For the last two weeks we have been creating our learning selfies. We’ve been looking at who is important to our learning and how we can learn well.
‘My sister is important that to me because she helps me with my homework.’ Jamie
Nicole said: ‘It helped me to do stuff I’ve never done before and to think of stuff I’ve never thought of before.’
We also thought about what we would like to learn and Connon told us about how he would like to learn free running.
The Imagineers were invited to be a part of Aberdeen City Council’s Integrated Children’s Services conference on Children and Young People are the Future: Let’s Listen and Learn. They took part in a panel discussion with Gayle Gorman, Director of Education & Childrens Services and Aberdeen Care Experienced young people. The Imagineers showed the Imagining Aberdeen video and facilitated a workshop for professionals who want to work more with children.
‘We went to the Beach Ballroom. We spoke in front of loads of people to Gayle. I said that the lighthouse was the most important part of the mural because it had messages to adults about children. I think the most important message to adults is ‘give us support when we need it.’ I felt excited, nervous and happy. Then we had a meeting with grown ups. We watched the video and then asked them ‘how do you listen to children?’ I now think the adults have to make the changes.’
Imagineer Miriam
Children have rights throughout their life – they should be healthy, happy, safe and have human dignity.
Here are some ideas from the children:
‘Things that can give human dignity are: being yourself, getting hugs and kisses, getting presents, being included, sticking up for yourself, being unique, being happy, helping others, sharing, having a family, having friends, following your dreams, being a jokester, bravery.
Things that can take away human dignity are: someone dying, getting injured, having cancer, being arrested, being left out, getting bullied, fighting, feeling lonely, getting grounded, having your rights disrespected, being shouted at and not being listened to.
We have done the ‘Myself as a Learner’ (MALs) questionnaire with each child we are working with so we can see how they view themselves as learners with the aim to build on this in the following weeks. It was also a great opportunity to get to know each child individually.
Here are some of the thoughts expressed while we were doing the questionnaires.
‘We have just done a questionnaire which will show me how we feel about ourselves and being in school. Surprisingly we have never done anything like this. Children’s Parliament wanted to know about us. We had to answer a big yes, a normal yes, not sure, no or a NO WAY!’ Some of the questions were easy to answer and some were really difficult, like ‘I’m not good at problem solving.’
Children’s Parliament is continuing to work with the four partner schools on a new programme called ‘Doing Our Best’. In Scotland it is every child’s right to an education, however there are many barriers, particular those associated with poverty, that get in the way of a child achieving their full potential. Doing Our Best is about developing learning self-perception and nurturing teacher/ pupil relationships.
Introducing P6 in Bramble Brae: Our teacher is Miss Mitchell. Our topic is ‘The Rainforest’ and this week we have been writing letters as if we were James on the Giant Peach!
Introducing P6 in Manor Park: Our teacher is Mr Murray. We like to ERIC – Everyone Reads In Class for 15minutes everyday. We have been learning about respect!
Introducing P5 in Riverbank: Our teacher is Miss Gardner. Our topic is space and today we wrote a diary entry as if we were astronauts up in space!
Introducing P5 in Tullos: Our teacher is Miss Charles. We like to learn art, maths and science. Today we had First Aid and learned the recovery position!
We had a great time at the Torry Capacity Day, showing people the mural and talking with other young people who are keen to make a difference in Torry. And it was a pleasure to have our very own Imagineer, Sean-Paul with us.
‘Imagining Aberdeen is great bcos it shows what children want – a bright, happy and fun Aberdeen.’
Torry Squad
‘I’d have more police at the skatepark to keep it safe’
Imagineer Sean-Paul
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