Sharing Good Practice
Talk to students about the
UAE martyrs
By Rahima Jabeen
introduce the concept of the word
‘martyr’ and explain why they are the
real heroes.
Research it
Give students an assignment to
research some local martyrs in
the presence of a grown up (again
according to age level). The older
the child, the more precise the task
could be. They can read up about
the first martyr or the youngest one.
Additionally, you could ask them to
list the qualities that they found to be
most inspiring about the martyrs that
they have read about.
Collage work
Group projects are great for peer
learning. A group of four to five
students could be asked to bring in
facts pertaining to one martyr and
then they could make a collage on a
poster. They can all contribute their
own views on the inspiring lives of
these heroes.
T
he United Arab Emirates (UAE)
is such a diverse country with
a multiplicity of cultures, belief
systems and nationalities. One
thing that is common to all is the feeling
of patriotism. Every person craves
a sense of belonging and identity.
Children are no different. However, it
is imperative to make kids realise that
even if they are residing in a country
that is not their homeland, it still needs
to be respected and its various facets
including festivities and special days.
This year the government of the UAE
announced a new holiday, ‘Martyrs’
Day’ on the 30th of November. By
the very nature of the word ‘martyr’,
it is a tribute to national heroes who
have lost their lives for the protection
of their country, whether it was within
their homeland or on foreign soil. It was
mainly triggered by the recent of loss
of precious lives during “Operation
Saving Hope” that was led by Saudi
led Arab alliance in Yemen.
A child spends more than half of his
active day at school. He interacts with
his teachers more than he does with
his parents. Martyrs’ Day provides us
with a great opportunity to educate
our students on the importance of
recognizing the sacrifices of martyrs.
Below are some creative ways to
educate children on the topic:
Arouse feelings of
compassion and love
The ultimate sacrifice is the loss of a
loved one for a noble cause. Teachers
can ask students (depending on age
level) what they hold dear to them,
and if they would be willing to let go
of that for the greater good. Ask them
to imagine the love of a mother for
her child and how her sense of loyalty
allows her to let that child go out into
the battlefield.
Ask them about their heroes
and why they idealise them
Young children may not be aware
of many real-life heroes who have
given their lives, but they would still
have super-heroes and role models
that they are in awe of or want to be
like. This i s a good starting point to
School trip
Organise a trip to the museum to
create an enticing atmosphere to
discuss how the first martyrs lived.
Creating an environment rich with
the tradition of the region to which
the martyrs belong, will promote a
better understanding and provide
motivation for the students to take
a genuine interest in learning about
their martyrdom.
One of the greatest assets of a
teacher is the ability to be creative.
Martyrs’ Day is just another platform
on which creativity can be used to
bring attention to this important topic.
Properly reinforced, this particular
theme can instil the sense of sacrifice,
love for the fallen souls, appreciation
for life and loyalty to the country.
Miss Rahima Jabeen is a primary grade
school teacher who has taught in Pakistan
and Dubai. She writes a personal blog and
one on Young Islamic Minds. Rahima is also
a makeup enthusiast who shares reviews on
makeup in her blog Yet More Makeup.
Class Time
|
|
Nov - Dec 2015
| 25