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Ealing Agreed Syllabus: guidance for teachers

Unit 4D: Initiation practices

Learning Suggested activities Suggested resources objectives

Starting something new

Starter: Encourage pupils to think about the times in their lives when they have done something new,

AT2 e.g. started school, joined a club or team, had a new baby in the family, gone on holiday and so on. This Pupils identify the activity can be carried out in pairs or larger groups with pupils recording the key events in their lives. increased Development: responsibilities that follow when 1) Taking one or two of the examples pupils suggest, the teacher illustrates that new events bring starting something with them different expectations of behaviour, e.g. what are the differences pupils notice about new. how they behave after they started school from how they behaved at home? What are the differences/ expectations of pupils’ behaviour when they join a team or club, and so on?

2) Ask pupils to discuss with each other two other of their examples and identify the different expectations of their behaviour brought about by taking part in these events.

3) Ask pupils to record in their books one of their events. It may be helpful to suggest to pupils a model for their writing. This could include a title such as Starting School and a paragraph indicating behaviour that needed to be changed and why it needed to be changed at school as compared to at home. For less able pupils, teachers may wish to suggest a writing frame in boxes.

Conclusion: When drawing this lesson to together, teachers may ask pupils in pairs to read their work to each other. Following this, teachers could then make the link to the religious context by illustrating that people who follow a need to change their behaviour because they have started something new themselves. The purpose of introducing this at this stage is to set the scene for the remainder of the unit.

4D: Initiation practices 1 Learning Suggested activities Suggested resources objectives Rites of Passage

AT1 Starter: Look at a picture of Japanese children dressed up for the visit to the shrine on Shichi-go-san and Google for appropriate images. Pupils should consider the significance of the ages 3, 5 and 7 for Japanese children. Discuss the festival in terms of a Ask students to bring photos from understand what marking specific moments in life as milestones. Ask pupils to think of other days when children are home of milestone events such as ‘’ given gifts, such as their birthday. Ask them to name other significant age milestones e.g. 18th, 21st, 40th , first communions, means. They birthdays. Ask pupils to think about times when they might wear a special piece of clothing for the first weddings, funerals. should also be able time e.g. new school uniform, , , wedding dress. to identify times when they have Development: participated in such a ceremony. 1) Look at some common milestones that are marked by ritual: birth, coming of age, marriage, entry into the religious life, death. AT2 Pupils can think of 2) Ask pupils to discuss in pairs or larger groups of their own experiences of traditional milestone other significant ceremonies, either as witness or participant, that involve belonging to groups outside their events in their families e.g. wedding, , first communion, confirmation, bar/bat mitzvah. lives that could be considered rites of 3) Ask pupils to record one of these rites of passage. The structure for this writing would include a passage. title of the event, a description of the event and the responsibilities incurred by going through this rite of passage, e.g. that joining a group—including a group—involves special learning.

Conclusion: Ask pupils to read their work to their neighbour. The teacher then questions the class about whether the objectives of the lesson have been met. If time, draw the pupils’ attention to collective in school. Identify pupils’ responsibilities in attending acts of collective worship. Discuss whether collective worship can be regarded as a rite of passage?

4D: Initiation practices 2 Learning Suggested activities Suggested resources objectives

Birth and naming

AT1 Starter: Look at a display of baby pictures of members of the class, perhaps as a Powerpoint Baby photos from class members. Pupils should presentation. Ask pupils to discuss with each other what their name means and why that particular name know that most was chosen (if known). For information on how various have religions deals with significant special ceremonies Development: rites of passage: to mark the birth http://re-xs.ucsm.ac.uk/re/passage/ of a child. 1) Consider some of the various ways religions use to mark the birth of a child e.g. infant baptism in , the Hindu Namkaran, Jewish Brit Milah, Muslim Aqiqah ceremony. Draw on the experiences of pupils as appropriate. AT2 Pupils understand 2) Look at gift-giving ceremonies e.g. baby showers and the Pagan ritual of giving symbolic gifts to the responsibilities the child, e.g. intelligence, peace. they have in accepting guidance 3) Ask pupils to think about and discuss in pairs gifts they might wish for themselves or others, e.g. as they grow up. “good health”, “adventure”, “friendship” etc.

4) Ask pupils to record these and say why they would choose them. The teacher would give pupils guidance about how to set out their work.

5) Look at the tradition of appointing a member of the community as life-mentor to the new child, e.g. -parents. In the light of the gifts they have chosen for themselves, discuss with pupils how these can be achieved, i.e. the responsibilities of parents and teachers in bringing up children.

Conclusion: Ask pupils to discuss in pairs briefly the responsibilities they have in accepting the guidance of parents and teachers to help them achieve the best for themselves.

4D: Initiation practices 3 Learning Suggested activities Suggested resources objectives

Becoming an adult

AT1 Starter: Look at a video of a bar-mitzvah ceremony, or a picture of children in a first communion 101: Pupils should ceremony. http://www.jewfaq.org/barmitz.ht understand that m initiation into a Development: faith community 1) Compare the Jewish ceremonies of bat/bar mitzvah and the Roman Catholic first communion often involves ceremony. Look at the tradition of confirmation in the Church of England and adult baptism in “Aspects of Judaism” Video learning about that non-conformist churches that occurs when a person chooses to be initiated into the religion. featuring Sabbath at home and in faith in more Discuss the fact that joining a faith group often involves special learning, e.g. catechism or the synagogue, Passover, Purim, detail. religious school. Look at the Muslim practice of hijab, which—although in the UK it refers Bar-Mitzvah. Designed by teachers specifically to the scarf— in the wider sense means dressing modestly after one reaches a certain to integrate with classroom AT2 age, e.g. puberty. activities. 60 minutes. Pupils should http://www.reonline.org.uk/itre/ind realise that 2) Ask pupils to record the key events of a bar-mitzvah ceremony and include as a separate ex.php?38 reaching certain paragraph some of the privileges and responsibilities involved in reaching that age. ages grants new privileges at the Conclusion: Discuss the additional responsibilities that pupils have as they are growing up, e.g. when same time as it starting school, when moving into an older class, when starting secondary school, after learning to drive entails additional etc. responsibilities.

4D: Initiation practices 4 Learning Suggested activities Suggested resources objectives

Signs of belonging

AT1 Starter: Ask pupils to suggest examples of signs of belonging e.g. national flags, football scarves, school The BBC schools website has Pupils should uniforms and badges. Pupils could then discuss this further in pairs or larger groups. worksheets that look at the understand that Development: founding of the and the symbols are importance of the 5 Ks: 1) Discuss the importance of the panj kakke (5 Ks) to . important as signs http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/relig of belonging. ion/worksheets/ 2) Look at the Sikh initiation—the ceremony of —and Bandi, wearing of the

first turban, which occurs when a Sikh is aged between 14 and 16. An informative article about Amrit

Sanskar: 3) Give examples of symbols of belonging from other religions e.g. Christian cross, Jewish tallit AT2 http://allaboutsikhs.com/way/amrit (fringed shawl) and yarmulke (skullcap), Muslim hijab. Pupils should be .htm able to talk about 4) Consider how certain festivals can serve to remind us that we belong to a faith group or nation. signs of belonging Articles of faith Ltd have a 5Ks that are important resource pack: 5) In groups, design and make a class badge that has symbolic significance for class members. to them. http://www.articlesoffaith.co.uk/in

dex_files/Page389.htm Conclusion: Select one of the badges and ask members of the group to explain their thinking in devising it, stressing the features that make the design important to them. Information on festivals can be

found on the Days of Observance calendar on the Ealing Grid for Learning: www.religion.ealing.lgfl.net

4D: Initiation practices 5 Learning Suggested activities Suggested resources objectives

‘Thinking time’ as initiation

AT1 Starter: Discuss the importance of ‘thinking time’ to help develop a plan of action. Refer to the Pupils will importance of ‘thinking time’ when planning their work. Link this activity to that of certain religious understand that leaders who have experienced significant periods of ‘thinking time’ to strengthen their faith and resolve. some religious Development: figures gained vision and insight 1) Tell the story of Jesus’ time in the wilderness as told in Matthew 4:1-11. Discuss the through ordeals of consequences of this ordeal i.e. how the strengthening of his faith during his 40 days in the isolation. wilderness prepared him for his subsequent mission.

AT2 2) Compare this story with Muhammad’s experiences of the angel Gabriel during his period of Pupils will meditating in the cave. understand how certain periods of 3) Ask pupils to think about when they think and reflect quietly, maybe at home, when playing or in isolation might school. Ask pupils to consider the creative importance of ‘imaginary friends’ as helpful sounding help them develop boards during periods of isolation. How have these times of quietness helped? inner resources 4) Sometimes, a person might voluntarily submit to a period of reflection in order to develop their spiritual awareness e.g. through fasting during Lent or Ramadan.

5) Ask pupils to discuss in small groups how periods of quietness have helped them think through difficult circumstances or plan what they are going to do.

6) Ask pupils to write down the advantages to them of periods of quietness.

Conclusion: From pupils’ responses, discuss how the principle of ‘thinking time’ could be applied more in class.

4D: Initiation practices 6

Learning Suggested activities Suggested resources objectives Historical links to initiations

AT1 Starter: Review the unit to date and point out that many traditional rite of passage ceremonies have Images of Christ’s baptism can be Pupils will have historical beginnings. found at: some http://www.biblical- understanding that Development: art.com/index.htm many traditional 1) Look at a picture of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist—e.g. the painting by the 16th rite of passage century artist Joachim Patenier—and read about his baptism in Matthew 3: 13-17. Discuss in The baptism of Christ by Joachim ceremonies have terms of John’s call to others to come to the River Jordan to have their sins washed away. Patenier (1515) historical http://cgfa.sunsite.dk/p/p- beginnings. 2) Consider how Jesus’ baptism marked a milestone in his life and how he had a profound patinir4.htm experience at the time of the baptism. What might the experience have meant to Jesus and what AT2 might it have meant to John the Baptist? Pupils should understand that 3) Link the organised initiations e.g. baptism in Christian churches, with Jesus’ baptism by John the certain profound Baptist. life experiences may be considered 4) Return to the lesson about signs of belonging and look at the story of the founding of the Sikh initiations. khalsa. Consider how the amrit samskar initiation ceremony reflects the historical event.

5) Ask pupils to discuss with each other and then write about significant milestones in their own lives e.g. moving house, starting school or encountering someone who had a memorable effect on them.

Conclusion: In pairs, ask pupils to read out their work to each other. Discuss that such significant experiences can be considered initiations because they have such a big effect on people.

Key words Initiation, baptism, rite of passage, panj kakke, amrit, hijab, first communion, bar/bat mitzvah, vision quest

4D: Initiation practices 7 Outcomes

At the end of this unit, most pupils will: . Understand the concept of rite of passage . Be able to give several examples of initiation practices . Understand the significance of signs of belonging

Some pupils will have made less progress and will: . Be able to name a few rites of passage . Be able to give one example of an initiation practice . Be able to name some signs of belonging

Some pupils will have made more progress and will: . Understand that an initiation can give them special knowledge. . Be able to identify rites of passage important to several religions. . Understand how some initiation practices have evolved from spontaneous, historical occurrences.

Background information

Rites of passage

Shichi-go-san—literally “seven, five, three”—is celebrated in Japan as a day of for the healthy growth of young children; according to the traditional Japanese calendar, 15 November is considered to be the most auspicious day of the year, and it is this day that has been chosen for this festival.

Boys and girls aged three, boys aged five, and girls aged seven visit a shrine with their parents. Most girls wear kimonos when making their Shichi-go-san visit, while boys wear haori (a short, kimono-style jacket) and hakama (skirt-like trousers or cullotes).

Following the trip to the shrine, parents generally give their children chitose-ame (“longevity candy”). This candy is

shaped like a stick and comes in a bag decorated with cranes and turtles, symbols of longevity; both candy and bag Shichi-go-san are expressions of parents’ wishes that their children should lead long and prosperous lives.

4D: Initiation practices 8 Birth and naming

Judaism: Brit Milah, the covenant of male circumcision and Brit Brat, naming ceremony for Jewish girls. (For more information see: http://re-xs.ucsm.ac.uk/gcsere/revision/judaism/jud3/page6.html)

Islam: There are several stages associated with the birth of a child: welcome into the Ummah, community of Muslims (this is accomplished when the head of the family whispers the adha, or call to prayer, into the infant’s right ear), the Tahnik, the practice of blessing a newborn infant with religious piety ( asking for a sweet disposition are said as the child’s gums are rubbed with crushed date or sugar), Aqiqah (the naming ceremony, which takes place seven days after birth), and for male children Khitan (circumcision).

Hinduism: There are sixteen samskaras or important steps in the life of a Hindu, four of which occur before birth. The first 9 samskaras are: prayer for a child, prayer for the health of the child, prayer for calmness, choosing a name, naming the child, the first time outside (e.g. being taken to the temple for naming), a special meal, piercing the ears, the first haircut (occurs between age 1-3). Information about the Hindu naming ceremony (namkaran): http://festivals.iloveindia.com/rituals/naamkaran.html

Sikhism: When a baby is born a special prayer is read and a drop of Amrit (holy ) is placed on the baby’s Brit Milah, tongue. At a ceremony at the , the name of the baby is chosen by opening the Granth Sahib at random: Minhaghim, 1707 the name chosen must begin with the first letter of the first word on the left hand side of the page. (‘lion’, a reminder to be courageous) is added to boys’ names, while Kaur (‘princess’, to stress dignity) is added to girls’ names.

General information on naming ceremonies from a variety of religious traditions: http://rainbowwarrior.coa.edu/laura/ceremony/religiuosceremony.htm

4D: Initiation practices 9

Becoming an adult

Bar/bat mitzvah The term bar mitzvah literally means “son of a commandment,” and bat mitzvah means “daughter of a commandment.” A Jewish girl is considered responsible for keeping the commandments of the Torah when she reaches the age of 12, for a boy it is 13. The bar/bat mizvah ceremony involves the young person changing the blessing and reading from the Torah at a service in the synagogue, followed by a party or reception. In orthodox and Chasidic Judaism women are not permitted to participate in the services, so a girl’s bat mitzvah in these traditions is generally confined to the party.

Bat Mitzvah Jewish confirmation is a somewhat less widespread coming of age ritual that occurs when a child is 16 or 18. by Landis Confirmation was originally developed by the Reform movement, which promoted an additional ceremony (influenced by the Christian catechism) focussing on knowledge of the principles of the Jewish faith.

Confirmation

For many Christians, confirmation is one of the three rites of initiation that incorporate an individual into the Body of Christ–i.e. membership in the Church. The other two are baptism and communion. The purpose of confirmation is to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit into the life of the child or adult. Instruction into the faith—or catechism—is part of the preparation before confirmation and first communion.

First communion

A child’s first communion is traditionally a big event for Catholic families. Special clothing—often white to symbolise purity—is usually worn. Girls wear fancy dresses and often a attached to a headdress, as well as white First communion, Austria gloves. by Layne Jackson

4D: Initiation practices 10 Signs of belonging

Amrit Sanskar: Young Sikhs may be formally initiated into the khalsa ages 14-16. A special solution of sugar and water, known as Amrit, is prepared in an iron bowl while the (special prayers) are recited by five Sikhs in the presence of the (a reminder of the historical founding the khalsa and the role played by the

five companions of , the panj piare). During the ceremony the Amrit is blessed and sprinkled on the hair and eyes of the initiate, a prayer is said and a meal is eaten together. For boys, the amrit sanskar may be combined with Dastar Bandi (wearing of the first turban). Alternatively it may be performed separately: the boy is taken to a Gurudwara and there—in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib—his first turban is ceremonially tied on by the or by a Sikh elder. This ceremony designates the respect with which the turban is regarded and is usually attended by many family members and friends.

The panj kakke, five Ks: uncut hair (), comb (), bracelet (), sword () short trousers (kachera). The bbc schools website has a worksheet for learning the 5Ks: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/worksheets/sikhism_baisakhi_5ks.shtml The panj kakke For information about , see the Days of Observance Calendar (April) on the Ealing Grid for Learning: www.religion.ealing.lgfl.net

‘Thinking time’ as initiation

Kramskoy’s picture can be found at: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/liberal_arts/foreign/russian/art/kramskoy-

christ.html

From the age of 35 Muhammad used to withdraw outside Mecca to a cave on Mt. Hirah for solitary . It

was during one of these times of meditation that Muhammad said an angelic being appeared to him. At first he feared

that he had been visited by a jinn, who were at the time believed to be invisible demons created from fire. Eventually,

however, he came to believe that the presence was the angel Gabriel, who eventually commanded him to ‘recite’.

The subsequent recitation—revealed over time—became the Qur’an. It is said that in his encounters with the angel,

at times Muhammad would see Gabriel, other times he would only hear him, and on yet others he would hear the

words of the angel coming through the sound of a bell. Christ in the wilderness

Ivan Kramskoy, 1872 Vision questing can take place as early as 10 years old. A young person retreats to the wilderness to wait for a vision that will give them an idea of their gift: the quality/talent/action that would be their contribution to their society. For further information see: http://www.thewildwest.org/native_american/religion/Quest.html

An in-depth article about the vision quest: http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/america/am-smit.htm

4D: Initiation practices 11

Historical links to initiations

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3: 16-17

Birth of the Sikh Khalsa

In 1699 CE, the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, chose Vaisakhi as the occasion to pass the mantle of authority from the succession of human to the collection of ; previously known as the Adi Granth

(‘original collection’), this set of texts would henceforth be known as guru, specifically the Guru Granth Sahib (‘collection of sacred wisdom’).

The baptism of Christ At the time, the Sikh community was under assault by the Muslim ruler of . Addressing the assembly gathered Joachim Patenier (1515) for the Vaisakhi celebrations, Gobind Singh highlighted this threat, proclaiming that weakness would have to be replaced with unity and strength if they were to survive. With uplifted sword, he asked if there were any in the crowd so loyal that they would offer up their heads to him. At first there was no response. And then one man stepped forward and was led into the guru’s tent. When Gobind Singh emerged with a bloodied sword, there was hushed silence, and then four more brave souls ventured forward. They followed him into the tent and the crowd waited, expecting that only the guru would emerge. But when he did finally appear, he was not alone; all five volunteers came with him, their heads solidly attached.

Stirring sugar into water, he used the resulting amrit to initiate into the khalsa (‘pure order’ of believers) the five men

who had taken the leap of faith and risked all. The five men in turn offered the amrit to Guru Gobind Singh.

Thousands of men and women were subsequently initiated on that day, pledging to stay true to the code of discipline

set down by Gobind Singh. Vaisakhi 1699

Guru Gobind Singh and the panj piare For more on the importance of Baisakhi to Sikhs see:

http://www.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/register.nsf/p/BaisakhiHistory

Scheme prepared by Nora Leonard, Strategy and Projects Officer, London Borough of Ealing

4D: Initiation practices 12