BBC School Radio - Collective Worship

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Collective Worship: Together

Listen to an extract from the series	Age 7 - 11
	15 mins

Programme 2: Glad to be me

Themes: identity, self-knowledge, enlightenment, self-esteem

Preparation for the programme:

Focus object: a collection of dressing up clothes which show different roles and jobs.

Focus image: To display a picture of a modern-day stonecutter from Asia click here:

Programme content:

Story: The Stonecutter's wish

Talk about opportunity: if you were the stonecutter what do you think you'd have learnt about yourself.

Song: Come and Praise 2, 97: 'Tis a gift to be simple'. Sung twice.

Reflection: About being positive about our own good points.

Pre-programme questions:

Have you ever pretended to be someone else - e.g. in a play, or in dressing-up clothes?
Have you ever wished you could really become someone or something else? What would make the change seem so attractive?
Why do we wish we could be someone else?
The story is about a stonecutter. What does a stonecutter do?

Story synopsis: The Stonecutter's wish. A traditional tale adapted for radio by Deborah Nash

There are several versions of this traditional Eastern tale about a dissatisfied stonecutter who, after trying on several different guises, discovers that it's possible to find enlightenment and satisfaction just as he is.

In the Together version of this story it is thanks to the indulgence of a mountain spirit that the stonecutter is able to fulfil his desire to be someone else. After experiencing life as a wealthy merchant, a prince, the sun, a cloud and a mountain, he finally realises what he would really like to be is himself.

After the programme:

Story questions:

Do you think the stonecutter was unhappy with whom he was, or did he just want to try out being someone else to find out what it would be like?
Is there anything wrong with wanting to be someone else?
What sort of things did the stonecutter think would make his life better? - e.g. riches and power?
What do you think the stonecutter enjoyed about being back to his old self?
What do you like about being you?

Activities:

Draw a story board account of the Stonecutter's journey to self-awareness. Write a caption for each picture expressing key feelings or thoughts - e.g. where the stonecutter first sees the rich merchant the caption might say: 'I envy you, I want to be you'. Key feelings might be greed, envy and dissatisfaction.
Draw a large circle and draw the key points of the stonecutter's story around the edge, returning eventually to the way he was, as a stonecutter.
Choose one emotion or state of mind to go with each picture. The first word to describe the stonecutter might be 'dissatisfied', what will the last word be?
Conduct a survey in your class or around the school asking 'have you ever wanted to be someone or something else'. What person or thing is the most popular? Why? A lot of people would like to be famous, like film stars, football stars and other celebrities. Why?
Make paper cut outs of your hand. Along each finger and thumb write one good thing you like about yourself. Display them or keep them somewhere safe so that you can remind yourself what's good about being you.