Module 3: COMMUNITY

Page 21

topic four – in the community (continued)

teacher's notes - general approach

This topic contains two case studies of real incidents which took place. These are illustrative of others you may want to provide from your own sources. The experiences of members of your class could also be used if you know there are those among them who would be willing to share. The questions asked on the worksheet would be equally applicable to these.

It is important for the health of any society that people learn to find healing for the hurt done to them so that it does not fester and become hate. This is especially true of societies where people from different cultures and religions or race are living together in communities. Misunderstandings and ignorance of others' customs can cause unnecessary hurt.

This topic explores the inner qualities we can draw on to find healing within ourselves and thereby affect the communities in which we live.

An honest and open relationship can often be the key to overcoming misunderstandings and ignorance. You may wish to discuss the significance of the following statement as it applies to the kind of honesty it will take:

"Honesty without love is cruelty.
Love without honesty is sentimentality."

This question of being hurt is a difficult area to look at and yet so many breakdowns of relationships stem from unhealed hurts both individually and between communities.

strategy - task one

Divide the class into groups and give each person worksheet 6 page 22 and the case studies on page 24 Feeling hurt or others you have found. Use the case studies as a basis for discussion, recording their findings as answers to questions 1-3.

When this is complete one person from each group should report back to the whole class. Having thus identified ways hurt is inflicted and suffered, a discussion could bring heightened awareness and increased sensitivity towards others which they can help each other to put into practice.
Questions 4-6 would be best answered individually after this discussion has taken place.

task two

On worksheet 7 page 23 we have compared physical injury with the injury to feelings. Some suggestions have been made but there are spaces to be filled in individually as a result of discussion in pairs or small groups.

The follow-up of this exercise could be to look at local or national newspapers to see if the class can find evidence of things happening within communities or between individuals which stem from unhealed injury to people's inner feelings.

In view of the need they see, they might like to consider what they are willing to do themselves within their own families, school and/or community to help heal the divisions caused so that they can become part of the cure in society as a whole.