Teachers (and parents) of children in YR3-6 - I need your words of wisdom please.....

[BaroqueAroundTheClock]

What sort of topics do you cover/let you children in those ages see about "world (or national) issues" such as poverty, natural disasters, trafficking etc?

I've been asked to put another video together similar to one I've just done (which was aimed at adults) for use in an assembly at the junior school.

I can't use the one I made as it has several references to trafficking for sexual reasons, child solidiers, and the images I've used are most definitely aimed at an older level. I did show it to my DS's (Yr2, and Yr5) and they were ok with it, although I had to carefully explain some thing to them. BUT I know that I do give my children more access (some would argue wrongly but that's not what this thread is about ) than other parents to the news.

Now - I don't want to go upsetting parents (or children for that matter) with subject material that is too difficult to digest. But at the same time I want to be able to give the children something to think about - and for the Vicar to be able to do an assembly on .

I've had a look on the CBBE Newsround website (which reckons they are aimed at 6-12yrs) and they seem to cover loads of stuff.

I've also had a look on the NC website at the Citizenship bit for KS2 - but it's left me with more questions than answers.

So - what sort of topics of a "global" nature do you either teach/discuss in class, or let your children have access to (albeit perhaps in a watered down way).

And.........are there any websites that cover these sorts of issues which are aimed at children???

Thanks

I would think it's the way the subject is covered, and not the actual subject. I imagine (will take a look in a minute that CBBC covers such subjects appropriately.

I let my children know about all natural disasters, but tend to shy away from most man horrors (holocaust, trafficking), etc until Y6, and then it obviously has to be handled tactfully. All my DC have been aware of WW2 from an early age, but in an age appropriate way.

lots of the NGOs have childrens/youth ws eg oxfam, save the children, some of these do talk about quite distressing topics but often with a happy ending eg the child soldiers are rescued and rehabilitated. Even KS 2 is quite an age range and children will have a wide range of existing knowledge/context...You have to remember, too, that children this age will defnitely be exposed to whatever is in the media, which of course includes plenty of upsetting stuff, you will not be introducing anything 'new' and helping them understand these things is part of what schools should be doing, IMO. If you google 'global citizenship education' or 'development education' you will find some helpful stuff.

Yes -that's it - the age appriateness of it I'm trying to grasp - it's hard as because of, for exmaple, our strong links to Zimbabwe my DS's know about man horros such as happened there (and these discussions have progressed to other countries too and other issues though I haven't talked about the holocaust with them yet - they do know a little about traffiking as they've seen me looking at "Stop the Traffik" information/resources in the past) so I'm not quite in "touch" with what is "normal" for children that age iykwim?

\link(news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6340000/newsid_6343600/6343619.stm\I found this} on the CBBC website and that's thrown me even more as there's a quote from a 5yr old about poverty in African and AIDS

I think I'll watch responses on this thread and then go in and talk to the school and get their advise too.

I think you can talk about a lot of these things without being too graphic. I wouldn't have a problem with discussing HIV/AIDS, it's a very serious disease that kills lots of people especially in poorer countries where people can't afford to buy the right medecine. Trafficking, is horrific enough to describe in terms of kidnap, being forcibly detained, made to work for no money....you don't have to be explicit about prostitution...
I must admit I would avoid talking about violence/abuse of a sexual nature, but that's because I would like to leave it as long as possible before children are exposed to the idea of anything sexual outside of a mutual and consenting relationship.

oh thanks for that Shali - there's definitely going to be a focus on the positive endings as well. I didn't realise that oxfam and the like had those resources, - just found the Oxfam ones - fantastic thank you that will be really useful to see the sort of "level" that these issues are discussed at for that age group.

I'm just really concious of upsetting parents having seen so many threads on here about "my children came home from school having learned about XYZ - I think they're too young to know anything about it yet".

My ds comes and tells me if he's learned something in school which he's found upsetting, I just explain it in a way I know he will be able to handle it better(which seems to ease his mind). Dd on the other hand has to this day not come home and demanded any explanations for anything really, she just takes it in her stride. Don't all parents assume all things taught in school would be age appropriate and in line with the NC? All children have different ways of handling their emotions(as do adults I suppose) but I seriously am not too fussed if my children are exposed to a bit of reality. Good luck with everything and maybe we can help preview it for you?

I'm a KS2 teacher and a Y1 parent... natural disasters (flooding, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunami etc.) are covered in the geography curriculum at KS2. The impact of those events upon those who live where they occur is something we also talk about in PSHE, RE, literacy (we often use newspapers). Migration, refugees and apartheid are topics I've addressed in cross-curricular themes, often linked to Black History Month (my old school used to choose a theme each year).

However, and this is quite a strong however given what you've been asked to produce, I don't usually use film-type media. I think that makes quite a difference to the emotional impact...

As the parent of a 6-year-old DD I've discussed apartheid, slavery (and abolition of the slave trade), why women weren't allowed to vote (and why it's important that we do know), the impact of earthquake etc. on the infrastructure of the poorest countries, WW2 and most things she's asked about. We've talked, looked at books, read papers, looked up websites but again, I don't usually go for 'moving pictures' (I sound like I'm about 100, I'm not!).

I wouldn't want to expose the children I teach (or my own DDs) to a film about trafficking for sexual reasons unless they were at a very real risk of it. I would also want to see any such film prior to showing it to my class because, for example, I would need to be sure that those children in my class who've experienced some pretty awful things (including witnessing the fatal shooting of a parent in Mogadishu which led to the child being smuggled out of the country) won't be traumatised by seeing something that is too painful and threatens their safety (emotional or actual). I have a responsibility as a teacher to make school as 'safe' as possible for all children but especially the vulnerable and if I show a film about a sensitive subject I need to be extra careful about the messages that sends about children's own experiences.

Unless it's along the lines of the Harvest/Christmas stories that Tearfund etc. produce, I would be very wary of showing something in assembly - definitely get the vicar in to do some PSHE-type sessions using such a resource but not in an assembly where children wouldn't be able to question/respond/cry. Children need an opportunity to respond to that sort of thing and I don't think assembly is the best forum for that.

Sorry, I sound like a right old grump .

SE13 you sound very sensible not grumpy at all. From personal experience I can tell you no two children will respond to a situation in the same way. I think it will be a good idea to be bit more careful with the video. I do recall my children responding differently to things they read to things they actually see or experience hth (sorry,I am sali81 from above I have name changed)