TEACHING PACKAGE

LONG COURSE

SILENCE

&

OPENNESS

The theme of this lesson is Silence and Openness. We are going to discuss what these two concepts mean, and how you may have experienced them yourself.

1.

We are all constantly on the move, voluntarily or unwillingly, physically and emotionally. We move between home and away, belonging and alienation, silence and openness, resilience and vulnerability, injustice and reconciliation.

2.

Finding one’s identity somewhere between these poles is demanding and requires the ability to constantly change and adjust.

Identity on the Line have been working with seven physical movements, seven migration processes, all of them having taken place sometime in the 20th century. They have shaped the identities of millions of people and, as such, have also shaped the European identity.

3.

INTRODUCTION

Will you recognise yourself, when reading the stories of some of these former migrants and their descendants? Will you recognise their feelings?

4.

• Can silence keep us safe? Suppress shame, fear, pain?
• Do secrets have long-term consequences?
• Can openness help us reconnect and accept all the bits and pieces of who we are?

5.

OVERALL QUESTION

Through the I-ON project, we have learned that Silence and Openness takes many shapes and forms.

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The many quotes shows us that. You can find more quotes in the digital exhibition: Identity on the line - identityontheline.eu

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You can also watch the short national film to understand the background for the quotes: I-ON Movie – i-on.museum.

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You can learn more about our project here: www.i-on.museum

6.

RESOURCES

“Something happened in Norway during the war, something terrible that was going to leave its mark on my father more than anything else. Something so strong that he was never willing to talk about it. Something that traumatized him so profoundly that it affected our entire family, even us four siblings, who have never experienced war. In this way, the war somehow became part of our lives, too.” (Woman, age 55. Norway).

7.

RESOURCES

Think-pair-share. Now you will get some questions to reflect upon. Then you will divide into pairs or small groups to talk about the questions. Share your thoughts and ideas within your group and have a dialogue. After, the teacher will guide you in sharing your thoughts with the class.

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8.

Can secrets and silence be a good or a bad?

Is openness an evidence of safety and freedom?

Are there stories that should not be told?

9.

REFLECT

10.

MONITORING

Talk or write about

After the discussion and opinion sharing you are invited to evaluate this learning experience.

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• Three things I learned today
• Two things I found interesting
• One question I still have

ACTIVITIES

Try to collect stories about Silence and Openness by yourself or in pairs. Talk to family members, friends or other persons you know. Interview them about their experience of Silence and Openness inspired by the previous questions and your work in the class and smaller workgroup.

11.

You can choose to write an essay, make a PowerPoint presentation or an exhibition that presents your findings from the interviews. You can use recordings, take photos and as to borrow artefacts from the persons, you have interviewed.

12.

13.

EVALUATION

You can choose to use the three symbols

• place them at the exhibitions or presentations: The Sun were it makes you happy, the teardrop were it makes you sad and the heart were it makes you sympathize or connect.

And/or you can:

Use the evaluation template to answer the five questions.