Belonging!

Everyone needs to belong! We all need to feel connected, loved, appreciated, and know that our lives have meaning and purpose.

Stage 2 explored this concept after reading the book My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald and Freya Blackwood. It tells the story of a little girl called Cartwheel who together with her Aunty, flees her wartorn homeland to settle in a new and strange land, somewhat similar to Australia. She feels isolated and alone until another small girl reaches out, shows kindness and compassion, and draws her into her circle of friendship. I love the gentle symbolism in this story conveyed through both the text and beautiful images. It’s an inspiring and thought provoking story.  I can’t help but think of the current situation in Syria, and the many people across the world who are fleeing violence and persecution. I would hope that all of our students at Tenambit Public School would go out of their way to make any new comer to our school, community or country feel welcome and accepted. It also causes one to reflect on  the  similar situation faced by our deaf students at Tenambit school. They too experience everyday, the isolation that comes with not understanding the language being spoken. They too must at times feel like Cartwheel, under that ‘cold waterful of strange sounds’. We must do whatever we can to make them feel included and wrapped in a blanket of warmth, love and understanding.

Stage 2 discussed the many groups that we belong to. Students chose one group and thought about what belonging to that group meant to them and how it made them feel. They illustrated one small piece of a quilt and used a thesaurus to find words to describe their sense of belonging. Below are the results of their efforts.


Sorry unable to caption this one.

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