Being different is a gift

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/greta-thunberg-tells-how-the-gift-of-living-with-asperger-inspires-her-fight-for-the-environment_uk_5cbeef3ae4b0315683fce852?utm_hp_ref=uk-homepage

Greta Thunberg is 16 years old from Sweden and has become famous around the world for speaking out about climate change.

Last summer, following heatwaves and wildfires in Sweden, Greta wanted to make a difference so she decided to stage a school strike day one day a month where she refused to attend. Today 1.6 million school children have followed her example, striking and marching through their cities to say no to the causes of climate change.

She spoke in the UK last week and supports the marches in London, saying; "as long as it's not violent it could definitely make a difference and make people more aware that we show that this is an emergency."

Greta has Asperger's Syndrome and sees this as an advantage. Greta talks about the "gift" of living with Asperger's and says it helps her to "see things from outside the box. I don't easily fall for lies. I can see through things."

Greta says Asperger's, "makes me different, and being different is a gift, I would say."

Greta has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

What do you see in the picture?
where is it?
What is happening?

explain the story

- what is climate change?
- why are so many young people around the world talking about climate change?
- what causes climate change?
- what is Greta trying to do? (make climate change a global issue for debate and change - she is achieving this)
- what is Asperger's Syndrome? (The National Autistic Society says people with Asperger syndrome see, hear and feel the world differently to other people. It is not an illness or disease, people with Asperger's often see it as part of their identity.)
- why does Greta call her Asperger's syndrome "a gift"
- Geta says "being different is a gift" what does she mean?
- what can we learn from Greta through her climate change action?
- what can we learn from Greta through her talking about Asperger's?
- why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat

selfie protest

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/shaymaa-ismaaeel-icna-muslim-protest_n_5cc06abbe4b01b6b3efb413f

The photo shows the entrance to a Muslim convention in Washington DC, USA in 2019. At the entrance to the convention, a small group of four people staged a protest against Islam and held up anti-Muslim signs. Most people walked past and didn't know what to say, some were upset. One woman, Shaymaa Ismaa'eel says, "I really wanted to combat their hatred with kindness honestly. I wanted them to see my face and simply walking by wasn't enough."

Shaymaa crouched down in front of the protestors and got a friend to take a photo of her smiling and holding a peace sign. She says she wanted the protestors to, "see my joy. I wanted them to see the smile on my face and see how happy I was to be me and walk around being a Muslim woman. I wanted to show them that we are going to remain kind and unapologetic, and continue to spread love in the face of bigotry."

Shaymaa's picture quickly went viral across the world.

What do you see in the picture?
what do you think is happening?
why do you think the woman at the front is doing a peace sign?
you can see people standing behind the woman, what do you think those people are doing?

explain the story

- why were some people protesting about a religion? (because they don't understand about that religion or about diversity and difference in the world today. Some people are frightened of difference and want everyone to be the same. The people protesting don't understand about different faith and they want people who practice different faith to feel like outsiders so that they don't belong.)
- in 2019 Washington DC has an estimated population of 700,000 yet there are just 4 protestors outside the conference. What does that show about most people and their thoughts about different faith in America today?
- what was the reaction from most people toward the protest?
- why didn't people argue back?
- how do you think the protestors felt as people walked past getting upset, and no one challenged them?
- Shaymaa could have argued with the protestors but she chose to take a smiling peace sign photo instead - why?
- Shaymaa says, "I wanted them to see the smile on my face and see how happy I was to be me and walk around being a Muslim woman" why does she say that?
- how do you think the protestors felt when they saw Shaymaa take the picture?
- how do you think Shaymaa felt as she took the picture?
- the photo has gone viral, what does this show about most people around the world and their attitude towards the protestors and towards different faith?
- what can we learn from Shaymaa?
- why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: teaching the equlaity act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Recaliming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat

Sri Lanka vigils

https://www.thisisinsider.com/sri-lanka-bombings-vigils-tributes-photos-details-2019-4#indonesians-expressed-solidarity-with-those-killed-in-the-attacks-on-monday-7

People of all religions across the world held vigils and spoke out in honour of the 300 Christians who were tragically killed and hundreds of others who were injured on Easter Sunday in attacks at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka.

In Sri Lanka a three minute silence was held; in Paris lights were turned off on the Eiffel Tower; the New York stock exchange paused for a minute silence on Monday morning; Real Madrid CF Football players held a minute silence before their match on Sunday; flags few at half mast outside the Scottish Parliament; vigils were held in Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan. The photo shows Indonesian and foreign students printing hand prints on white cloth in East Java.

At a candlelit vigil in Canberra, Australia, a message read, "Terrorism has no religion! Stand together!"

What do you see in the picture?
what do the words say?
What do you think it is about?

explain the story

- What happened in Sri Lanka?
- why did the attack happen? (because not everyone agrees with us and No Outsiders. Some people want to make others feel like outsiders; they think if you have different skin or a different faith or a different culture that you don't belong. It's the opposite view to us in our school- we know that you can have different skin or different faith or different culture and you do belong. We like it that way, that's why we say there are no outsiders so that everyone is welcome and everyone is always safe.)
- so many people around the world held vigils and honoured those affected by the attacks; were all the people taking part in the vigils Christian? What does this show about different religion and respect around the world?
- why did someone write, "Terrorism has no religion! Stand together" what do they mean?
- Why do you think the students in the photo chose hand prints as their message of support?
- why are they using different colours? 
- What can we learn from the people taking part in vigils around the world? What are they showing us? What do millions of people around the world think about different religion and peace?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

Hold a minute silence to remember all those affected by the attacks in Sri Lanka.

train story

https://www.someecards.com/life/women/womans-thread-female-stranger/?fbclid=IwAR0fBJqOH5IK5kTekXNMVDI1xQMA-vjkBpFybF7CfwXHRjXn1TmW-q_sIyw

Erynn Brook sat on a train at 10:00 at night, three stops form her home when she noticed a girl, about 18 years old, sitting opposite, looking at her, lips barely moving. Erynn asked the girl if she was OK and the girl held out a laminated sheet of paper. At the top of the paper were the words, "My seizure plan". Erynn asked if the girl was having a seizure and she answered, "I'm about to, can you sit with me until your stop?"

The girl said her stop was three stops away. Erynn asked what the girl would do once she got off and the girl shrugged and replied, "Ask someone else. She looks nice, can you ask her for me?" nodding at a woman further down the train.

What do you think Erynn chose to do? 

Erynn stayed on the train with the girl, missing her own stop. The girl had a seizure. She had already folded her scarf and put it in place to catch her head as she slumped over. There were instructions on the seizure plan; what to do how long they will last. Erynn sat with her and held the girl's hand. The siezure lasted for three minutes.

Erynn told the girl she would sit with her and help her get home. The girl seized again. As they reached the girl's stop Erynn got off with her, and they slowly walked up the platform and the stairs. The girl was saying she would be fine, but Erynn insisted on helping the girl all the way home. They go slow and chat. Erynn made sure the girl got in to her house and then they waved goodbye.

Erynn says, "This is not a story about me being a good person, it's not a story about how brave she is (although she clearly is) it's a story about human needs through the lens of disability and how accessibility is not the same as acceptance or community care."

"We're taught to call 911 when something looks bad and we don't know what it is.... but she just needed to get home."

"Accommodation is the bare minimum. If I sat with her till my stop and then left, that's what accommodation looks like. It's not good enough, not for me, not for her, not for community, not for our world. Build something better, folks. Build a better world. Because different people have different needs."

This story has gone viral.

What do you see in the picture?
where is the photo taken?
How do you think the person in the photo is feeling?

explain the story (stop to ask the question in italics in the middle)

- When Erynn first saw the girl looking at her, how do you think she felt?
- Erynn could have looked away or moved, why didn't she?
- why does the girl carry a sheet of paper called "my seizure plan"?
- what is a seizure?
- why did the girl say, "she looks nice"?
- why didn't Erynn or the girl just call for an ambulance?
- Erynn missed her own stop. Why didn't she ask someone else to sit with the girl?
- Erynn says, "accommodation is the bare minimum" what does she mean?
- "different people have different needs" why does Erynn say this?
- in our community how can we make sure different needs are met?
- Why do you think this story has gone viral? what does that show about people around the world and their attitudes towards difference and different needs?
- What can we learn from Erynn?
- what can we learn from the girl?
- why is this story about no outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality act in primary school by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat