Fuzzy Mirror Rationale Knowledge is the relationship between something external to us and our experience of it. It is the connection within us between the object and the experience which constitutes our knowledge, and it can be difficult to understand or describe this. Likewise, humans are social beings who have a need to be known (that is, to establish a relationship with others). Title Fuzzy Mirror Aim SENSING VALUES Pupils will have opportunity to reflect on the hard work associated with learning and knowing; and to be affirmed in their value as people who are worth knowing. Objectives Pupils will: * Experience a difficulty in perceiving what is obvious * Identify emotions associated with struggling to perceive * Be made aware of a connection in Christian literature between lack of clarity in perceiving and a desire personally to be understood * Have opportunity to reflect on some of the complexity of knowing or understanding; and being understood themselves * Be encouraged to persevere in gaining understanding * See themselves as people of value who deserve others’ effort to understand them. Link with 5–14 PSD; Emotional health; Writing Link with ACfE Successful learner Effective contributor Is this part of a series Single Assembly Introduction This assembly outline is designed to be delivered to a departmental or year group, though it is also suitable for single class assemblies. * On entering assembly pupils are given 8-10cm square of aluminium foil and are asked to keep this safe. * Pupils are invited to spend some minutes exploring what they can see reflected in the foil. How clear is the image? * Pupils are encouraged to try to see the image in the foil more clearly by e.g. removing wrinkles, or moving objects (such as their hands) closer to or further from the foil, or by turning the foil over. Responses are sought about how clear the reflection is, and what makes it clearer or less clear. Stimulus * Parallels between the visual ‘fuzziness’ of the image and the mental ‘fuzziness’ of attempting to learn something new are explored. How does the image on the foil describe our experience of learning about subjects in school? * Pupils are asked to hold the foil up to reflect their faces. During this, presentation focuses on fact that it’s not only things ‘out there’ which need to be known. We need to be known, and to know ourselves. * Pupils are invited to think about some of the issues that matter to them, during the reading of an excerpt from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 1 pp 156-157 * The joint concern to understand and to be understood is described in the Christian Bible, in Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians chapter 13 verse 12: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror darkly; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” These words may be projected onscreen for pupils to consider for a short time * Video ‘Reveal’ 2 Guided Reflection Monologue during which pupils look at reflection in foil: * Everyone finds learning and understanding hard * While it is tempting to give up, working at learning often gives a clearer view which is more help in the long run * We are built to understand and make sense of things and all of us are doing it every day of our lives * We are complicated people who are not only understanding things and other people, but need to be understood * Feeling that few people understand us is sometimes part of growing up * Feeling that we don’t understand people and things as well as we might do is part of human life * Christians believe that God knows us and understands us better than we know ourselves * Striving to understand and be understood are valuable aims in life Response * Descriptive writing about experiences of striving to understand situations or concepts or people * Developing strategies to understand class subjects/topics more fully * Discussion (e.g. in PSE class) about social supports for understanding each other Evaluation (a) Relevant staff should ask a sample of pupils to share their feelings and attitudes about the assembly. Notes should be taken to inform Evaluation (b) and for the preparation of future assemblies. Evaluation (b) Relevant staff should meet and engage a sample of staff teachers to discern how pupils have responded during the assembly and their recall and impression of the whole assembly experience. Fuzzy Mirror Running Order Running time Mins Activity Personnel Resources Action Pre-event setup — Seating arranged. Foil squares placed on chairs, or arrangement to hand out as pupils enter Someone to direct pupils as they arrive. People to distribute foil squares Foil squares 0-4 4 Pupils try to see a reflection of their faces, hands, those sitting near them in foil square, both matt and shiny side; attempt to obtain a better reflection. Feedback on success Leader of assembly Foil squares Activity for all 5-6 2 Is this ‘unclear’ picture a reasonable reflection of trying to understand things at and beyond school? Leader of assembly Question and answer, guided discussion 7-8 2 Are your attempts to explain what you’re thinking, feeling, planning also not grasped clearly by others? Leader of assembly Question and answer, guided discussion 9-11 3 Read excerpt from JK Rowling, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ pp 156-7 Leader of assembly / pupil (prepared in advance) Book Listening, imagining 12-15 3 Brief explanation and reading of 1 Corinthians 13v12 Leader of assembly / pupil (prepared in advance) Bible Listening, reflecting 16-20 4 Video: Reveal3 Leader of Assembly DVD/ Projector Watching, Reflection 1 Rowling, J K, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone, Bloomsbury Publishing, 1997 2 Web Link http://tinyurl.com/234do2 [The Work Of The People] 3 Web Link http://tinyurl.com/234do2 [The Work Of The People] Learning and Teaching Scotland — Religious Observance Template Submitted by The Church of Scotland 2007