The Manor Park Parliament have been working hard all year, thinking about things that make their school a happy, healthy and safe place for all children. As well as the things that get in the way of children being ready to learn and do their best at school.
At the end of term the children invited the teachers in the school to hear their ideas and share the learning and teaching policy they have made for the school.
Later in the year the Parliament Peeps will be meeting with Gayle Gorman and the Education Scotland team. They will be sharing the Learning and Teaching, and Relationship policies the Manor Park Parliament have written and introduced in their school!
Children’s Parliament have been working with the Parliament Peeps, a group of P6 children at Manor Park. At the end of term we celebrated all their great work by gifting them with Praise Poems. Praise Poems are used in different cultures around the world. Here in Scotland it was the poetry of the Filidh bards who wrote poems to honour Kings and Chieftains, Heroes and Heroines.
The Manor Park Parliament have been working hard all year, thinking about things that make their school a happy, healthy and safe place for all children. As well as the things that get in the way of children being ready to learn and do their best.
At the end of term the children invited the PSA’s in the school to hear their ideas and share the Relationships Policy they have made for their school.
This year the Manor Park Parliament have invited adults from their school and community to hear what they need to make the school a happy place where children are ready to learn.
Each adult made a pledge in response to what they heard the children say. The pledges were things they will change, do more often or remember in the future. A book of these pledges will be left at Manor Park for the Manor Park Parliament to follow up on next term!
Here are some of the pledges the adults at Manor Park made:
The Parliament peeps were asked to think of things that might help children at Manor Park when they don’t feel ready to learn. They made comic strips to illustrate their ideas.
The Manor Park Parliament were asked to think about different children at their school.
Some children considered a ‘thriving’ child at Manor Park. This a child who is able to do their best, problem solve and have positive relationships. When faced with a challenge, the keep going and give it a shot. The children thought that a thriving child is happy, loves learning and thinking of new games. They run about with their friends, but they are confident and enjoy spending time by themselves too.
Other children considered a ‘surviving’ child at Manor Park, this is a child who only just managing, they might be at school but there are things that get in the way of them being able to do their best. The children said that a surviving child might feel like their is a storm in their head and find it hard to listen at school because they are worried. They might feel unconnected and not in the mood.
The children were asked to think of things that might help a surviving child at Manor Park.
They said:
‘Adults should listen to children, and ask them what is wrong before giving them into trouble. If a child is naughty it might be because of sadness or anger. If a child is bullying someone it might be because they feel bad and want others to feel bad too.’
If a child feels like they have a storm in their head take them outside. It smells good outside and its sunny today, that would take their mind off it.
‘When a child is sore in the head or stressed they need to get it all out so they know why they are angry. A special person should come into school and talk to them about their feelings, when you talk to someone you trust you feel safe.’
‘Help children feel listened to by listening to them every time in class.’
‘Look after children and laugh with them.’
To help the Parliament Peeps think about themselves as learners they have been introduced to some learning characters who have different learning characteristics: resilient, reflective, resourceful and relationships.
‘I’m a technical person and I like electronics. When I play Minecraft, I feel like I am in the game and I learn how to build things.’
‘I like to learn through drawing. I get distracted when people talk to me in class and like to learn in quiet places in the library.’
‘Basketball helps me to learn as I work in a team. I like helping other people to learn.’
The Manor Park Parliament created a board game, they made the board, dice, cards and invited adults in their school and community to play.
There are good cards and bad cards. On the good cards there are drawings of things that help children to be ready to learn, and on the bad cards there are things that get in the way of children being ready to learn. If you get a bad card you have to go back a space on the board.
If someone rolls a question mark on the special dice everyone has to think of solutions to one of the cards and think of ways to make the school better.
After the game the adults were asked to make a pledge, something that they will do to make Manor Park a school where all children are able to do their best.
The Parliament Peeps were asked to think some more about teachers at Manor Park and what they can do and say to make sure everyone can do their best.
They thought these things would help:
Do more fun things – change the lessons up everyday
When children come into school in the morning, cheer them up if they aren’t feeling good.
Let children learn at their own pace and their own level.
Be clear – make a lot of sense.
This is Miss Rabbie. She like to draw and show other people how to do it. She has a space for painting and drawing. She helps children with maths and writing. She is funny.
This is Mr Cool. He is tall and red haired and not funny but very kind. He helps people if they need help. He teaches children how to be a good child by being kind.
This is Miss Weir. She’s wearing a stripy cardy and has ginger hair. She’s kind. She like to do fun things with her class. She has a pen, so it corrects all the children’s work automatically. This means she isn’t tired and not grumpy in the morning.
This is Mr Maths. He like turquoise so wears it and has a hat on, which makes him smarter. He has a special pen – when he does maths it changes so that it is different for every pupil, at their own level. He has buttons that go red when people lie. This is the only time he gets angry.
