I have now given presentations about TrueTube at over six universities, six schools and two SACRE meetings. I have plenty more visits lined up this year and can safely say I have got into the swing of things. When I first applied for the role of Marketing and Research Assistant with the company, this was the part of the job I was most intimidated by. Even with my fascination of religion and ethics, the thought of hundreds of eyes on me, waiting to hear me speak, seemed a daunting prospect. Before my first presentation at the my old secondary school, I was a bag of nerves just like I was in my student days. I pushed the fear to the back of my mind, breathed slowly and just focused on the passion I had for what I was talking about. It all went exactly to plan. The immediate interest and thought-provoking discussion between the students, myself and the teacher, encouraged me and I came away from the school full of adrenaline and elated with the work I had done. By the time it came to presenting TrueTube to the University of Oxford last month, the similar voice of an anxious student naturally sneaked back into my mind. Then I tried to remember how successful the last few presentations had been, and how I would feel the same elation I have done all those times before. Having faith in what I was capable of allowed me to go ahead with another successful presentation of what TrueTube’s all about. As the ability to speak confidently grows, the voice of self-doubt is shrinking. A voice that all scruffy students should dismiss.
I’ve been with TrueTube for almost five months now, and I have no idea where the time has gone! At the start of January the only presentations I had ever done were the odd few in a lecture hall at university. We would all stumble to the front, bursting with nerves as we waited for our turn to present our work. Even though we were always in groups and had gone over our few lines time and time again, I remember feeling terrified of all the potential things that could go horribly wrong: falling over, stuttering on the most simple of sentences and forgetting the most basic of facts. If I could go back a couple of years and talk to the scruffy student that I was, I would never believe that I was capable of all the things I have achieved so far this year.
I have now given presentations about TrueTube at over six universities, six schools and two SACRE meetings. I have plenty more visits lined up this year and can safely say I have got into the swing of things. When I first applied for the role of Marketing and Research Assistant with the company, this was the part of the job I was most intimidated by. Even with my fascination of religion and ethics, the thought of hundreds of eyes on me, waiting to hear me speak, seemed a daunting prospect. Before my first presentation at the my old secondary school, I was a bag of nerves just like I was in my student days. I pushed the fear to the back of my mind, breathed slowly and just focused on the passion I had for what I was talking about. It all went exactly to plan. The immediate interest and thought-provoking discussion between the students, myself and the teacher, encouraged me and I came away from the school full of adrenaline and elated with the work I had done. By the time it came to presenting TrueTube to the University of Oxford last month, the similar voice of an anxious student naturally sneaked back into my mind. Then I tried to remember how successful the last few presentations had been, and how I would feel the same elation I have done all those times before. Having faith in what I was capable of allowed me to go ahead with another successful presentation of what TrueTube’s all about. As the ability to speak confidently grows, the voice of self-doubt is shrinking. A voice that all scruffy students should dismiss.
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Every year during the 7th month of the Muslim calendar, a very special celebration takes place. This year, it falls on the 27th of May and will be commemorated by people of the Islamic faith all around the world. It is a celebration of the Night Journey and Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad, or in Arabic: Lailat al Isra wa al Miraj. Even amongst the Muslim community, there is debate as to whether it was a vision or a physical event. I for one, find it a difficult story to understand but the core values of the story are evident no matter what approach you take. The importance of faith, prayer and the encouragement of each other are underlined throughout this story, and can be emphasised when exploring this topic in the classroom. TrueTube have provided three films, an assembly script, a powerpoint presentation and teachers notes, all offering different ways of presenting this important part of Islamic history. The assembly script explains the story of Lailat al Miraj in depth whilst the activity allows your students to reflect upon the importance of encouragement within their own relationships; and understanding its significance within the Muslim community. The key features within the history of Islam, a virtual tour of a mosque and a demonstration of prayer can also be found in these resources, each covered with a different style of filming. With only a few days to go before the celebrations take place, this is the perfect way to get prepared for the lesson. Imagine a silent world. A world where the language is not spoken using the sound of your voice, but communicated using the movement of your hands and eyes. Deaf people may not be able to hear the world as others do, but they see the world from a different perspective, and it can be a beautiful one. People without the full use of their hearing inevitably focus strongly on their other senses. This intense connection between sight, touch and the world can be empowering, allowing a person to achieve what they want in life. Unfortunately, not everybody is aware of the range of jobs and experiences available to people with hearing loss. Young deaf people can feel isolated if they miss out on such opportunities. We must encourage the next generation not to let such a thing hold them back. An animated film called ‘Look What I Can Do can be found on TrueTube and shows the range of possibilities available to deaf people. It stresses that not being able to hear does not mean you cannot live your life to its full potential. The storyline focuses on a young deaf girl who has been told by her sister that she can’t get a job because of her disability. Using her laptop, she connects to other deaf people across the globe and finds out that this could not be further from the truth. From a world-touring drummer to a model in Milan, Emily learns from their experiences that she doesn’t need to close the doors she thought would never be open to her. This resource was created by the company Biomation, who never fail to connect to the audience with their powerful productions. Through the use of animation, they give people a chance to make their voices heard and raise awareness on a range of issues. This film in particular successfully achieves two main goals. Namely: encouraging young deaf people to not let their disability become a limitation; and to educate other people on what it feels like to live a very different life. If you’re looking for an engaging way of teaching this topic, than this is it. Understanding law and politics can be a challenge no matter what age we are. The changes, controversies and ethics involved require a certain amount of passion from the individual representing them. The creativity and determination needed is not only found in adults immersed in the political world, but also in the younger generations. Kerri, a secondary school student from Solihull, is one such young lady who provides an innovative and fresh perspective on an old problem. The Parliament Education Service recently ran a competition called ‘Lights, Camera, Parliament’ which challenged people aged 7-16 to make a film about a new law they would like to introduce to the UK. Kerri’s animated film 'A Rubbish Law', won the Secondary category and shows her passion for the environment and her belief that the punishment for littering should be greater than it currently stands. As Kerri stresses in her film, over 30 million tonnes of litter is collected from our streets each year, signifying the carelessness that so many people have for the world around us. Using stop-motion animation, Kerri’s film shows the world from an insect’s perspective, stressing the impact that littering has on wildlife. By creating strong characters and a storyline for the insect characters, Kerri has successfully built a sense of empathy between the audience and the wildlife affected by littering. The hard work and passion of this young lady stands out amongst the rest, and it is no wonder she is a winner in such a big competition. This citizenship film would be perfect to use in the classroom when encouraging students to think about the environment and what we can do to protect it, or to consider which laws they think should be introduced to make our communities happier places to live. Most of us had moments when we were growing up when arguments at home seemed to become unbearable. For many young people, the choice between sleeping in an unhappy household, or leaving to find a new place feels like an obvious one. Finding somewhere new can often seem like the better option at the time. Young people often make this decision when things are not going well at home, and ultimately regret it after experiencing the harsh reality of homelessness. Being homeless can leave a person feeling vulnerable, misplaced and neglected whatever age they may be. Young people in particular, are swiftly robbed of their naivety and innocence as they adapt to this very different world. Of course, in cases where somebody is facing abuse at home, removing that person from the household and providing support is the right thing to do. However in most cases, it is best to stick together as a family and attempt to work through problems. Talking through issues at home and finding a compromise between family members can offer a much better solution than sleeping on friends’ sofas or a dark back alley doorway. TrueTube have collaborated with the Essex Homelessness Response Team to produce a range of resources called 'Doorways' which tackles the heart of this sensitive subject. Using different media, the resources successfully emphasise the truth of homelessness from different angles. Three short films focus on young people who have been homeless themselves. They explain how they dealt with their situation and how they came to be in the position they’re in today. A fourth film interviews a homeless youth specialist who gives valuable advice to young people who are considering leaving home. The accompanying lesson plan focuses on the different options available to young people, helping them to understand the potential problems involved in leaving home and giving them a crash course in basic conflict resolution skills to help them stay. If this wasn’t enough, the interactive activity provides a window into a virtual world where your students can choose their own path through a series of situations and see how they would manage as a homeless person. By exploring the potential outcomes as if it were their own lives, the students can gather a deeper understanding of the subject as a whole. Whether we are students strolling to school or adults absent-mindedly walking to work, many of us pass homeless people on our travels. The personality and the story behind a stereotype can often be unappreciated. With resources like this, we are encouraging the next generation to walk through the crowd and think beyond what they see. Besides the obvious ethical implications surrounding illegal drug industries, there are a few significant undertones within the trading itself which can often be neglected. People involved in the chain of illicit drug production are often exploited, isolated and left with no other alternative employment. When people debate amongst the legalisation of drugs, it often involves the harmful effect of the abuser, physically and emotionally. As serious and harrowing as this justification can be, the funding of slavery involved should also be acknowledged and considered when exploring the debate. When discussing drug abuse in the classroom, this often neglected argument is definitely worth considering. An innovative, thought provoking film on this topic can be found on TrueTube to get your students thinking about the subject from a different angle. ‘Funding Slavery’ introduces Harry Shapiro from DrugScope, who exposes the shocking effects this industry has on enslaved individuals. The production of illicit drugs can be broken down into roughly six stages. The first few steps involve cultivating the crops, wholesaling the raw materials and manufacturing the product. After this, the product goes through the stages of distribution, retail and money laundering. Drugs such as cannabis, cocaine and heroin are often produced in politically unstable countries, fueling the inequality of earnings.The impact on the environment is also neglected. When the government wants to take a stand, they often use pesticides on the crops which cause severe damage on an ecological level. The farmers are either paid as little as 1% of the overall financial income, have no alternative form of employment, or no other potential work which pays enough money to live on. Many of Afghanistan’s poppy farmers for example, are faced with this exact problem. Working in the poppy fields is the only employment available which provides enough income to support their families. Such desperate stories tend to be pushed aside when the trade is glamorised by gangsters and wealthy buyers. Many people often take a stand against the exploitation involved in retail, so why not take a stand against the slavery involved within this type of trading? Once in a while, stress gets the better of most of us. Sweaty palms, racing heartbeats, tired eyes, all of which can lead to a lack of concentration in what we need to get on with. The stress and adrenaline rush which comes with exam pressure is often unavoidable. Even those of us who have past the days of exams, remember the panic in thinking ‘I haven’t done enough revision’ or ‘I haven’t got enough time to answer all of these questions’. The trick is to channel the energy into a positive thing. This natural reaction is a human instinct known as ‘Fight of Flight’. It biologically prepares our bodies to either fight whatever’s attacking us or run for our lives. In the case of exams, we must face our fears and tackle the monster. With the exam period looming over the UK, it is important to give students the support they need when dealing with their stress levels. TrueTube have provided an assembly script, film and PowerPoint presentation to give those anxious pupils a helping hand. The assembly script provides an activity which demonstrates the importance of facing our fears and a good few tips on how deal with exam pressure. The accompanying film focuses on different phobias present amongst society where as the comical PowerPoint presentation, will keep the students engaged with the content of the assembly script. These resources successfully make the exam period seem less daunting and the words of advice more memorable. Unfortunately, I was one of those students who went to bed at 2 am and woke up at 6 am to cram in last minute revision during exams. A lack of sleep, strong coffee and high stress levels are never a good combination for anybody! The guidance from these resources will help your students control their nerves and tackle the exam monster in style. Basic human rights are universal and absolute. Or, at least, they should be. They should not be affected by ethnicity, economic conditions, religion or gender. The right to an education is the right of all children. Unfortunately many young people are deprived of this wonderful part of life for these exact reasons. While most of us grow up with years of school memories, many adults are left with empty recollections of hardship. Many adults who were deprived of an education as a child do not even have the basic ability to read and write. This does not just create a lack of knowledge, but a lack of power in the modern world, restricting that person from living life to its full potential. For all the children that do not have a voice in this matter, we must speak up for them and fight for their right to learn. There is one particularly inspirational case which demonstrates the determination and courage needed for this battle...
Two years ago, Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Taliban for standing up for what she believed in. Malala believed that girls, as well as boys, have the right to an education and would not be silenced, despite threats from the Taliban.. Luckily, Malala survived the shooting and is fearlessly contuing her campaign. All around the world, she is now recognised as the face of equality in education. TrueTube is proud to host a film based on Malala’s story called ‘Education for all’. It shows how this basic human right is being abused on a global scale, and how the bravery of this one young girl made an incredible difference. The accompanying assembly script provides a creative activity for the students, a link to the film and the story in-depth. The resources can be found on the TrueTube website under the category human rights. For the students in your class who moan about their homework or the early Monday mornings, these resources may just open their eyes to how lucky we all are. A major problem with mental health issues is that they can go undiagnosed for a long time. People can feel trapped in their own mental prison, unable to find the key to escape. Such a prison often traps the victims within walls of silence, and they find themselves unable to tell even their closest friends and family members what’s wrong. Sometimes they’re not even sure themselves. Anorexia is one mental health problem that can have this very effect on the person involved. It is a mental health and eating disorder which can be life-threatening if not treated. Victims of this illness normally have low self–esteem and a distorted view of their body image. To achieve their notion of the perfect body, they can under-eat, over exercise, take laxatives or abuse their bodies in other ways. This can go unnoticed for a long time, and normally only comes to light once the disorder has intensified. It is important for victims of anorexia to know there are people out there who have gone through something similar and people who can help. It can take a huge amount of courage to admit you have a problem, and an even more courage to do something about it. For all of those victims who may feel isolated from the world around them, there is a short film on TrueTube that may provide them with some comfort. Sometimes the smallest thing can make a big difference. The film ‘Gains and Loses’ explores Anorexia from the victim’s point of view and offers advice on how to take the first few steps towards getting better. The film has been produced by Biomation, who never fail to make a difficult topic easy to understand. Using animation to present their characters and metaphors, the film shows the audience that there is light at the end of the tunnel in what can seem an impossible journey. It is narrated by young people who have suffered from anorexia themselves, giving the production a feeling of reality and integrity. The young voices talk about how they fought back and overcome their eating disorders. The hope for recovery shines through this film and can reach that one person watching who may need it most. Gigantic chocolate eggs, Easter bunnies and a lamb roast dinner with the family are normally things many people associate with this time of year. But the religious meaning behind the chocolaty days off work, can sometimes be forgotten. Christianity holds Easter to be the most important celebration within their faith. It commemorates the sacrifice Jesus Christ made when he was crucified on Good Friday and the amazement of his resurrection on Easter Sunday. This biblical tale represents both hope and sacrifice, each dependent on the other. The betrayal of Judas, the jealousy of the priests and the arrogance of the roman political leaders are to be remembered when Christians reflect on how Jesus came to his death. The core of the faith states that God sacrificed his only son to save humanity from their sins, giving the people of this world a chance to join God in heaven. Jesus was willing to give his life and suffer for mankind in order to bring hope for the future. Therefore the courage, loyalty and strength Jesus demonstrated is also to be reflected upon and celebrated at this time of year. TrueTube has provided a range of resources on this topic to pack in before the celebrations begin. The assembly plan explores the story of Easter in depth, why it is so important to Christians and some of the pagan roots behind the symbolism. Meanwhile, the PowerPoint presentation provides visual accompaniment to the script. The film ‘What is Sacrifice?’ asks the public what they would be willing to give up and what consequence this can have on the people around them. Overall, these resources offer a deep sense of reflection upon what sacrifice means to Christians and what sacrifice can personally mean to the individual. So besides the bunny ears and the Easter egg hunt this weekend, it is a time to reflect upon the people in our own lives and how those relationships are often worth sacrificing for. |