Combating Racism and Prejudice in Schools Keynotes You can download the individual Keynote sections of Combating Racism and Prejudice in Schools: Keynotes (as listed in the following Table of Contents) from the Keynotes Explained (http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/programs/multicultural/tchkeynotes.htm) web page on the Multicultural Education http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/programs/multicultural/default.htm) site. Published by 33 St Andrews Place East Melbourne Victoria 3001 Australia Phone: +61 3 9637 2222 or 1800 809 834 Email: [email protected] © 2008 Web: www.education.vic.gov.au www.education.vic.gov.au Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................5 Context.................................................................................................................................5 Purpose of the materials ......................................................................................................6 The materials .......................................................................................................................7 Legislative and policy framework .........................................................................................8 Keynote 1 – Violence and Conflict: Issues and Strategies for Schools..............................10 Why people fight ................................................................................................................11 Conflict resolution...............................................................................................................12 What schools can do..........................................................................................................13 Selected teaching strategies..............................................................................................15 Useful websites ..................................................................................................................17 Bibliography........................................................................................................................18 Keynote 2 – A Whole-school Approach to Combating Racism and Prejudice...................19 Introduction.........................................................................................................................20 Care of students at times of crisis......................................................................................21 Framework for countering racism ......................................................................................22 Combating racism and prejudice audit...............................................................................28 Bibliography........................................................................................................................29 Keynote 3 – The Abrahamic Religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam...........................30 Introduction.........................................................................................................................31 Sacred scriptures of Judaism, Christianity and Islam ........................................................32 The Holy Books..................................................................................................................33 Significant festivals/observances .......................................................................................34 In the classroom.................................................................................................................35 Keynote 4 – The Abrahamic Religions: Judaism ..................................................................37 Introduction.........................................................................................................................38 Origins and historical background......................................................................................39 Branches of Judaism..........................................................................................................40 The beliefs of Judaism .......................................................................................................40 Sacred texts .......................................................................................................................41 Structure and organisation.................................................................................................41 Religious observances .......................................................................................................42 Festivals .............................................................................................................................43 Jewish settlement in Australia............................................................................................44 Population: Jews in Australia .............................................................................................46 Community organisations...................................................................................................49 Considerations for schools.................................................................................................51 In the classroom.................................................................................................................51 Useful websites ..................................................................................................................54 Bibliography........................................................................................................................54 Keynote 5 - The Abrahamic Religions: Middle Eastern Christians .....................................55 Introduction.........................................................................................................................56 Branches of Eastern Christian Churches...........................................................................57 Origins and historical background......................................................................................58 Characteristics of Eastern Christian Churches ..................................................................62 Population: Christian denominations in Australia...............................................................62 Middle Eastern Christian settlement in Australia ...............................................................63 Considerations for schools.................................................................................................63 In the Classroom ................................................................................................................63 Bibliography........................................................................................................................64 Combating Racism and Prejudice in Schools: Keynotes Page 2 of 169 © State of Victoria (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development), 2008 www.education.vic.gov.au Keynote 6 – The Abrahamic Religions: Islam........................................................................65 Introduction.........................................................................................................................66 Origins and historical background......................................................................................67 Branches of Islam ..............................................................................................................68 The beliefs of Islam ............................................................................................................69 Religious observances .......................................................................................................70 Sacred texts .......................................................................................................................70 Moral Code.........................................................................................................................71 Islamic law..........................................................................................................................71 Structure and organisation.................................................................................................71 Life cycle in Islamic cultures...............................................................................................72 Festivals .............................................................................................................................73 Customs .............................................................................................................................74 Settlement and history in Australia ....................................................................................75 Community organisations...................................................................................................77 Considerations for Schools ................................................................................................79 In the classroom.................................................................................................................81 Bibliography........................................................................................................................83 Keynote 7 – Arabs and Muslims in Australia.........................................................................84 Introduction.........................................................................................................................85