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How to bring down a classroom dictator in 5 easy steps, a #MatHacks exclusive!

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Dictators can crush the hopes and dreams of kids, turning school into a nightmare. Here are 5 steps you can take to bring them down.

  1. Study hard

    The #1 weapon of dictators is their lies. Study everything you can—every book, newspaper, article, novel, and play. When you face a dictator, knowing the truth is your best defense. Matilda uses this against the Trunchbull by showing her that the students can learn from kindness thus inspiring Miss Honey to stand up for herself.

  2. Support each other

    Dictators are just one person. No matter how big they are, if you stand with other students and help them when they need it, you will always win. When Nigel is fleeing Trunchbull, Matilda and the other students hide him under their coats to protect him.

  3. Use your smarts

    Kids are smart, dictators are not. Use your quick-thinking mind to trick dictators and throw them off. Matilda's quick thinking saves her and the other students from Trunchbull countless times.

  4. Ask for help

    No one, not even Matilda, can do everything on their own. Ask for help when you need it from other students, teachers, or another adult you trust. It’s only with the combined help of Miss Honey, the students, and Matilda that Trunchbull can be faced.

  5. Use your special, hidden talent

    Everybody has a secret talent, something that makes them special. It might not be as dramatic as that of Matilda, but it can still help bring down a dictator. Bruce’s talent is his ability to eat an entire chocolate cake. Lavender’s talent is for tricks like picking a newt to scare the Trunchbull. Your talent could be anything—you make it special.
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