Australian Catholics - Notes for Teachers



		Notes for Teachers - EASTER 2002 through darkness to light The first word that comes to mind when we speak of Easter is Alleluia! Always with an exclamation mark and followed by the joyful declaration, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad." Though the gospel accounts of the resurrection are not really like that. Certainly there was joy at Christ's rising, but this came later. The initial reactions of the disciples were more complex and varied. "So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone because they were afraid," (Mk 15: 8). "They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him," (Jn 20:2). "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." (Jn 20:25). The resurrection was a time of fear, loss, doubt and shame and finally, joy. Let's not forget though that at first it was a hard and confusing time. So it is with our encounters with loss, grief and often paralysing shock. There is a time, eventually when we pick ourselves up and resume life under its changed form. Students might find it helpful to divide into four groups, each being given the task of reading one of the evangelist's accounts of the resurrection. The focus of their reading should be on the emotional response to the finding of the empty tomb and to the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection. Ask the class to discuss the accounts of the disciples. In what ways were they similar? In what ways do the accounts differ? Read with students Jane Gross' article Through Darkness to Light focussing on the impact of the World Trade Centre collapse on the community of Xavier High School. Ask students to write their reflections on the following questions: In what ways can this account be seen as a "story of Easter hope"? What are the things about this school community that allowed them to rebuild their lives in the wake of this devastating event? What is meant by the statement that in that school "there was an identifiable path out of the darkness, a set of well established rituals to help the students, teachers and staff members move from grief to renewal"? Some students might have been involved in some way with the recent bushfires in New South Wales, either personally or through relatives and friends. Shared prayers of intercession covering the events of September11 and the bushfires with all the consequences of loss and war might form the basis of a time of prayer and reflection. a guiding star It seems that the issue of reconciliation has slipped from the attention of the Australian community. Almost as if it has gone out of fashion. It only seems yesterday that we were gathered for rallies; planted a sea of multi-coloured hands, and determined that this year, very soon, we would achieve that Prime-Ministerial apology allowing us to move forward together as one community. We have moved on, but not perhaps in the way we had hoped. The media is concerned with new issues and the enthusiasm and resolution for the old cause seems to have evaporated. It is now up to individuals to continue the work of reconciliation. As such it is heartening to read about the contribution of Darren and Anna Side in Jane Collopy's article A Guiding Star. Students might like to read the article and then discuss together the following questions: What did Djarindjin parents hope to gain by sending children so far from home for an education? What advantages did they hope this experience would give their children? Were there any disadvantages? Are there any overseas students in your class? Ask them about their thoughts and feelings on this subject. How would class members feel if they were sent away like this? Why was the Principal, Rosalie Jones, worried about the stolen children issue? How does your school community or class welcome outsiders, strangers and people who are different? We all have a tendency to be suspicious of newcomers and to exclude people who are different from ourselves. Even students arriving mid-year or mid-term can have difficulty breaking in to established social groups. We seem to lay on them a requirement to become 'more like us', to conform to our standards before we accept them. It is they who must change. This attitude seems to be the antithesis of the 'fair go' we Australians claim to value so highly. Perhaps in behaving like this we forget our own diversity of background, character and ethnic origin. Make a list of all the different cultural origins of class members. Classes in some areas might be likened to a smaller version of the United Nations. This cultural diversity is something Australians can be proud of. The session might end with a prayer for reconciliation and for insight on how to make a practical contribution to reconciliation. time out in Timor Christine Kearney, a teacher at Padua College in Rosebud, VIC tells us another resurrection story in her article describing a visit to a village school in East Timor. It is indeed a description of what it means to rise from the dead. After the fleeting triumph of the vote for independence came a wave of death and destruction seeking to suppress the freedom of the East Timorese. Resurrection for the people of East Timor has been slow and painful, but the people remain determined to rebuild their country. They deserve all the help we can give them. Ask students to imagine what it would be like to study in a classroom with bare walls and not enough chairs for everyone. It is certainly not possible to imagine Australian students sitting three to chair, even in Primary School. Would they come to school if there were not enough chairs? If the only piece of equipment available were a blackboard, how would this limit the students' ability to learn about the world? Christine Kearney turns her attention to the idea of fund raising in schools. She believes that students should not only be placed in the situation where they are asked to donate a small sum on casual days, for example, but that their contribution should be personalised. Christine suggests that Australian students might make posters with messages of support and encouragement for the students of Timor. Students, in small groups might like to try designing and making a poster for such a purpose. If you would like to send your posters to a school in East Timor, contact the Editor at Australian Catholics for more details on 09 9427 7311 or email auscaths@jespub.jesuit.org.au. tell me a story This issue of Australian Catholics magazine offers an opportunity to listen to the stories of many people. Among them are the author of Puberty Blues, Gabrielle Carey, Amelia Cox a triathlete, Ray Bedelph, a school utility officer in Hobart and Sr Wilma OAM who welcomes people in distress into her home. We all love to listen to stories, sometimes even to scandal or gossip. We lap up the details of the lives of celebrities as they appear in magazines. We marvel at stories of the amazing sporting prowess of our sports heroes. Information delivered in the form of a story is far easier to absorb than dry abstractions delivering the same information. Why do we find the lives and struggles of others so interesting? Does this interest serve a useful social purpose? In the time of Homer the stories of The Odyssey and The Iliad helped to bind a nation. The story of the Exodus in the Bible retold in every Jewish family on Passover night tells how they became the chosen people of God. Students might like to tell some stories of their own, either about themselves or about someone else who they believe to has led an interesting or exciting life. Young Journalist of the Year Award Australian Catholics will again host this annual award in conjunction with Mars Fundraising and Summit Fleet Leasing. Details of the award will be sent to the humanities department of each secondary school at the start of Term 2. If you would like an information kit, please call Kirsty or Marcelle on 03 9427 7311.

		CURRENT ISSUE \| ABOUT \| ADVERTISING \| PREVIOUS ISSUES \| LINKS Reproduction of material from any Jesuit Publications pages without written prior permission is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2002 Jesuit Publications PO Box 553 Richmond VIC 3121 Australia Tel +61 3 9427 7311, Fax +61 3 9428 4450

Notes for Teachers - EASTER 2002