Peering into the grade five classroom at Surrey Christian, you might be surprised to see a hub of students excitedly decorating tables, blowing up balloons, and setting up games and activities they have created. As the Syrian refugee families arrive, the excitement grows and echoes of “marhaba,” which means hello in Arabic, are heard around the room. The students are hosting a lunch, but the food is not what you might expect; to help the refugee families feel welcome, students have decided to try Syrian food as well. Some of the grade five students timidly try this new cuisine, only to discover they love it! After dessert, the families share about their journey to Canada and the hardships they endured along the way.
Joy is evident on the faces of both the refugee children and their parents, as well as the grade five students as they all play games, build with LEGO, make cards, and complete a treasure hunt. When it is time to say goodbye, the process is drawn out as pictures with new friends need to be captured, hugs given, and a few more conversations and activities shared. The families are not far out the door before the grade five students exclaim, “Can we do this again?”
So a second lunch is planned!
Building on the Big Ideas of Our Class Storyline
The inspiration behind these lunches stemmed from the big ideas prescribed in the social studies component of the British Columbia curriculum, where grade five students are asked to understand how immigration and multiculturalism continue to shape Canadian society and identity, as well as how Canada’s policies and treatment of minority peoples have negative and positive legacies. Curricular competencies around inquiry, continuity and change, cause and consequence, perspective, and ethical judgment guide them in their journey.
Knowing the current refugee situation, as well as the close immigration connections within our community, I wanted to invite students into an experience where they could build relationships with recent newcomers to Canada. This was yet another opportunity to weave our class storyline, “Noteworthy to God,” throughout both our curriculum and our social interactions. Max Lucado’s quote “you are valuable just because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are” (18) not only helped set the stage for our learning experiences but also reminded us of our value and worth and of God’s love for each of us. The lunches also created opportunities for us to build and reflect on the social responsibility core competency: I can demonstrate respectful and inclusive behavior, valuing and supporting the diversity around me. More importantly, the lunches were opportunities to shine the light of Christ through both our words and actions as we opened our doors and hearts to our new Muslim friends.
Nurturing Understanding and Empowering Action
Our learning journey did not start or end with the lunches. As a class we first began our unit by considering our own families’ immigration stories—why our families moved and the difficulties and challenges we encountered. We also looked at Canada’s immigration history and the lessons we have learned as a country over the years, recognizing that our actions had both intended and unintended outcomes. In hearing a variety of stories, the students recognized that immigrants are classmates, neighbors, refugees, and grandparents and that they come to Canada for a variety of reasons. These activities allowed us to engage in the critical thinking core competency: I can analyze my own assumptions and beliefs.
Our wondering went a step further as we considered both our own and our classmates’ immigration stories, and in consideration of the struggles we heard, we wondered how we could help newcomers to Canada feel comfortable in their new home and feel that they were noteworthy to someone. As we thought about what it would be like to arrive in a new country, the students decided we could help by sharing about our local area. Students brainstormed questions and, as a result, created a booklet full of information detailing the local parks, ice rinks, swimming pools, and beaches. The students not only explained what each location or activity was but also created their own list of questions to answer. Students researched and answered questions about locations, how to get there, what to bring, costs, and hours of operation. Students presented these booklets to a local welcome center where they were received with enthusiasm.
Our class was also visited by a senior immigration officer who helped the students deepen their understanding of the steps involved in moving to Canada, for both refugees and immigrants. Learning about how many people immigrate each day and from which countries really intrigued the students. The students’ eyes were again opened to the stories behind the people. We also hosted a local refugee-support mobilizer, who helped us learn some Arabic, gave us key background information as we prepared to host the Syrian and Iraqi refugee families, and translated for us during the lunches. In addition, she gave students with the opportunity to make a welcome basket full of food and hygiene supplies to give to a refugee family when they arrived in Canada. The students loved this idea but did not want to make just one welcome basket. They wanted to make two!
Students creatively designed memory card games around topics such as transportation, fruits and vegetables, colors, and common household items, and they displayed the name of each item in both English and Arabic. These games were given to both the families who visited our class and a local welcome center who then passed them on to a number of refugee families.
Deepening Connections Through Reflection
When reflecting on their experiences, my students expressed that they displayed both the Community Builder and the Image Reflector throughlines most prominently. As articulated by our class, “Being a Community Builder means respecting culture and diversity, being noteworthy to God, and supporting others,” and “Being an Image Reflector means repaying the kindness that God gives to others. It also means understanding that you are all made in God’s image.” As one student reflected, “We helped them (the refugee families) feel loved and cared for. We made them feel joyful and part of the community. We made them feel safe here in Canada, and we also made them feel amazing, supported, important, and like they belong here in Canada.”
Many students had heard stories about refugees or had seen them on the news, but after interacting with them in person and learning their stories, students now asked, “What if that were me?” and understood and expressed, “They are like us.”
As one grade five student reflected, “I thought that being an immigrant was easy and quick, but it takes courage, sacrifices, and lots of hard work.” After reflecting on her experience with the refugee family, another student articulated, “I know that if I meet [another] refugee I will try my best to get to know them and learn their story.”
Guided by Our Deep Hope
As their teacher, my deep hope for the students was not just that they would do something for newcomers to Canada but also that they could connect with, get to know, and build relationships with newcomers. Through the relationship with the refugee family, the welcome basket, memory card games, and location booklet took on new depth and meaning. In knowing who their work was impacting and why it was important, the students’ motivation and enthusiasm flourished. It was a blessing to watch and nurture the students as seeds of love were planted, barriers broken, arms outstretched, diversity celebrated, and as friendships bloomed and hearts were opened. These experiences within our classroom were valuable ways to love our neighbor and celebrate the masterpieces that God is creating within each of us, while reflecting the Master at work in us.
Work Cited
Lucado, Max. No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Experiencing the Truth of the Cross. Chronicles of the Cross. Nashville: Nelson, 2004.
Pamela Zuidhof teaches grade five at Surrey Christian School in Surrey, British Columbia.
