RIGHTS RESPECTING SCHOOL AWARD: CLASSROOM CHARTERS OR AGREEMENTS

Transcription

1 RIGHTS RESPECTING SCHOOL AWARD: CLASSROOM CHARTERS OR AGREEMENTS Establishing and building shared values fr a rights respecting classrm. The cllabratin between children and adults in age- and ability-apprpriate ways t agree the behaviurs fr a rights-respecting classrm / schl area has prved t be a very valuable part f the prcess f making the UN Cnventin n the Rights f the Child (CRC) a real and meaningful guide t actin n a day-t-day basis. 1. WHAT IS A CLASS CHARTER / AGREEMENT? A charter / agreement fr a right respecting classrm (r any ther part f the schl) sets ut: thse rights selected frm the CRC which are deemed t be mst relevant. The rights shuld be wrded in language that is meaningful t the children. beside each right, the actins agreed between all children and adults t ensure that the rights can be realised and enjyed by everyne wh agreed t the charter. This is ften dne by all signing it. What is agreed is then set ut in a way that can be easily seen arund the rm / area. Charters / agreements can be develped with the active participatin f children frm infant nwards. They act as a reminder f the shared values and principles based n the CRC and are applicable t all. 2. WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE CHARTER / AGREEMENT? The aim is t make the Cnventin a real and meaningful guide t actin n a day-t-day basis. This means that bth the initial prcess f creating the charter / agreement and its subsequent use shuld be inclusive and unite the children and yung peple and adults in the class. The charter / agreement develps a sense f wnership f the classrm and learning. Once develped it becmes a pint f reference fr the class and nce signed by the teacher, assistants and pupils it signifies a shared enterprise and acts as the scial glue which binds everyne tgether. We wuld recmmend that children als have a say in where and hw it is displayed. These decisins will be influenced by the setting, area and age f thse invlved. Page 1 f 8

2 3. HOW SHOULD THE CHARTER / AGREEMENT BE CREATED? Children and adults in a class r tutr grup familiarise themselves with the articles f the CRC (using child friendly summaries if apprpriate) Thse rights they decide are the mst imprtant in relatin t what is dne in that classrm / area are selected and vted n. This shuld be dne is a way that is age and ability apprpriate. (There are examples f pssible appraches belw). The prcess f develping a shared charter / agreement is as imprtant as the end prduct. The prcess shuld be participatry, inclusive and build n prir learning abut the difference between wants and needs and the imprtance f everyne s rights being respected. Fr very yung children rights may need t be rewrded (using linguistically apprpriate wrds such as need r shuld ). There is guidance n using effective participatin with children and yung peple in the Primary resurces curse within the RRSA supprt website. Pupil Vice Wales has develped an interactive sessin lking at and priritising rights. There are als resurces available n the Lets get it Right website. An apprach t develping a class charter / agreement with primary schl pupils (develped by Prtway Junir Schl and Gwyrsydd Primary Schl) Recap n the CRC Cnslidate why the cnventin was agreed upn and why it exists, and the imprtance f all children under 18 having rights. Extend t include the Human Declaratin f Rights fr adults and the similarities and differences. Chse the articles, frm the CRC, that specifically relate t their lives in schl (fr example, Articles 3, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 37, 39) then get the children t discuss hw and why these relate t life in schl. Diamnd nine the children s chices making sure they can justify their reasns (these have differed in each class depending n the chrt, ethnic backgrunds etc). Use the 6 mst ppular and reasned article fr the class charter / agreement; the children need t identify the behaviurs t be cnsidered by EVERYONE in the class t ensure ALL children can enjy the rights identified. Agree the wrding and wnership by the class / tutr grup r schl. Vte demcratically abut its design and placement within the schl / class. Allw time fr discussin arund any issues that the children have fr example nt signing, wrding, if new peple arrive. Link the wrding n the charter / agreement t the CRC Regularly revisit and tweak the charter / agreement as a class, a gd exercise if new peple jin the class, gd fr circle time and Philsphy fr Children activities and helps with children settling int a new class / schl. Page 2 f 8

3 4. A RIGHTS BASED APPROACH The three main pints t remember are: Rights are smething everyne has as a result f being brn. N ne has pwer t give them t yu r take them away frm yu. There are n cnditins attached t them. When we learn abut rights, we learn that nt nly d we have them urselves, but everyne else has them t. When we are enjying ur wn rights, therefre, we have a duty t make sure that we d s in a way that desn t deny ther peple theirs. A rightsbased apprach encurages respnsible behaviurs. In learning Adults wrking that these with rights children are universal, need t mdel children rights understand respecting that behaviur this means and that use their rights respecting language in rder t reinfrce the benefits f this values system. It is imprtant that adults and children alike learn nt nly that all children shuld be rights respecting but als that adults bear the respnsibility fr ensuring these rights are knwn abut, understd and realised (article 42). This means that: parents and carers are respnsible fr ensuring they mdel rights respecting behaviur in bringing up their children schls are respnsible fr prmting a rights respecting envirnment children learn t becme rights respecting glbal citizens As children mature, their understanding f a rights respecting way f life grws mre prfund. They learn t distinguish between abslute and relative rights. They see the imprtance f adults and yung peple uphlding the values and principles in the charters / agreements t which they have subscribed bth in day-t-day matters and in terms f issues lcally and glbally. This will be reflected in the increasing sphisticatin f the charters / agreements. The end prduct itself shuld be subject t review by the class / schl frm time t time in rder t reinfrce / refresh cmmitment and, imprtantly, t allw fr refinement f understanding and expressin. Even if a schl decides t adpt an verarching charter / agreement fr a rights respecting schl, there shuld be prvisin fr a regular revisiting, and refreshing f cmmitment t it by all. Additinally, children wh have been using charters / agreements fr a length f time have prvided extremely psitive feedback n the impact they have had. Children and yung peple have reprted that classrm charters / agreements have been beneficial as they understand that everyne has rights and the reasns behind classrm / schl rules. I nw understand that everyne has rights nt just me, which has made a big difference t the behaviur in ur class Page 3 f 8

4 Year 5 pupil, Cantref Primary Schl 5. IN WHAT WAY IS IT DIFFERENT FROM GOLDEN RULES OR CODES OF BEHAVIOUR? The class charter / agreement is nt a direct behaviur management tl. It indicates that a significant part f the rle f the schl and the teacher is t help realise the rights f the child. Rules are smething which are ften externally impsed, whereas charters / agreements are demcratically negtiated using an internatinally agreed values framewrk. A charter / agreement shuld begin a prcess f replacing rules with mutual agreement. When we had class rules we didn t knw why and they meant nthing t us. Nw we have a classrm charter, we understand what we have t have (rights) and hw ur behaviur can affect smebdy else frm having their rights. I nw understand hw my behaviur can affect ther children Year 6 pupil, Pembrey Primary Schl 6. HOW MIGHT THE CHARTERS / AGREEMENTS BE PRESENTED? The charter / agreement shuld always be rted in articles f the Cnventin with pupils selecting and expanding n the articles that they cnsider are mst apprpriate. It is crucial during all the wrk n charters / agreements that staff and children fully understand that rights are uncnditinal; adults are duty bearers t ensure children s rights are realised. The classrm charter / agreement is t ensure children appreciate the effect THEIR OWN behaviur can have n either prviding r denying anther child f THEIR OWN right. Examples f charters Three clumns shwing the behaviurs t be cnsidered by EVERYONE in the class t ensure ALL children can enjy the rights identified One suggestin is t set ut the selected rights in ne clumn and then add tw mre clumns t allw children and adults t set dwn what actins they will take t ensure these rights are realised and enjyed by all: Page 4 f 8

5 What children agree t d CRC What adults will d t realise this right Play in a way that des nt stp thers playing Article 31 (leisure, play and culture). Every child has the right t relax, play and jin in a wide range f cultural and artistic activities Ensure prvisin fr range f play pprtunities Page 5 f 8

6 Tw clumns shwing rights and actins t realise rights Creating tw clumns: ne each fr Rights and Actins t realise rights has been a ppular apprach. With this frm f charter / agreement it is imprtant, hwever, t avid verlading the Actins clumn and t ensure that children d nt end up with a charter / agreement that nly refers t their actins. When lking at actins t realise rights it is nt unusual fr children / yung peple t identify mre than ne actin. It is quite reasnable t have mre than ne actin allied t a right. Right All Children have this right: T be heard and pinins listened t Actins t realise rights Children shuld: Listen t thers speaking and respect ther peple s pinins T ensure all children in the class enjy the same right. By nt allwing thers t speak, children can deny anther child frm enjying this right Venn diagram shwing the actins t be cnsidered by EVERYONE in the class t ensure ALL children can enjy the rights identified Anther apprach illustrated in the example belw uses a Venn diagram. Each article is set ut and underneath the article children / yung peple and adults list the actins they need t take t realise the right. In the middle is a circle shwing the actins t realise the right that bth parties need t take. Page 6 f 8

7 The example belw is frm Wallasey Secndary Schl: Article 19 f the UNCRC - Children and yung peple have a right t be prtected frm vilence, abuse and neglect. This cvers: Safety Bullying Discriminatin SEAL Students BOTH Adults Dn t bully r supprt any kind f bullying r discriminatin Questin thers wh yu knw are bullying r discriminating against thers Reprt incidents f bullying, discriminatin and abuse Treat peple with respect and withut discriminatin Create a safe schl where students and adults feel able t vice their cncerns Deal with all incidents sensitively and apprpriately Ensure anti-bullying plicies are understd and implemented cnsistently Raise awareness arund discriminatin e.g. racism/ steretypes/ hmphbia 7. DO CHARTERS / AGREEMENTS VARY WITH THE AGE OF CHILDREN? Yes, initially with very yung children they may be very simple and use images instead f wrds r in additin t wrds. As children mve int upper Key stage 2 children make mre references t the articles in the cnventin. In secndary schls tutr grups / year grups can generate charters/agreements at the utset, depending n the extent f supprt frm teachers and assistants. Due t the way mst secndary schls are structured, hwever, they shuld lk at ways f securing agreement t which all children, perhaps thrugh their tutr grups have been able t cntribute and t which everyne agrees t sign up. This can then be the pint f reference fr the whle schl. Page 7 f 8

8 8. WHY DO ADULTS SIGN? This is mre than a symblic gesture. It is abut indicating t children and reminding adults that the whle experience f teaching and learning is a shared enterprise and will wrk best if everyne keeps t the class charter / agreement. It strengthens the relatinship between children and adults. This is als true f charters cvering lunch times, play areas, extended schl spaces. It just makes sense. Having the charter has helped t address lw level behaviur in a language which children understand. It has prvided the children with a real sense f understanding and reasning t why certain classrms behaviurs are asked. Class Teacher, Gwyrsydd Primary 9. ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES Teachers culd als link the develpment f a rights respecting charter t lessns t imprve scial and emtinal literacy. SEAL materials culd be used fr supprt if needed. Children shuld be encuraged t see hw they culd link any invlvement in whleschl initiatives such as Ec Schls, Healthy Schls, the Schl Cuncil r Antibullying grups int the actins clumn f the agreement. Nte als links t the Citizenship and Persnal and Scial Educatin Objectives such as: Research & debating issues / events Knw why / hw rules/laws are made Discuss anti-scial behaviur Take part in making / changing rules Reslving differences Explaining chice Page 8 f 8