Activities during Refugee week
Marsden Rd Public School (PS)
Teachers at Marsden Road PS decided that Refugee Week provided a good opportunity to raise awareness in the school about refugees in Australia and the refugee situation around the world.
They designed a program of suggested activities for all teachers and agreed that each class would spend some time each day during the week learning about refugees and refugee experiences.
The suggested activities included watching short video clips about refugees, listening to radio interviews with refugees, reading stories about refugee journeys and doing activities designed to create empathy and understanding about what it feels like to be a refugee. The students also wrote messages of hope for refugees on cards, which were read aloud on assembly then hung on trees at the school. Parents were invited to read the messages during parent teacher interviews the following week.
South Western Sydney Region
During Refugee Week in South Western Sydney a resource was developed to assist all schools in raising awareness about refugee experiences.
Each school received a copy of the picture book The Little Refugee by Anh Do. The book tells the story of one refugee family’s survival against the odds, and the transforming power of hope. It fitted perfectly with the theme of Refugee Week in 2012, Restoring Hope.
In addition, each school was given a program of activities for teachers to use with the book. Different activities were designed for primary and high schools. The idea was that the text would be read during Refugee Week and that teachers would do some of the activities with their classes.
Other Initiatives and events
Berala Public School
Refugee students participating in the Primary Intensive English Program for Refugee Students at Berala Public School recently held a Refugee Art Exhibition, proudly displaying their artwork as well as a short film they had created.
Their teacher Mrs Hawa Zreika developed a visual arts program to assist students to develop skills in visual arts and self-expression. She hoped that the students would be able to express their emotions and develop emotional resilience through visual arts as well as developing language and literacy skills, and independent work and learning habits.
Recently arrived refugee and asylum seeker students confidently hosted the proceedings. One student presented the powerful story of leaving her homeland and coming to Australia by boat. She expressed that she hoped that she would be able to stay in this beautiful country. The short film, filmed and produced by the students included interviews with refugee students and their parents articulating their hopes for the future. The audience included parents and community members, members of parliament and local government, and representatives from NSW Police, Department of Education, the Refugee Council Of Australia and STARTTS.
Students’ work included a variety of media including digital photography, painting, collage, multimedia stories, sculpture. One sculpture, entitled “Bouncing Back” captured the theme of the exhibition of resilience and hope.