English

Mrs HB’s Level 2 VMG class ‘People who are Different’

Wanganui Park students had the opportunity to visit the Shepparton English Language Centre, to meet students arriving from foreign countries and endeavouring to integrate into the community. Students from both schools share an openness to learn from each other, working together completing activities, as well as participating in outdoor sports games.

The interaction between students, assists SELC students with their transition into secondary school, while Wanganui Park students experience firsthand the difficulties SELC students endure.  Overall, all students have the same goal, wanting to be accepted and fit in, so they can make friends, do their best and achieve.

EAl - Cultures

Recently, the Muslim community commemorated the death of Hussain Ibn Ali.  This is similar to the Christian festival of Easter.  And, the Hindi community celebrated Deepavali which is also known as ‘The Festival of Lights.’  The following reports, written by two of our EAL students, explain both events.

Deepavali

• Diwali is also known as Deepavali, Dipavali, Dewali, Deepawali or the Festival of lights.
• Deepavali or Diwali is the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals. It is the festival of lights: deep means "light" and avali "a row," or "a row of lights." Diwali is marked by four days of celebration, which literally illuminates the country with its brilliance and dazzles all with its joy.
• Each of the four days in the festival of Diwali is separated by a different tradition. What remains true and constant is the celebration of life, its enjoyment, and a great sense of goodness.
• Almost every Hindu participates in the celebration and helps to make this festival take a shape of grandeur.
• It is celebrated on the 15th day of Kartika (October/November) in the Hindu calendar. Deepavali celebrations can last for about five days. The first day of Deepavali is on starting of the new moon.
• Diwali can be traced back to ancient India. It most likely began as an important harvest festival. Each day of Diwali has its own tale, legend, and myth to tell. The first day of the festival, Naraka Chaturdashi marks the vanquishing of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama.

The term ‘Deepavali’ stands for row of lights or lamps. We have to clean house during Deepavali. The decorative pattern in front of the house entrance made using rice flour is called ‘Rangoli’ or ‘Kolam’. An oil bath is taken with coconut oil during the Deepavali celebrations. The oil bath ritual is practiced symbolically in order to remove all dirt and evil and those who do perform the oil bath will be blessed with prosperity and wealth.

Muharram

The name of the commemoration that we are researching is Muharram. Shia Muslims observe and respect Muharram as the month that martyred Hussain Ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad and son of Ali, in the battle of Karbala.   

        The first day of the year is observed on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. The first Islamic year begin in 622AD with the emigration of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, known as the Hijra. A day in the Islamic calendar is defined as beginning at sunset. It is held to be the second holiest month, following Ramadan. The word "Muharram" means, "Forbidden".

        Imam Hussain held the title of imam, meaning spiritual leader of Islam and he refused to swear allegiance to Yazid, the second Umayyad Caliph. He tried to travel from Medina to Kufa but was surrounded by forces loyal to yazid in the desert at a place now known as Karbala.

       Imam Hussain’s followers were greatly outnumbered and dying of thirst, indeed his brother Abbas was killed trying to bring water back to the camp. On the 10 day of Muharram, Imam Hussain’s followers were massacred and their leader beheaded after declaring, “Death with dignity is better than life with humiliation”.

           The commemoration of this brutal massacre begins on the first day of Muharram and continues for 40 days. During the first 10 days of Muharram millions of Shia (and Sunni) Muslims remember the massacre at Karbala and strive to feel some of Hussain’s pain. They 10 day of Muharram is known as ‘Ashura’ which recalls the day of the massacre in Karbala, a town in modern day Iraq which is second only to Mecca and Najaf as a spiritual beacon to the Shia.

           The word Ashura means, 10 and the holiday is the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. For Shia Muslims, those ten days are a period of mourning and remembrance, where they commemorate the death of Hussein Ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

JHOOLA; KARBALA ROZA IMAM HUSSAIN A.S;  JALOOS- re-enacting how Hussain Ibn Ali A.S. sacrificed his whole family for the right of people, and showing respect to Imam's whole family; MAJLIS

Mrs Dann’s ‘What’s So Funny?’ class

have spent some time learning how to write humourously.  These are the limericks some of the class wrote about themselves:

There once was a young bloke named Sam

Who liked to eat lots of jam

He lived on a farm

He meant no harm

Until he hit and bit his lamb.

There was a young man named Jack

Who lived in an old scruffy shack

There were lots of bugs

All inside his mugs

Until he gave them all a smack.

Brodie was a funny young man,

Who really hated Mrs Dann

He did ‘What’s So Funny?’

Didn’t have any money

Although he had a really good plan.

There was a young boy called Chris

Who always wanted a kiss

He liked to drink beer

Which led to his fear

That he would never be filled with bliss.

There once was a boy named Dylan

Whose favourite thing was chillin’

He was in the pool

Being an absolute fool

While the steak was on the BBQ, grillin’.

There once was a young boy named Ahmed

Who always wanted to be fed

One day he got hit

And he got so fit

‘I am so awesome!’ he said.

There once was a young boy named Zach

Who carried his things on his back

His teacher asked, ‘Why?’

He started to cry

Then said he lived in a shack.

There was a lady called Wilow

Who liked sleeping on her pillow

took it when she travelled

was sad it unraveled

her pillow went up in a billow.

There was a young lady named Taylor

Who just happened to be a sailor

She liked to go to sleep

But her alarm went beep

So she put it under a trailer.

There once  was a young girl named Maddy

Who was a great big fatty

She went to town

To get a crown

That lucky girl named Maddy

There once was a woman named Steph

Who happened to be a good chef

She had a co-partner

Who left as a gardener

‘cause Chef Stef said she was deaf.

There once was a girl named Simone

Who went to the bank for a loan

She went to the beach

To make a speech

And this time Simone did not moan.