-NiE ,
27 SEPTEMBER 2017
9
Ordinary people, extraordinary courage
INTERMEDIATE Courage
TAKE a few moments to think about this: what was the hardest stand you ever had to stake with your friends? Did the situation call for you to show moral courage? In pairs, take about three minutes to tell your partner the story. Explain: ● ●
What was hard about it? What did it accomplish?
● ●
How did the people around you respond to you before you took the stand? How did the people around you react to you after that?
NiE Activity Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason
● Measure ● Organise
Creative thinking ● Image ● Connect ● Brainstorm ● Invent
Problem solving ● Question ● Recreate
● Present
Communicating ● Oral
● Written
What does it take to stand up against peer pressure? How much courage would you need to support a friend who is a victim of bullying? Read the excerpt about this brave young man named Ashraf Sahimun. (He is also mentioned on Page 4.) Now a law student, Ashraf shares his ordeal of being verbally bullied when he was enrolled in a boarding school after doing well in his PMR examinations in 2011.
In groups of four, discuss the following questions:
Part A
1. In what way has Ashraf demonstrated courage in his life?
On my first few weeks there, everyone seemed nice and I was greeted with the warmest smiles ever. I felt delighted and content. My roommates were helpful, too. But things started to change a month later. People started to call me names during prep time (8pm class). “Hey gnotos,” someone called out from the other block and the rest of the students there started to shout, too. One of my classmates took a piece of paper and wrote on it the word “gnotos” which had been inverted from “sotong” (a term for someone who is a bit effeminate). I was stunned and embarrassed. When I went to my room after prep ended, my senior who was on his bed said, “Here comes the gnotos, everybody”. Those who were in the room laughed out loud. I cried that night; I just couldn’t believe this was happening to me. I thought the name-calling would eventually end but it happened again and again for the next couple of months! Everyone in the school seemed to isolate me just because I was slightly different. Even my classmates hardly spoke to me… I only lasted there for three months because I really couldn’t stand the abuse. I couldn’t focus on my studies at all. So in June 2011, I went back to my old school, and guess what? After a few days there, I became my true self again! It felt like a huge stone was lifted from my chest and I could breathe a sigh of relief. To date, I am still traumatised by the word. The experience at boarding school has left a huge scar in me. Physical bullying will leave wounds but as the time passes, the wounds will heal. Verbal bullying will stay for good. The Star, June 21, 2017
................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ 2. Had you been a classmate or roommate of Ashraf’s, what would you have done in the situation? ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ 3. Have you ever gone along with the crowd even though you knew it was wrong? ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ 4. How did you feel about yourself? ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ 5. What did you learn from it? ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................
Part B
Look at the various definitions of courage in Ashraf’s story. Stand up for what is right even if you stand alone.
Don’t cave in to negative peer pressure.
Don’t avoid trying something for fear of making a mistake of failing.
Don’t be afraid to express yourself just because some people might disapprove of it.
1. In pairs, discuss specific episodes in which Ashraf displayed these courageous characteristics. 2. Change partners. Now discuss how you can demonstrate these characteristics of courage as an independent thinker (as opposed to being someone with bystander apathy i.e. someone who does not offer help to the victim).
Part C
Write a letter of 150 words in support of Ashraf. Express your admiration for his courage and decision-making with regard to standing up to bullies. Use examples from his story and characteristics of courage as discussed in Part B to make your letter of support carry more weight.