Laura Venn and Sarah Davey explain why empowering children to implement change is transforming their outlook on the world
A change is in the air ? you can see it all around. People are becoming more aware and enlightened on the rights and wrongs in our society, many of which are hidden or disguised as “normal”: gender inequality; negative stereotypes; animal cruelty; and the destructive effects of pollution. We often fear change, but it isn’t always something to be afraid of. Because with change comes hope: a hope for a better future, both for us and for the generations to come.
The Change It project, from literacy resource A Tale Unfolds, encourages children to find their voice, learn about the features of a campaign through persuasive writing, and create their own campaign film. Change It is supported by change.org, a website that enables people to share online campaigns and provides them with a platform for change. Initially, the project focused on an example campaign against the selling of battery-farmed chicken eggs. This was only supposed to be a brief introduction to the power of one person?s opinion, but for our Year Six children at Tubbenden Primary School, it was the beginning of something huge.
Children are infamous for asking “why"”, and their sense of wonder and enthusiasm to explore the world is accompanied by the compelling ability to question what’s around them. In the classroom, this curiosity can often lead the lea...