Miriam’s Vision is about building an inclusive, non-violent society, respecting fundamental rights. This cannot be over-emphasised to students, whenever the opportunity arises.
Guidance
Practicalities
The Miriam's Vision Schemes of Work consist of sets of lesson plans in the form of guided instructions. All necessary resources (electronic ones, provided by us, and otherwise) are listed at the beginning of each lesson plan and highlighted within the plans for ease of reference. You have everything you need on this website to deliver Miriam's Vision in your classroom.
Each module is preceded by guidance specific to it.
Resilience / The Covid Pandemic was created for independent, on-line learning. It can also be used in the classroom, or in any learning environment. It links the Miriam's Vision theme of Resilience with students' experiences during the pandemic, giving opportunities for reflection on the development of confidence in the face of adversity.
Four other Add-ons were created in response to feedback from the MV Impact Study.
The Miriam's Vision modules are inter-related but not inter-dependent.
Each curriculum area in Miriam's Vision uses the four-part Miriam's Story video package (total eight minutes). It is essential in setting the context for students.
The plans are guides only, so feel free to adapt them, or use any element in the ways that suit you. We have tried to provide at least enough materials for an hour per week for one half term in each Scheme of Work (apart from Art and PSHE). In some cases there may be more than you need. The plans are written to be used as flexibly as possible; all activities are optional or alterable, according to your class's needs.
Accessibility
Wherever possible, resources are not dependent on internet access but there is a vast range of relevant sources online. Links given can easily be replaced with others if you find ones you prefer (please tell us about them), or experience difficulty accessing them (although we have tried to use relatively reliable sites such as the BBC).
Timings
Plans do not include timings, as session lengths vary in different schools. We have assumed lessons of about an hour so that maximum use can be made of the resources. Any less and you will certainly need to modify the plans or extend the number of sessions. We welcome your feedback on this.
Differentiation
We have suggested some differentiation but individual teachers are best placed to respond to the particular needs of their classes. We therefore strongly suggest that the lessons are delivered by teachers who know their students' strengths and weaknesses. We have provided a range of resources that students will find compelling, but can be adjusted as desired. You may wish to select the amount of source material.
Focus
The focus of Miriam's Vision is on the consequences of conflict in general and of 7/7 in particular. Understandably there is an interest among students in causes. In response to feedback, we have produced an Add-on background session about terrorism in general: Terrorism: What? When? Where? Teachers can also be supportive in directing searches for, for example, others involved, the Coroner’s Inquest, etc.
Reflection
The final lesson of each Scheme of Work allows time to summarise the educational purposes of the module, the relationship of the module to Miriam's story, and the relationship of Miriam's story to one's own life and community. This is essential for the purposes of the aims of Miriam's Vision.
Sensitivities
You will need to be aware of possible sensitivities around this topic. Some students may have been directly or indirectly affected either by terrorism, and whilst all the materials on this website are non-religious and a-political, there are still religious sensitivities to consider because of the nature of the event and people’s responses to it.
Experience has shown that opening lines of communication with students and their families has reassured any concerns.
We must make reference here to conspiracy theories, which are rife on the internet. A simple search for 7/7 throws up a great deal of such material and it is likely that students will encounter these if they engage in any internet research. You may choose to explain this to them. Your feedback on this is welcome.
Information to Parents/Guardians
With sensitivities in mind, it is suggested that a representative of the school or class writes to parents of students who are going to participate in Miriam's Vision sessions. Here is a template, if you wish to use it:
Dear Parent/Guardian
I am writing to let you know that we will be using Miriam’s Vision, a collection of teaching resources created by the Miriam Hyman Memorial Trust (MHMT). Miriam was killed in the London bombings on 7th July 2005. Her family set up the MHMT and created a living memorial – the Miriam Hyman Children’s Eye Care Centre in Odisha, India.
The MHMT also created an education resource called Miriam’s Vision: A Response to the 2005 London Bombings. The aim is to promote a safer, more inclusive society. Given the challenges of extremism that continue here and all over the world, this is a special opportunity to tackle the subject in meaningful and constructive ways.
You can find out more about the Miriam Hyman Memorial Trust on their website. It is a small charity. Any donation is completely optional.
Please feel free to contact us, especially if you have any concerns.
Fundraising
Raising funds “for the charity” has been spontaneously requested by some students during trialing. Refer to our Fundraising Add-on for ideas.
Feedback
We welcome feedback from teachers who have used Miriam's Vision. We use your feedback to inform refinements of the resources and we may quote you anonymously in relevant contexts. Please use this contact form. Thank you!