullying in her novel. She writes in first-person narration to help the reader see bullying through the eyes of the victim. As I read chapter after chapter, my heart ached for Maleeka, not only because she was taunted, but because she had lost her father and was poor. Flake used sentences of varying complexity to reveal a style that suited this type of book. As you read, you actually feel like you are inside the mind of this thirteen year old girl. For example, consider this excerpt: "No way is Momma gonna let me not work in that office. She even threatens me, saying if I try to get out of it she will take away all my rights at home. So I figured, cool. I'll do it. And while I'm doing it, I will find out the real deal on Miss Saunders. Get all up in her business like she's up in mine. Payback, you know." (Flake, 1998)
The Skin I'm In is a perfect example of multicultural literature. By reading and discussing this book in the classroom, our students will understand their own personal identity, learn to appreciate diversity, and make connections between events in the story and their own life. As mentioned before, nearly every student can relate to bullying. Imagine the powerful conversations that would evolve from reading and discussing this book in literature circles! Students could use the Post-it note strategy as they read to note ideas for discussion, as well as words/phrases that raised questions as they read. Blogging about this story and the topic of bullying outside of school would be an excellent way to carry conversations even further.
Consider these questions as you read:
- Why do you think Maleeka was bullied by John-John?
- Why do you think Maleeka chose to befriend Char, despite the amount of trouble she found herself in?
- What causes people to bully one another?
- Have you ever been bullied/bullied someone? How did it affect your self-esteem/willingness to go to school and do well?
- What does this story teach you about how to treat others?
As teachers...consider this:
"I'm sorry, Mr. Pajolli, but the way I see it, rewarding those who misbehave and refuse to play by the rules is wrong. Dead wrong. How will you reward the good ones, put them on detention?', Mr. Mac asks. 'They are all good ones, Mr. Mac. Some of them just need more support than others."
How many of you can relate to the above quote? I read it and had an aha moment! It seems like we are always expending our energy on students who misbehave, many times finding alternate ways of providing consequences. But, what about our students who play by the rules? They get what's left of us. Sad, but true. What are your thoughts on this? I feel as though it's somewhat of a double-edged sword.
If you are a teacher and haven't read this novel, read it! You will be glad you did. Go back to my opening quote...is this how our bullied kids feel? Sadly, I think it is. How do we change this?
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