extraORDinary: February 2013

Tuesday, 26 February 2013

Everybody!

This is just too lovely for words. I saw it and I had to share.

People are lovely, and that makes me happy.

9 English - Spelling Words Weeks 5 & 6

Here's the list for the next two weeks - we're starting a new unit, so a new thematic link for the words. Hooray!

consumer
quality
pollution
debt
corporate
recycling
confusion
individual
classifies
purchases
alternative
collage
positives
embrace
economy
complement
revenue
businesses
commerce
manufacturer

Good luck with the proofreading and editing of your photo essays - remember they are due in class (at the beginning of the lesson) on Friday 8th of March.

9 RE - Four circles of prayer

First Circle - Silence

We need to find moments in our lives when the sound level drops
Some think that 'silence' suggests boredom, fear, loneliness, and can just make people feel uncomfortable

An old saying is 'Silence is golden', but it can be painful or frustrating

For ourselves, we need to try and be comfortable with silence.

Task - list times that the noise levels drop in your life (at least 5). Briefly explain where and when this happened and who was involved.

Odd moments of silence such as this are not enough. We need to seek times for silence, to seek space for silence in our daily lives.

In silence, we can pause to draw breath, re-energise, encounter the mystery of the universe - a sunset, dew on grass…

For a believer, these can be moments of prayer

Task - Experiment with different times in your day during which you can be silent for a few minutes (at least 3). List these times and circumstances.

Second Circle - Changes

Many people who make space for silence experiences changes in their lives. They become more aware of what is happening around them, more able to appreciate and celebrate the ordinary things of life.
Regular space for silence allows people to notice things they have never noticed before.
They become more able to deal with anxiety, pain, loneliness, frustration, anger…
They become more appreciative of and grateful for the world around them, flowers, birds…
They become able to recognise that even ordinary things are reflections of mystery.

Task - Take space for silence and identify two things that you begin to appreciate in a different way. Explain how you see them differently. Consider your attitude before and after silent reflection.

Third Circle - Seeing

During our space for silent time, we can replay things we have see/done since the last time we took time for silence.
Our eyes and brain have been busy all the time registering much more than we would think.
Experts say that we are so pre-occupied and busy with things, we only give attention to a small part of what our eyes see at any one time. This is essential if we are to get things done. But our eyes continue seeing much more and our brain sifts and sorts and stores them away for use at other times. Our memory carefully files all our impressions, even those we have not been conscious of.

We need to unlock these memories so that we can appreciate the wonder that pulses through the whole of creation, the wonder and fragility of each person and can really see ourselves and others.
Sometimes when people try this, their minds go blank or some thoughts and worries distract them - maybe the distraction is floating around to remind them of something or someone that needs their prayers

Task - During your space for silence, ask God to unlock the memory of your eyes and spend time appreciating the little things that may go unnoticed, but are aspects of the wonders of the universe around us. Try to really see yourself and others. Describe the experience of attempting to unlock the memory of your eyes. If anything distracted you, include this also. What did you think and how did you feel?

Fourth Circle - Suffering

Most suffering is hidden, lonely and silent.
Some people can speak of their suffering, some cannot find the words to express it, some others long for someone to listen to them but don't know how to ask someone to listen.
We know that in our world there is much pain and suffering but mostly this knowledge stays in our heads. We don't feel the pain in our hearts. This protects us because feeling the pain of others may challenge our own security and comfort - it is easier to change the channel or turn off the TV.
Our prejudices also protect us as these block the cries of others and turn people into strangers. It is easy to ignore a stranger.
We all feel our own pain more than others' pain but someone, somehow always pays the price of our self-centredness. (Mum has a headache but I am more concerned about my fight with a friend, so I ignore Mum. She pays the price for my self-centredness as I do not help her when she needs it)

Behind the suffering in our world are real people

How can we take the pain and suffering of others into our prayer and into our lives?
We can spend time in our prayer for those who are suffering, open our eyes to the cry of strangers - we can use our imagination.

Task - Spend time in your space for silence and ask God to help you open the eyes of your mind. Ask God to help you recognise your prejudices. Ask God to help you see the needs of others, to open your heart to the stranger, whether nearby or far away. Try to imagine what it must be like to be hungry, alone, bullied, afraid...Reach out to the person in your prayer. Write about your experience - about any prejudice you recognised in yourself, about people you were drawn to pray for, how you felt…

Remember, this is not something you can do overnight - spend time over the next week to immerse yourself in your silent spaces and experience the different circles of prayer.

9 RE - 3 minute retreat

Here's a link to the slideshow I used for today's prayer. You might like to experience it again and use it to guide some prayer and reflection of your own at home.

3 minute retreat - Can you see the spirit?

Have a good one!

Thursday, 21 February 2013

9 ENGLISH - photos for practice essay

Here are the photos for your practice essay while I am away. Please make sure you finish it before I see you next so I can check your work and give you some feedback/advice before you complete the task yourself. You also need to start considering the sort of theme and photographs that you would like to focus on.

"Epic" - Christian Stoll

"Young Monk" - unknown

"Juxtaposition #2" - Michael Fenichel

Make sure you plan your essay carefully before you begin writing - identify the visual features you would like to discuss in order to analyse how these images connect with the theme The Modern World.

Wednesday, 20 February 2013

4 weeks down...

Here we are, and things are getting a bit harder, a bit more full on. I know most of you guys have assessment from me so far (or know that it's coming soon!) and that other subjects are getting busy too.

SO... here's a little something fun, just for you guys.

Keep up the good work everyone!

9 RE - A visit from Jesus

Once upon a time during a deep sleep, a man was told to expect a visit from Jesus the very next day. He awoke very early and began cleaning his house and preparing food for his important visitor.
While he was cleaning there was a knock at the door. He hurried to the door and excitedly opened it, but found it was only a homeless young woman asking for somewhere to stay. The man said "Go away. I've got a very important visitor coming today". A little while later there was another knock at the door. The man was sure that this would be Jesus. Upon opening the door he saw only a very thin old man in worn out clothes, begging for food. The man said "I'm keeping all my food for a very important visitor I'm expecting". Later there was a third knock at the door. This time it was a close friend of the man who wanted to talk. The man said "I've got no time today, come back some other time". The man continued preparing for the big visit.

As the day wore on, there were no more knocks at the door. Finally he went to bed, very disappointed that Jesus hadn't come to visit him. Again that night he had another dream where he was with Jesus. He immediately asked "My Lord, where were you? I waited and waited but you didn't show up", Jesus replied, "I did come to visit you. I came three times but you turned me away".

9 RE - Princess Cata Na

There was once a young native American princess named Cata Na. She had beauty, wealth, friends, many handsome suitors eager to wed her, and great popularity within her clan. Her parents were kind and understanding. But she was restless and unhappy. She longed for something she could not name. So she went to see the wise old shaman to tell him of her feelings. He told her that she could only satisfy the hunger she felt by finding the Great Spirit.

"How can I find the Great Spirit?" she asked.

"Go to the wilderness. The Great Spirit will find you," he answered.

Confused, she went out into the wilderness as she had been told. She wandered aimlessly for many days, not knowing quite what to do. Each morning she prayed, asking that the Great Spirit would come on that day, but nothing ever happened. Sad and discouraged, she was about to give up and return to her people. As she sat and wept under an almond tree late that final afternoon, she looked up at its branches and sighed, half joking, half in anger:

"Almond tree, why don't you show me where the Great Spirit is hiding?"

And the almond tree blossomed.