Belonging Reflections

If you had to leave everything you ever loved behind, except for one thing, what would you take with you? And if you lost that one thing, could your ever find your way home?

Click HERE for the link to a great lesson prepared by Ms. Stirling that answers this question and helps us with many more!

Maslow's Hierarchy

Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist who was best known for creating Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs. This is best described as a theory of psychological health that is based on the fulfilment of innate humans needs in order of priority.

Maslow stressed the importance of focusing on the positive qualities of people in treatment. This set him apart from many of his peers who would look first at the problems that people would present with when seeking assistance.

WHY IS BELONGING PLACED AS IT IS IN MASLOW'S HIERARCHY?

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON MASLOW'S HIERARCHY THERE IS A GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF INFORMATION HERE. 

Belonging Definitions

Here the two images that display your initial definitions of the AOS. Have a look at yours in comparison to those of your peers.

What are the similarities? What are the differences? We know that in terms of the AOS that belonging is ultimately a perception. Have we proved this to be true here?

Section I - Section II

Here are two links that will help us look at the requirements of students in Section I & Section II of Paper One.

LINK ONE: THE RIVER THAT WASN'T OURS

LINK TWO: ALIENATION (CREATIVE WRITING)

These links can be used to compare your own writing and understanding to that of student(s) that have already been through the HSC!

Section I 2010 Paper

Source: LINK

1. In better responses, candidates engaged well with the visual elements of the text and established a link between the visual and how the concept of belonging or not belonging to family was depicted. Weaker responses attempted a description of the image without addressing the ‘how’ aspect in the question.b.
2. In better responses, candidates clearly explained the nature of the relationship, using textual support to provide depth to the explanation. Weaker responses tended to provide a recount of the relationship.
3. In strong responses, candidates focused on the portrayal of friendship as an alternative source of belonging. They used textual references insightfully to identify issues in the text and went beyond literal interpretations to provide points about the idea of friendship as an alternative to family in establishing a sense of belonging. In weaker responses, candidates tended towards explanation with less apt choices in textual referencing and made more generalised statements about friendship and/or families.
4. In better responses, candidates examined elements of the text in order to interpret the text holistically. Explorations of the text’s meaning were supported by apt references that revealed the complexity of the speaker’s attitude. In weaker responses, candidates dealt with the text on a more literal level and often misinterpreted the attitude of the speaker or failed to refer to it at all.
5. In stronger responses, candidates analysed the distinctive perspectives provided in the texts and understood that ‘ways’ could be conceptual. They avoided generalisations and effectively addressed all elements of the question and provided aptly chosen textual evidence in support. Weaker responses tended towards explanation and textual referencing was limited.

Defining Belonging

Here are a series of quotes about belonging. Choose three that speak to you specifically and look into the context of its origins.

1. Who said it?
2. Why was it said?
3. What does it teach us (you) about the concept of belonging?
4. Which part/s of your left hand does the quote link closest to? Why?
5. Which part/s of your right hand does the quote link closest to? Why? 

Hunger, love, pain, fear are some of those inner forces which rule the individual's instinct for self preservation ~ Albert Einstein

To thine own self be true ~ Polonius (Hamlet)

Belonging to oneself - the whole essence of life lies in that ~ Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev

We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom and fun ~ William Glasser

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! ~ Bible

The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together ~ William Shakespeare

The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession ~ Mark Twain

I am not an Athenian, nor a Greek, but a citizen of the world ~ Socrates

We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we all belong to one human race ~ Kofi Annan

In union there is strength ~ Aesop