The purpose of this session was for the Imagineers to share key messages from the investigations they believe children need addressed by adults to tackle the impact of poverty.
Two of our Champions, Tracy Davis (Child Health Commissioner – NHS Grampian) and Alison Cameron (Partnership Project Development Manager – Unicef Child Friendly Cities Aberdeen) were invited to listen to the children and discuss their ideas for how this could be made possible for every child in Aberdeen.
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.
The purpose of this session was for the Imagineers to begin to think about what helps them and other children to learn and things that might get in the way of a child being able to learn.
Things they identified that help children learn:
“Learning in an exciting and inspiring way.”
“Getting lots of friends that support you.”
“Getting brain breaks.”
Things that might get in the way:
“Bullies who lower your confidence and affect people’s learning”
“Not getting enough sleep”
“A strict teacher that lowers confidence”
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 purpose of this session is to get the Imagineers to think about themselves as learners. They thought about all the things that they have learnt in their lives, the things they like do and other things that they would like learn in the future.
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.’
