1.3 Asia/Global Education

 Celebrations Around the World

Happy holidays to parents and carers. As we come into the holiday season once again, I thought that it would be a good time for the students to have a more in depth look at the holidays and celebrations held in other countries. The countries we will be looking at will be picked from our neighbouring continent, Asia.

In groups, students will choose a holiday or celebration from the Asia/Pacific region to investigate. They will find out what the celebration is about, how it is celebrated in that country, and how it came about. By researching into the origins of a different culture’s holidays, students can gain an insight into the people of their chosen country. Though seemingly about the celebrations, a large emphasis will be placed on the origins of it, this way students are able to see past the displays and ceremonies, and see into the history of a certain people.

 I will be sending home some homework with the students at the end of this piece of work. If at all possible, I would like for you to assist your children with this homework. If time allows, it would be of great help for the students to compare the celebrations they have researched with celebrations from a different country. This is where your expertise will come in. I would like parents to think of a holiday or celebration that takes place in your country of birth, no matter which country, and help students to compare these two celebrations/holidays. Students will outline the main points of the holiday you have explained to them, and list some points the two holidays have in common. This information will help all students in the class to understand the traditions of countries all over the world, and how they can connect to each other. If, however, parents do not have time, which is understandable, students can just research a new holiday of their choice.

It is important that students begin to deepen their knowledge of our nearby countries, especially those within the Asia region. This is because Asia is one of the biggest partners Australia has in the import and export trade, with close to 71% of Australia’s exports going to Asia. As Asia continues to develop and be globally recognised as one of the strongest continents in the world, it becomes even more likely that our students will be “living and working in a world where India and China are global economic leaders.” This makes all the information students pick up in schools even more important, as in the future, they may work with, or for, someone from a different culture. It is our job, as parents and teacher, to prepare them for the world outside of Australia. Looking into Asian celebrations and their reason for beginning shows students what has influenced these countries, and how they interact with countries all over the world.

If parents/carers have any questions, please feel free to email me, or set up a meeting. 

1.2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture

                        Australia Day or Invasion Day?                                                       

I would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Moomairemener people, the Traditional Owners of the land Lindisfarne Primary School stands on today, “who walked upon and cared for this land for thousands of years. We acknowledge the continued deep spiritual attachment and relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to this country and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of Reconciliation.”   

Dear parents/carers, this term we will be delving into the histories and cultures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These histories and cultures are important for all students to learn about because they are ingrained into our country in many ways.

The students will be beginning their research by looking at Australia Day, or as it is known to many Australians, Invasion Day. By looking at the information presented by both sides of the history books, students can cut through the bias and find their own opinions about the founding of Australia by the English. The reason that our students are taught about the histories and cultures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is because they are the true founders of this land. To learn about the foundation of our cultures and nation, students must look at more than just Captain Cook and his landing party, but at the history of the people who were already here.

As the students search through this information, they can see the causes and effects of the English, upon the Indigenous Australians. They are also able to see and try to understand the experiences of not only the First Fleet, but the experiences of the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. By gaining these skills, students will have a better grasp of these in depth topics, and be better placed to understand and handle the distressing history of our nation, as they progress through their school years.

Using the information they have found, students will form groups and create arguments as to why they think Australia should or should not be moved to a different date. These arguments will be sensitively worded, so as not to offend anyone hearing or reading the arguments now, or at a later date. This will create the chance for the students to start a debate surrounding this topic, and will allow everyone to see the different pieces of information their peers have found and compiled into their own views.

For school to be fair for all, the curriculum that is provided to teachers must be relevant to all students and their lives, as well as to be able to address all contemporary issues facing them. The Australian government wants it communities and schools to recognise the damage and disrespect that took place in the past in regards to our Indigenous Australians, and to emphasis the strength of the Indigenous communities. Leaving this out of our curriculum, would be leaving out much of our country’s history.

If parents/carers have any questions, please feel free to email me, or set up a meeting. 

1.1 Civics and Citizenship

Civics and Citizenship: The Journey of a Refugee

        During term 3, students have been learning about refugees, and the experiences they have had during their migration to Australia. Australia is a very multicultural country with people who have come to call Australia home. The students have been delving deeper in to the lives and views of different Australian refugees; their views on Australia, and their journey from where they came from, which varies from year to year according to the Parliament of Australia. 

        Within the Australian Curriculum are the guidelines and outcomes for what students will learn throughout the year. This year in History and Social Sciences, your year 6 children have started learning about what it means to be an Australian citizen. They have been looking at the “shared values of Australian citizenship and the formal rights and responsibilities of Australian citizens”, and as mentioned earlier, the journeys of refugees who found a home in Australia. This unit has and will continue to help the students to operate as active and fully informed citizens. This is a sensitive issue that students need to learn about.

        The first activity the students took part in was one that involved using their imaginations. Students were asked to think back on a time they had to pack up their things (e.g. moving house, going on holiday). They thought about what they packed and how long it took them. Next students had to imagine that they were asked to leave home in a hurry. They are scared, the roads are blocked and the phones and electricity are out. What would they pack now? Where would they go? How would they get there? This is the plight of the refugee and is a perfect activity to help students understand what happens to people in other countries. 

        Students then watched the first 00:01:55 of a Sunrise segment named Great Australian Refugees.

        This segment mentioned the names of a handful of famous Australian refugees. In groups of 2-3 students, they chose one of these people to research. Students found any information they could about their chosen Australian refugee. For example; about lives in their country of origin, their lives in Australia now, and how they got here. In the case of Australia, many refugees arrive by sea.This information was then made into a poster about their chosen person. These posters are available for viewing in our classroom, and a lot of effort has been put into them by the students.

        The next phase was to look at what could happen to refugees should they be turned away from the country they are trying to enter. This was conducted as a group, as aspects of this may have been shocking to the students. Next was to question why governments might decide to turn away refugees, but only looking at the surface issue of terrorism. This was where we left off, and next we will be picking back up there, and using the information to look at why refugees leave their country of origin in the first place.