Photo Stories
Visual Learning in RE
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All photographs are © David Rose / NATRE unless otherwise stated.
Presentation © RE Today Services 2012
Visual learning in RE
A special day for Buddhists:
Being generous, caring for our elders
This presentation from RE Today uses original
photographs by David Rose to raise questions
and share simple information with 9–11s.
These photos were taken at the Buddhapadipa
Temple in Wimbledon, London.
© RE Today Services 2012
wonder is called
The Ibuilding
what
the Buddhapadipa.
It
iscountry
a temple for
you think
Buddhist
people.
this
It is in Wimbledon,
in
building
is What
south
London.
I about it?
do youin?
like
wonder
We are going to learn
what it’s
what happens here on
like inside.
one day of the year.
© David Rose / NATRE
I wonder
why there is
so much gold
on the roof,
doors and
windows?
Someone has
been caring for
the building.
How can you
tell?
© David Rose / NATRE
I wonder:
What will
Pornapat do
today? Why has
she come to the
temple?
My name is Pornapat. I am
ten. I’ve come to the temple
with Mum and Dad, my
brother Pitchakoru, who is
twelve and my big sister
Manunchaya, who is
fourteen. We will show you
what we do!
© David Rose / NATRE
The sand is always
changing, and can take
on lots of different
shapes. Lots of tiny
grains make up
something big.
It’s like life!
But mostly, I like playing
with it.
I wonder: Why is
Pitchakoru playing
with sand?
Is this anything to
do with being a
Buddhist?
© David Rose / NATRE
London is often cold and wet, but today
it’s sunny. The temple is always cool
inside. I love it when it is like this!
© David Rose / NATRE
Can you guess
why the family
are leaving
their shoes
here?
We like to keep the temple
clean and show respect and
love when we come here.
I’m wearing a special dress,
and Mum and Manunchaya
look good too. It’s a special
day today.
© David Rose / NATRE
I wonder: Why are
Pornapat and her
family kneeling and
pressing hands
together? What might
they be thinking?
We have come to the
temple today because it is
the day to respect elders.
We have come to respect
the monks who lead our
religious community.
© David Rose / NATRE
We have
images what
of theitBuddha in
I wonder
the temple
to to
help
us be still and
feels like
meditate
calm. We
like to
in front
of think
thesekind and
compassionate
golden images thoughts.
of the
I love
this: it Imakes
me feel
Buddha.
wonder
peaceful,
and those
full of good
how long
thoughts.
It makes
candles
burnmy
for!heart feel
warm.
© David Rose / NATRE
Our monks are often from
Thailand, and lots of
people at the temple are
Thai as well. The monks
like to make sure people
are happy at the temple.
I’m glad my son can have
a laugh with the monks.
Is it good to have
friends who are
grown-ups? Who
do you have a
laugh with?
© David Rose / NATRE
I wonder: Why are
Pornapat and the
monk holding out
their hands?
© David Rose / NATRE
Our monks are very special and
important in our community. They
give wisdom to everyone, so on this
day we give them something back. I
bring a gift, and the monks receive it.
FromPornapat
the temple
we get
makes
a
friendship
and wisdom.
generous
gift. I We
are part wonder
of a community,
how she and
we have
fun.
I like
feelssome
about
giving
making gifts
at the
temple:
things
away?
it’s a great place to belong.
© David Rose / NATRE
I wonder
One
of ourwhat
scriptures says
difference
it makes
‘Conquer
anger
through gentleness.
celebrate through kindness.
Win overtounkindness
Respect
Day
forgenerosity.’
Beat
greed
with
Pornapat?
That’s
what it’s all about!
© David Rose / NATRE
When we have made our gifts and
shown our respect, Mum gives us all
something to eat. We like being at
the temple – it’s an inspiring place.
© David Rose / NATRE
What does Pornapat like
about Respect Day? If
you had a ‘Respect Day’
in your family or
community, what would
you do? Who do you
respect, and how do you
show it?
What did you learn
about . . . ?
Buddhist
monks
Showing
respect
Pornapat
The
Buddhist
community
How unkindness
is conquered
Signs of
respect at a
temple
What a Buddhist
temple is like
inside
© RE Today Services 2012
The teaching of
the Buddhist
scriptures
How monks
dress
Inspiring
places
Possible learning activities: teachers could . . .
•
use the presentation on a whiteboard
with a whole class, pausing for
conversation and ideas at each slide,
and considering the questions asked
•
use religious artefacts from the
Buddhist community to find out more
about the meditation and celebrations
of the Buddhist community
•
show pupils a YouTube clip of
Buddhist meditation practice
•
use the Buddhapadipa website:
www.buddhapadipa.org/temple. It
has a brilliant gallery of photos and
you can show children what is
happening there this week.
•
give pupils literacy activities based
on the photographs, labelling and
describing the features they have
learned about
•
ask pupils what photos from their
life could be used to make a photo
story like this one.
Take care that children see the similarities and differences between
Pornapat’s life and their own lives. Whether they are growing up in an allwhite village, or a multicultural city, all pupils will live in one world, so
learning about British Buddhist identity is relevant everywhere.
© RE Today Services 2012
Learning objectives
This work is intended to enable children
9–11 years old to:
•
identify some Buddhist practices (L2)
•
respond sensitively to the
experiences of others (L2)
•
use their curiosity and questioning
to learn about and describe
Buddhist religion and practice (L3)
•
describe how a Buddhist family
shows respect and practises
generosity (L3)
© RE Today Services 2012
•
make links between the lives of
Buddhist children in Britain and their
own lives (L3)
•
use the right words to show they
understand what matters to
Pornapat on ‘Respect Day’ and how
this connects to Buddhist living (L4)
•
apply ideas from Buddhism about
celebrations, meditation and respect
thoughtfully to their own lives. (L4)
The Respect Ceremony at Buddhapadipa
From the Buddhapadipa website (adapted):
•
Respect is the best of virtues. It should be part of all communities. The Buddha
always encouraged people to pay respect to each other: the junior to the senior.
Respect is a symbol of civilisation and it produces good results for the community:
peace and harmony.
•
In Buddhist practice, over a couple of weeks, the juniors pay their respects to the
senior monks. And at the same time, the senior monks will bless them and say
words of wisdom to them for the benefit of their study and practice. It is a good
tradition which should be carried on.
•
Today in the Buddhapadipa Temple, there is a Respect Ceremony. The Thai
Theravada Buddhist monks gather together and pay respect to two senior monks:
Amara Thera, the head monk of the Buddhapadipa Temple, and Sumedho Thera,
the head monk of the Amaravati Buddhist monastery. It is a good environment
which is filled with respect, gratitude, loving-kindness and compassion. The
families come and show respect by giving gifts too.
•
I can say that ‘Respect’ pays an important role in every community. We should
bear in mind that if we give people respect, we will be respected.
© RE Today Services 2012
The Most Valuable by Dhammacaro (from the website)
•
•
•
•
There was once a millionaire, who had a big castle and a beautiful Zen garden that cost a lot of
money, which was supposed to show how happy and rich he was. Every morning he walked in the
garden, which was well maintained by a good gardener, just to look at it. One particular morning he
got up early and went for a walk in his Zen garden, just as usual. That morning, a beggar
approached him and asked him for breakfast. The rich man said to the beggar, ‘Wait here a moment
and I’ll fetch you the food.’ Then he went to the kitchen and asked the cook for the food and
brought it for the beggar.
While the beggar was waiting for his food, he walked in the garden and enjoyed the scent and
beauty of it. When the millionaire came back, he called to the beggar to get his food. The beggar
came to get his food and said, ‘Thank you very much, sir.’ The beggar then commented, ‘Sir, you
have very beautiful garden and flowers, which give out a wonderful scent throughout. I have
enjoyed being here very much, thank you, sir.’ The millionaire was surprised to hear the beggar say
how much he enjoyed this garden in which the millionaire himself had walked every morning. For
the millionaire neither enjoyed it, nor smelled any scent from the flowers. Following this, he walked
back into the garden and calmed his mind; and as a result he heard the sound of silence, the good
smell of the flowers and saw the beauty of nature. And then he realised that he had had many
valuable things for a long time, but without this insight would not have known how to enjoy them.
From the story, we can see that there are a lot of people who are like the millionaire, who do not
enjoy their possessions, or make use of them. So we should learn to realise what we have and how
to make use and enjoy what we already possess. And we should not forget to be satisfied with what
we have as well.
Remember: the most valuable thing in our life is what we can make use of, to enjoy, and be
satisfied with, and not just to see the possession of it as being important in itself.
© RE Today Services 2012
Notes pages
The teacher’s notes are printed under each slide in the notes section which can
be printed if you select ‘notes’ from the print options.
They are also reproduced on the following slides.
The Buddhapadipa Temple in Wimbledon is the oldest
Thai Buddhist centre in the UK, opened (on a different
site originally) in 1965. There is a good website, with
lots of information, stories and a gallery of images. It’s
child friendly. www.buddhapadipa.org/temple
The temple is in a Thai style. When teaching about
Buddhism, as with all religions, it’s important to remember
the diversity: in the UK there are maybe 200 000 Buddhists,
and they trace their origins to Nepal, Tibet, Sri Lanka and
many other places as well as Thailand. Religion and culture
are mixed. Increasing numbers of British Buddhists were
born in the UK and many are ‘white western’ Buddhists who
have converted to the Buddha’s way of living.
© RE Today Services 2012
Thanks to 10-year-old Pornapat and her family for ‘starring’
in this simple photo story. Good RE often uses stories
about children of similar age to the learners. It is very
important for RE to be about ‘religion here and now’ in
ways that are relevant to the learners. Don’t start – or finish
– with the ancient history of Buddhism!
Buddhist gardens and mandalas sometimes use sand,
which can be easily raked and made into patterns, and is
impermanent. But for Buddhist children it is often just good
fun.
Symbols of respect: examples children will see include
removing shoes, kneeling, pressing hands together in greeting
and giving gifts. As the special occasion is a day to respect the
monks of the Sangha (Buddhist community), it is good to point
these out. Ask pupils what they do to show respect, and to
whom.
© RE Today Services 2012
Family and community: Talk to the class about what they do
together as a family. Religious communities often reinforce family
life by giving families things to do together and focusing these on
important values, such as respect for elders, It’s important that
such activities feel enjoyable to children and young people too, of
course. What other examples would it be good to draw attention to
for your class?
Supporting the community of monks: In Buddhist practice, lay
people offer many kinds of support to the men and women of the
Sangha, the community of monks and nuns. This includes giving
food and giving robes, and sometimes money. This is not seen as
a burden, but as an honour.
Buddha images: Any study of Buddhism with 8–11s will introduce
them to the use of images of the Buddha and their use in
meditation. The Buddha is not a god to be worshipped, but a
guide to life’s path, and the image enables calm and peaceful
meditation on the teachings of the Buddha, the dharma. Shrines
and images vary very much in different traditions, but here the
golden figures are lit and decorated to honour them, and fresh
flowers do the same. Shrines like this are a feast for the senses:
what can you see, hear, smell, think, feel?
© RE Today Services 2012
Sometimes the image of a monastic way of life misses the good
humour and happiness. Buddhist teaching is that to be calm,
happy and thoughtful is a good way to walk through life.
Teachers might ask pupils what their image of a Buddhist is,
and where it has come from. Does this photograph challenge or
change it? (We liked the sunglasses.)
Gifts of money are used for the work and support of the
monastery. It is interesting to relate this to charitable giving in
the UK – a visible form of generosity. Buddhist parents might try
to bring their children up to be generous and to experience
giving. It’s a form of detachment, a very significant virtue in
Buddhist practice. What helps children to learn to be generous?
Collect ideas from the class.
Discuss with the class what Pornapat says here: where do they
get these things, friendship, wisdom, community, fun,
belonging? Why are these things important? Do all religions
give these things to their followers? What about non-religious
people?
© RE Today Services 2012
The quotation is simplified from the Buddhist scripture, the
Dhammapada (17:223–4). The ideas have all been illustrated in
the preceding slides. It is worth using this quotation to extend
children’s thinking about the point of being a Buddhist: to pursue
Enlightenment. Discuss with the class the idea that we are all
rather often angry, unkind and greedy, and we all need ways to
win against these things.
Benjawan, Pornapat’s dad, is only in this picture. Mention him to
the children if they are interested. The picnic after the devotion is a
part of the day many children will recognise. Good RE sometimes
makes connections to learners’ own, possibly very different, lives.
Should RE ‘make the strange familiar, and the familiar strange’?
There’s a deep idea!
© RE Today Services 2012
© RE Today Services 2012
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