Teaching Global Citizenship means allowing the students to deeply feel their responsibilities to those less fortunate than themselves. St Michael’s Prep school teacher, Mrs Chugg, arranged a ‘Go Global Week’ for students to
Develop knowledge of ‘other people & cultures’, and ‘concern & empathy for others not as fortunate as themselves’ and most of all a desire to make a difference.
Following a Christmas craft fair she met with Empathy Action and heard the range of stories form the producers of the products and the Action Pack idea for children’s birthday parties. She asked whether we could return and craft a half day programme for their Year 6s during their school’s ‘Go Global Week‘.
The other week the students explored how they felt about being in the richest 2% of the world. They listened to Sarah Playle, a local mum of 3, share about how she empathised with the refugee crisis in Calais and Europe. She described how her empathy acted as a catalyst to help others in need; particalrly teenagers who have become refugees, travelling vast distances with no families in the UK, and becoming a ‘community family’ for them. They were able to question her about what the Calais ‘Jungle’ refugee camp was like, ask why she wanted to help, and hear about her empathy for those less fortunate than her.
Students touched & felt products that were made from some of the marginalised communities, whilst listening to stories of the producers. At the end the pupils wrote their own “Empathy Action“, their personal plans for action, as a result of feeling for those less fortunate than themselves.
For Mrs Chugg, one of her hopes was to inspire the students to use their own birthday parties to be generous and help others by giving Action Packs as their party bags.
One student said to us “I will try and use Action Packs for my party“. He heard a little more about the producers of the the items, then as his ‘Empathy Action’ wrote:
I will have some of the party bag stuff for my party bags – PROMISE!
One parent fedback from the weekly newsletter to say:
So great to see this and keep our kids eyes open to what’s happening in the world, what they can do to make a difference and being grateful. Will came back inspired to raise money for the Syrian refugees
Empathy Action is returning in a few months to learn more of what these students will do as a result of the empathy programme. More to come from these Year 6s!
If you are interested in finding more about the empathy programmes for your school. Please get in touch here.
