Students Learn From Protest Gold Star

Illawarra Mercury

Tuesday March 4, 2008

As anti-whaling activists stood ready to board Japanese whaling ships in the Antarctic, the cause got some strong support from a group of concerned Illawarra high school students last week.

Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts Year 7 students staged an unusual protest against whaling and cruelty to animals in all its forms.

Students painted banners and made T-shirts, posters and slogans for the protest, which was organised by the school's English staff.

The aim of the protest was to engage students in the finer points of debating as well as helping to develop connections with the world outside the school.

English teacher Edna Carmichael said an important element in teaching high school students was exploring ideas relevant to them.

"An important aspect of teaching is developing in students those critical thinking skills which then allow them to understand complex issues about the way the world and its people function," Ms Carmichael said.Year 7 student Chloe Dobbs said the project had given her the opportunity to learn about whaling from a Japanese perspective, though it had not changed her opinion that whaling was wrong.

"We learnt all about Japanese culture and what they use whale for in their perfumes and soaps and stuff, but it still makes me really angry and I don't support it," she said.

Classmate Blake Stanbridge said he was glad he had the opportunity to spread the word to the broader community.

"A lot of this stuff, like my topic puppy farming, is not known in the public," he said.

"If we talk about it then people will start to realise this is happening and do something about it, like buy puppies from registered breeders."

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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