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Making every child matter
Citizenship education needs to be thought
provoking and inspiring and to actively engage
children with the political, social and moral
issues of the world around them. In this issue,
we address how we use real issues and events
to begin to do this with young children.
Diversity: Respect for all
Imagine walking into your classroom one day and discovering
that everybody is the same shape, size, colour! They are
wearing identical clothing, perhaps even with the same
breakfast stain on their jumper. When the teacher calls the
register they all answer in unison ‘Yes Mr Frogmorton,’
because they are all called Arthur J. Frogmorton … even the
teacher … and the girls!!
But it won’t happen because we are all quite different, thank
goodness. A survey of your class will soon reveal this: ‘Who
has long hair?’; ‘Who has brown eyes?’; ‘Who wears glasses?’;
‘Who had breakfast this morning?’; ‘Who likes netball?’
These differences are what make us individuals with the right
to make our own choices. We all have our own views and
opinions that should be respected, even if we don’t all agree.
Children can easily make up their own questions to reveal the
similarities and differences just within their own classes.
Although we are different we all share similar needs. We all
need:
somewhere to live where we are loved and
cared for … to be fed and clothed and kept
healthy … to feel safe, unafraid and respected.
Your pupils may think that they don’t contribute to the wellbeing of their classmates, but they do. They may not give
them somewhere to live or feed them (although they may
share a breaktime snack with them sometimes!), but they can
show them respect and ensure that others feel safe in your
school. ‘Do you like going to school?’; Do you think everyone in
your class likes going to school? If not, what can we do to help
them?’ If we can be kind and show respect to those around us
then we can help to make the world a better place.
Two excellent books to support
this debate are Tusk, Tusk by
David McKee and Something
Else by Kathryn Cave,
illustrated by Chris Riddell.
In Tusk, Tusk a fierce war is
being waged between the
black elephants and the
white elephants. While the
battle is raging the peaceloving elephants disappear
into the jungle. After the
battle all the black elephants
and the white elephants are dead, but their
descendants emerge from the jungle. They are … grey! But
make sure you read the final page for a clever twist in the
tale!
Something Else lives ‘on a windy hill alone with nothing to be
friends with’. Despite trying very hard to fit in, Something
Else is excluded and isolated. Another creature appears and
Something Else rejects it at first, but then realises ‘You’re not
like me, BUT I DON’T MIND’. This book also has a wonderful
ending when a third strange creature appears that really is
‘weird-looking!’
Celebrating the differences,
appreciating the similarities
Yes, we are all different: but our differences should be a cause
for celebration, not an excuse to pick on one another. Next
time a new pupil walks into your classroom make sure your
children make them welcome and show them the respect
they deserve. Remember, respect for all!!
issue one summer 2008
Citizenship
Read all about it!
Do you already use national and local newspapers as a cheap,
up-to-date and easily available source of information in
school? Do you produce a school newspaper? Linking
citizenship into activities that you might well already do in
literacy and ICT time means you can hit three sets of
objectives in one lesson – always a welcome outcome in a
crowded curriculum. In the non-statutory framework for PSHE
and Citizenship in the Primary School it is suggested that
children should be taught:
• 2a to research, discuss and debate topical issues,
•
•
problems and events
2e to reflect on spiritual, moral, social and cultural
issues, using imagination to understand other
people’s experiences
2k to explore how the media presents information
In the suggested ‘Breadth of opportunities’ they should be
given opportunities to:
• 5a take responsibility
• 5c participate
• 5d make real choices and decisions
These objectives can be successfully met by considering a
study of newspapers and then producing one of your own. It’s
a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the various successes of
each and every child in your school. Do you have a newspaper
cutting of that time when your name appeared in print? Does
it still make you glow with pride when you rediscover it
tucked away at the back of the cupboard? This is a great
opportunity to boost the children’s self-esteem and help
them develop skills in language, ICT and citizenship in the
process!
Newspapers reflect the
communities they serve
The growth of a child’s experience can also be reflected
through a study of the news. For infants, news consists
essentially of family happenings, but by the time they reach
Year 6 they have moved through issues of local, regional and
national importance and are beginning to consider matters of
global concern (especially major disasters – flood, famine,
earthquake, war, etc.). By the time they reach the upper
juniors they will expect to be able to react and in some way
‘make a difference’. You can encourage them in this by asking
them to communicate their ideas – writing them down with
the purpose of interesting others in them.
Photo © John Birdsall Photo Library
What will I find in a
newspaper?
Children could be presented with a ‘Treasure Hunt’ of
items/articles/information to find in a newspaper. This can
vary according to age and ability and the newspaper provided.
Younger children may look for photographs and headings;
older children may be asked to research more deeply and read
beyond the headlines. This activity will introduce them to the
variety of items contained within a newspaper.
When they have looked at newspaper articles and seen how
the news is reported, you could ask the children to report the
substance of a short story – one they are already familiar
with – as it might appear in a newspaper article. They should
debate the essential components of a news story:
when, who, what, where, why, how?
and compare the structure with the original story. Do they
notice that in a traditional narrative, the story gradually
builds to a climax, whereas in a news item the headline gives
the basic story and the information that follows decreases in
importance as the report continues?
Children could scan the local newspaper for articles or
information about different communities. How are these
communities, within a community, interrelated and
interdependent? Is there a conflict and if so how did this start
– and how might it be ended? Talk about what is meant by a
balanced argument or evidence of bias. Discussion of
persuasive language and the classification of sentences into
fact or opinion (key stage 2 En2 3f, 5b) could link with the
National Literacy Strategy.
Key stage 2 PSHE/Citizenship 2k to explore
how the media present information
Key stage 2 PSHE/Citizenship 5a take
responsibility, 5c participate, 5d make real
choices and decisions
Luke’s story
My four-year-old grandson, Luke, helped me to create a front page to share
with teachers. He chose the news and I word-processed it for him. He had
visited the Cutty Sark, before the fire, and commented on the vast space in the
Master’s quarters compared to the cramped conditions of the crew, giving rise
to discussion about power and authority, fairness and justice, equal rights. He
wanted to write about his rabbit, so we discussed responsibility. He had also
visited the old Southampton football ground before they knocked it down to
build flats and was concerned that the children from the flats should have
somewhere to play. There is now a sign saying ‘NO BALL GAMES’!!! Rules and
decision-making are an issue here.
As Luke moved up through the school, we kept his newsletter going and it
grew in length and sophistication!
Let’s make our own
class/school newspaper!
Our initial issue took about 30 minutes to complete. Over the course of a
term, this is a realistic possibility for every key stage 1 pupil – what a
wonderful collection of front pages you would have! Older children, parent
helpers or classroom assistants could all help busy teachers by working with
the children to create something that would be treasured for life. As they
progress through the school the children will very soon be ready to embark
upon their own school newspaper. All that remains to be done is to make all
necessary decisions, fix deadlines, allocate responsibilities and produce edition
number one! What’s stopping you?!
Brainstorm ideas for the content of the newspaper, e.g. main
news items, sports news, features, interviews, topical issues,
features, jokes, photographs, illustrations, television/film/book
reviews, advertisements, school-subject related pages etc.
Discuss in order to reach a consensus. With the help of a
classroom assistant, parent or older child, even very young
children may be encouraged to create a front page of their
own news.
Interviews
A useful article about using and creating newspapers is available free to
download from the ACT website
(http://www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk/top/top_7/sub/past_articles/sub/1/5).
Roy Honeybone
Links with literacy hour and looking at different viewpoints
Interviews may be introduced initially as a role play activity,
with the children selecting a newspaper story and roleplaying a reporter and various people who may have been
involved in the story. Together, collect examples of interview
questions and talk about what makes a good question. How
are open and closed questions valuable in different interview
situations?
Headline writing
Links with literacy hour: writing for different audiences
Present the children with a variety of headlines separated
from their stories and see if they can match them. Or ask
them to work in pairs to create a headline for a given short
story. Another possibility would be to compare headlines for
the same story as presented in a variety of papers. Can they
identify key features of a headline (e.g. larger print, few words,
eye-catching, use of different language devices – alliteration,
pun, rhyme etc.). This will prepare them for writing their own
headlines.
Advertisements
Collect examples of a variety of advertisements from
different sources. Identify similarities and differences. Create
advertisements of their own, real or imaginary.
The Association for
Citizenship Teaching
Citizenship has become an important part of
the non-statutory framework of the National
Curriculum and many teachers are doing an
excellent job with minimal support. BUT if you
need some – we are here to help!
The Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT) is
the professional subject association for those
involved in citizenship education. Since all primary
teachers are expected to teach citizenship, that
means you!! We’re quite a new association, coming
into existence in 2002. We:
champion the teaching of citizenship to all young
people
offer direct support to classroom practitioners
connect our members to local and regional
networks
work in co-operation with our partners, including
the DCSF and TDA, to represent the subject at
national level.
•
•
•
•
Our main aim is the
furtherance of mutual support,
knowledge, good practice, skills
and resources for the teaching
and learning of citizenship in
schools and colleges. We
produce a termly journal,
Teaching Citizenship, a
monthly e-newsletter and
well-resourced website. We
intend to launch a
dedicated Primary section
later this year.
Association for Citizenship
Teaching
63 Gee Street
London EC1V 3RS
tel 020 7566 4133
fax 020 7566 4131
www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk
Have you met the
Global Wombat yet?
Teaching the Citizenship National
Curriculum is a challenge in itself; so is
the idea of approaching the curriculum
with a global dimension. Could Global Wombat
(www.globalcommunity.org/flash/wombat.shtml) help
you bring the curriculum to life? Watch the Global
Wombat presentation for approaching global matters in
a new light – it’s fun, short and will enhance all learners’
thinking about world concerns. And it’s what young
people and teachers do next that is important.
The Citizenship Foundation
www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk
The Citizenship Foundation is an independent charity
which aims to empower individuals to engage in the
wider community through education about the law,
democracy and society. Our website carries resources
for teaching and information about current
projects, competitions and initiatives.
Go-Givers
An exciting new primary programme from the
Citizenship Foundation, Go-Givers (www.gogivers.org)
is designed to tie into both the citizenship curriculum
and the wider primary curriculum. It aims specifically to
promote ideas of charity and empathy. The teachers’
section offers free citizenship learning resources.
Teachers can download modules fully referenced to the
guidelines for PSHE and Citizenship, and the National
Curriculum. The modules can be used for whole-class
teaching or assemblies and contain thought-provoking
presentations for use on the interactive whiteboard;
teachers’ notes; and children’s activities linked to
literacy and other curriculum areas.
This pamphlet is part of Issue one of Primary Subjects, published by CfSA.
Unless otherwise indicated, the content is copyright free for use within your educational establishment.