BELONGING, BELIEF AND IDENTITY
We are required to deliver this unit as part of our R.E. and Citizenship syllabus
Aim:-
• to raise awareness of what constitutes a community:
• how individuals and groups can become refugees:
• International Law concerning refugees
• the thoughts and feelings of refugees;
• how individuals, local, national and international groups can and should respond to refugees
Unit was delivered in 7 sessions of 65 – 70 minutes to Year 8 students (aged 12 – 13).
Session 1
We explored idea of community from the school, the local and the international perspective. We discussed and recorded definitions of key terms, signs of belonging, rights and responsibilities of belonging to a community. Students were asked, for homework, to interview two adults (relatives or neighbours) about their responsibilities of belonging to a group.
Session 2
We discussed reasons why people might become refugees and then asked the students, working in small groups, to imagine that they had become refugees and to agree a list of ten items that they felt were important to take with them. After feedback we shared with them images of Haitians and what they “grabbed” as the earthquake destroyed their homes.
Session 3
In the same groups as last session we used “Time to flee” role play exercise (from text book Global Communities: Learning about Refugee Issues). We needed to carefully time the 10 minutes allowed for the family to make the decision and leave for them to have sense of urgency. Took initial feedback on their decisions then teacher adopts role of border official who decides whether they can cross the border as a refugee.
Session 4
Again, in groups, introduce role play exercise on the right to asylum and International Laws governing the right to asylum (from text book Global Communities page 34 - 37).
Each group given 2 scenarios where they have to take on the role of UNHCR Protection Officers and reach a decision using international law to guide them. Feedback is taken, where each group, reports back their decision and give reason(s) for decisions made. Teacher has actual decision which is shared at the end of the activity.
Session 5
In this session we looked at the experience of young refugees on UK using many of the poems in Global Communities text book pages 92 – 94. We also used the We Refugees poem (shared with us all at the conference in Italy). We explored the hopes and dreams of those who are granted asylum.
Students were asked to produce their own poem about refugees (see examples on blog and printed copies).
Session 6 and 7
Explored some of the student poems and discussed some of the issues raised in them.
After an introduction to the refugee issue surrounding Afghanistan students viewed the film “In this World”. As it is rated a 15 we had to select areas “to be cut”. We decided to only “cut” the animal sacrifice scene. To cut more would be to diminish the impact of the film.
Opportunities were provided for students to ask questions over key scenes during the film and at the end of the viewing.
Students were totally involved with the characters and the situations they found themselves in on their hazardous journey to London.
Future developments
• To add extra sessions looking at the contribution of refugees to the UK and International Communities
• Possible move the creative writing task to the end of the unit and expand to include an a piece of art work to be produced
Resources
• Global Communities: Learning about Refugee Issues
Secondary School Teaching Resources : Department for International Development
ISBN 0946787212
• Red Cross Positive Images Tool Kit from web site
• Film “In This World”
• Current and past refugee information
We Refugees
from "Wicked World"
I come from a musical place
Where they shoot me for my song
And my brother has been tortured
By my brother in my land.
I come from a beautiful place
Where they hate my shade of skin
They don't like the way I pray
And they ban free poetry.
I come from a beautiful place
Where girls cannot go to school
There you are told what to believe
And even young boys must grow beards.
I come from a great old forest
I think it is now a field
And the people I once knew
Are not there now.
We can all be refugees
Nobody is safe,
All it takes is a mad leader
Or no rain to bring forth food,
We can all be refugees
We can all be told to go,
We can be hated by someone
For being someone.
I come from a beautiful place
Where the valley floods each year
And each year the hurricane tells us
That we must keep moving on.
I come from an ancient place
All my family were born there
And I would like to go there
But I really want to live.
I come from a sunny, sandy place
Where tourists go to darken skin
And dealers like to sell guns there
I just can't tell you what's the price.
I am told I have no country now
I am told I am a lie
I am told that modern history books
May forget my name.
We can all be refugees
Sometimes it only takes a day,
Sometimes it only takes a handshake
Or a paper that is signed.
We all came from refugees
Nobody simply just appeared,
Nobody's here without a struggle,
And why should we live in fear
Of the weather or the troubles?
We all came here from somewhere.
I’m Sorry
I’m sorry I couldn’t stay home
I’m sorry I walk this earth
I’m sorry I stand on your ground
I didn’t ask for any of this
Why can’t you leave me
alone and let me be free?
What would you feel like
if you had to flee?
Shannon Beercroft
Age 13
Refugee
Yes, I’m a different colour
Yes I’m from another country
But no you shouldn’t treat
Me like this
I may speak with a different accent
I may be a Muslim
But I’m still a human being
I AM a different colour
I AM from another country
I DO speak with a different accent
and I AM a Muslim
But it shouldn’t bother you
Abi Bly
Age 13
Refugee Acrostic
R is for religion, would they accept me because I have a different religion to them
E is for education, my education was good back there but what would it be like here,
would I learn more or less
F is for fear, would I make friends, would I keep in touch with my family
U is for understanding, would they understand what horrific things had happened to
Me
G is for gutted, I’m gutted that I had to leave everything at home
E is for emotion, would they feel all of my mixed emotions
Chloe Taylor
Age 13
My window
I stand and look out my bedroom window
hoping I can see you again someday
I remember the pictures in my mind
the pictures of you, the pictures of war
I see the way you use to hold my hand
and tell me we’d be together in the end
I now have a home, somewhere to stay
I now have an education, somewhere to learn
Today I think I’ll see you
walking up the path to my house
But you don’t
You never ever do
So I stand and look out my bedroom window
Hoping I can see you again someday
Georgia Bloomfield
Age 13
Terrified
I’m all alone
In a foreign country
With no one to fix it
or help me out
My Mum can’t love me
She’s passed away
My Dad can’t stand up for me
He’s stuck in a far away land.
And yet here I am
here by myself,
with no one to hold me
and no possessions to.
I want to be in my country
back with my Dad and family
but there is war where I live
it’s not safe for me anymore.
I am a refugee,
a stranger in this new land,
I am a refugee
All alone by myself.
Arran Cairns
Age 13
The Refugee
Forced to leave my country for my race, religion and my views
Told that I am scum by the army and on the news.
Fleeing through the border, running, resting, hiding
On the run from my home because my country is divided.
I make my way to a place that’s safe and am accepted as a refugee
I’d like to go back home but I just can’t you see.
Here I am mistreated for my race, religion and my views,
Told that I am scum by the people, and hear of
groups that hate me on the news.
I came for freedom
but received abuse.
I left the fire
and instead entered the noose.
Was it really worth it?
Am I better off?
I just have one more question.
Did I deserve it?
Josh Andrews
Age 13
It’s quiet now
In Afghanistan all I could hear
Were bullets, screaming and many a tear,
It was scary, dangerous and highly unstable
Like my life was balancing on a power cable.
We escaped from the war torn, broken country,
To England to Buckinghamshire county,
We were safe at last – no more bullets and blood,
Just happiness, comfort and love.
It’s quiet now, on my street
I have clean water, something to eat.
It’s quiet now in my life
Now that I have fled from the Knife.
Harry Hay
Age 13
Refugee Haikus
I just want to live
Wouldn’t you feel the same?
If you have no choice.
Neighbouring countries
No longer want our presence
Therefore we must leave.
Our home is no more
Just a battlefield of greed
Why must life be cruel?
I want to go back home,
My heart longing for safety
Then we shall return.
Beth Alvery
Age 13
Refugee
I flee from my home,
I’ve nowhere to go
Away from my father
I wonder how much further.
I flee from my home
I’ve nowhere to go
Far from my mother
I’m sure she loved us.
I flee from my home
I’ve nowhere to go
Miles from my sister
I very much miss her.
I flee from my home
I’ve nowhere to go
Close to my brothers
With only blankets for cover.
I flee from my home
I’ve nowhere to go
I’m a refugee
Who will ever help me?
Sam Scott
Age 13
The child of dreaming
There once was a child
Living wild and free
But a racist, corrupt government
put an end to that happily.
They made him scared and afraid
He ended up on the run
He knew he had to escape
Or else he’d never see the sun.
His parents paid a smuggler
To get him safely through
Across the border illegally
To get where he needed to be.
He ended up in the UK
He knew he was a refugee
Alone, frightened and afraid
That little child was me.
Ashley Garrod
Age 13
Refugee poem
I want to go back
Back to my home
Where I can play with my friends
And where I’m not alone.
I want to see my daddy,
I haven’t seen him in a while
My Mummy said to ring him
So numbers I will dial.
When I left with Mummy
She said I wouldn’t understand
Why we had to leave Daddy
But I want to hold his hand.
I want my old room back
My new one’s not the same
And the wallpapers lame.
I rang Daddy loads
But no one answered the phone
I told Mummy and she started crying.
Years have passed
And I never heard from my Dad
My Mum told me why I hadn’t
This was extremely bad.
I now know why we left
All those years ago
My Mum and I were refugees
And to heaven my Dad will go.
Gaby Morrison Age 13
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