HUMAN RIGHTS
Sam Phipps
reports on an
innovative new A right to think
board game that
is sparking animated debate
translate the declaration of Human Rights into Tibetan
you’re imprisoned. Those are the kinds of things that
we can touch on.”
in the classroom on human
Other recent examples of persecution that are often
brought up in class include the murder of Russian
rights and freedom of speech
journalist anna Politkovskaya and the execution of
nigerian human rights campaigner ken Saro-Wiwa.
Suzanne aldous, an english teacher at Balfron High
in Stirlingshire, and kathleen O’donnell, the school
neW BOaRd game that pits librarian, asked a group of pupils to collect more than
a
writers against agents of a 60 books from the library shelves and bring the titles,
repressive regime is giving pupils ranging from Shakespeare to Jk Rowling, into the
an insight into the threats facing middle of the room.
freedom of expression around The students assumed it was an exercise in indexing
the world. but Ms aldous told them all the books were disgusting,
Zoravia – The Freedom Game mendacious and likely to deprave their young minds.
(pictured) has been designed by the Scottish branch of She asked them to take them round the back of the
Pen, the international association of writers against school and throw them on a bonfire. The shocking
persecution. Secondary schools have been piloting it for introduction spurred a vibrant debate about freedom of
a range of activities from creative writing to citizenship, expression and censorship.
modern studies and drama, and Scottish Pen is hoping Ms O’donnell said: “Zoravia helps young people
Learning and Teaching Scotland will eventually help understand not only the effects of intimidation,
get it manufactured and distributed on a larger scale. oppression and censorship but also the methods used
Players choose from a gallery of characters on both to achieve this and to challenge it. Our pupils
either side. From the Zoravian state, they can be Peter really grasped the struggle between the oppressors and
Swijitov, an internet policeman, Mya ionyu, who spies the oppressed.”
on writers at meetings and public readings, or Boris allan Campbell, an S4 pupil at duncanrig Secondary
Bloggz, editor of the state newspaper Truth. Others drew Campbell, writer-in-residence at Lomond we’ve all got these streaks in our nature. Ultimately, it’s in South Lanarkshire, said: “Giving characters to the
include a guard in the security services and a philistine School in Helensburgh, has been using Zoravia with about recognising that element in ourselves and how players is good – they were funny but it made it seem
minister of culture who is addicted to censorship and pupils for several months as part of the association’s disruptive it is,” Mr Campbell added. more real too.”
loves watching banned films. Penpower education activities for young people. He Scottish Pen has only been running an education Robin Lloyd-Jones, who designed Zoravia, is a
Pitched against them are Victor Skribe, owner of says it ties in with many of the aims of Curriculum for programme since 2004, having previously focused former teacher of history, geography and modern
a small publishing business, whose wife died in a excellence in Scotland. on campaigning for the release of writers around the studies as well as a poet and novelist. “We’ve had
botched assassination attempt on him, Jean Frytfear, an He explained: “Freedom of expression is a big issue world, which remains one of its core activities. But discussions with Learning and Teaching Scotland and
investigative journalist, Sven inkman, who writes short for most young people – but they often don’t realise Tessa Ransford, a poet and former president of Scottish we hope they will make it one of their resources.”
stories critical of the regime, and others. until they begin to talk about it. all the things that Pen, says teenagers and young people are motivated an initial batch of 100 games has been produced but
The foes take actions against each other – “Close happen in the game have happened in real life and been by the sense of responsibility the association offers. to work effectively it needs training and preparation in
down all public libraries”, “Choose any member of reported to international Pen. Often pupils are shocked She continued: “Most teenagers would like to the form of discussion on human rights and freedom of
the writers team and arrange to have them beaten up”, when you start to talk about countries where this kind change the world. i was certainly like that. But i don’t expression. SecEd
“Help a fellow writer escape from prison”, etc – and of thing goes on.” think it’s often said to them that by writing you can
move around the board accordingly in opposing spirals. Players are encouraged to try the game from both change the world. Without writing you can’t have a • Sam Phipps is a freelance education journalist.
Players can keep logs of their character’s journey, sides so that they can gain perspective on the mindset democracy, you can’t have a discussion.
write letters from prison or poetry related to their of the persecutor as well as the persecuted. “in China even if you write a little poem about peace
Further information
experiences. “We often end up having a discussion about how and put it on the internet you’re in danger. Or if you www.scottishpen.org
Notes and jottings Psycho babble
Choosing the right role models What is school all about?
Mike SandeMan, head of arthur Mellows in schools. He says that we should stop treating PROBaBLY One of the most important goals of as he finishes his a level studies this week, i
Village College, an 11 to 16 comprehensive school students as “consumers” and attend, instead, to their any secondary school is to turn out confident, happy, have, however, had some cause to reflect that my
in Peterborough, wrote to over 300 household name “innate spirituality”. motivated young men and women who can hold their over-concern about the academic importance of
celebrities and asked them to send his GCSe students Well one could certainly debate that. We do treat own in the world – youths who are moral, full of self- school has been somewhat misguided. and i have
an encouraging message. He got a rather astonishing them (and their parents) as consumers and we’ve belief, and with the personalities, open-mindedness also realised that what my son’s school has offered
17 per cent or so positive response. fallen victim to education by numbers and the and life-skills that will see them find their way in him has been far and above what i, as a parent,
Result? a “wall of inspiration” outside the exam tyranny of testing. further education and the “real world” thereafter. probably should have been doing. You see, they
hall covered with 50 signed photographs and good But what do we mean by innate spirituality? if in my last column, i looked at the importance of never wrote him off.
luck messages from the likes of keira knightley, Sir it’s the personal, feeling, inner being which responds PSHe, and the indisputable evidence showing that and, you know what? Their approach succeeded.
alan Sugar, and dame kelly Holmes. to beauty, love and the things which make its prominence in the curriculum encouraged kids to He is a confident, inspired young man, with belief in
Mr Sandeman, apparently discussed us human then i’m all for it. if it’s just achieve more academically, to behave appropriately, his ability to do just about anything. There has never
with his pupils which “big names” to a euphemism for indoctrination by the and to experience significantly higher levels of been a day in his entire school career where he did not
approach because he didn’t think staff Catholic (or any other) church then, emotional health and wellbeing. want to get up and be there. and he will be leaving
should imprint their own views on as far as i’m concerned, it must be There has been a concerted effort with a clutch of fairly impressive a levels.
the students. strenuously resisted. in this country to ensure that this part He will never be considered an outstanding
“These are their role models, no, what bothered me more of the curriculum is not undervalued, pupil. He has, i am sure, caused them
and this is about finding good role was the Secular Society’s peculiar with programmes like SeaL many headaches. But they were right
models in all echelons,” he said. response to the archbishop’s (social and emotional aspects of in thinking that he had, like all pupils,
Possibly. Or is this a gimmick remarks. Terry Sanderson, the learning), the nHS-run Healthy something unique to offer, and they
which smacks of leaping on the society’s president, said that pupils Schools initiative, and the guidance set about finding it. Through this,
back of the already over dominant are not interested in religion which is for PSHe lessons, based on the they managed to achieve what i
“celebrity culture” which teaches our already “over represented in schools”. Jensen’s premise that: “There could never achieve, despite many
easily influenced youngsters that fame eh? are we now only to teach things is no separation of mind and months of standing over him
means success and anything else is failure? that students are interested in? How emotions; emotions, thinking, and and the revision books with a
many takers would there be for maths, learning are all linked (1998).” firm ruler. He’s got the grades,
now here’s a good way of motivating the niceties of sentence structure, This is an important and he’s got a future before him.
some good, imaginative writing by your or many other basics? Carry this development in education, and Most importantly, however, he’s
key stage 3 pupils. The Usborne Young argument to its logical conclusion must not be overlooked. While a decent, tolerant person who has
Writers’ award 2009 offers five story and no-one will be educated at all. critics are concerned that academia been guided through his teenage
openings by some of its top authors, is being underplayed, undertaught, years by supportive role models.
including Malcolm Rose (whose novel in 1993 i moved from the state to the and inadequately tested in the Uk, every study imaginable has proved
Forbidden Island i praised recently). private sector. it was serendipitous. i i believe that in the absence of whole the benefits of pastoral care, and only you
Young writers are then invited to needed a part-time teaching job so that i families and at a time when our youth are can define its limits. So when you rue the time
complete the story in 1,000 words. it looks could concentrate more on writing, and the prevented from exploring their environment spent with anti-bullying programmes, emotional
such fun that it made my pen (or my keyboard one which came up just happened to be in an in any positive way – where role models are literacy, goal-setting, or mentoring, remember that
fingers) itch to have a go. Unfortunately, i independent school. according to a recent study largely absent, and parenting often erratic – the your efforts are not unappreciated, and every one
shall not be under 14 on October 23, 2009, also by the London School of economics’ Centre for pastoral care and guidance offered by schools is of those extra hours spent has gone towards creating
the last date for entries, so i am ineligible. economic Performance, i was one of 400 that year. invaluable, and largely responsible for the creation of students who leave school capable of meeting any
The winner gets a trip to Usborne House in But last year 1,600 state school teachers took the type of citizens we want to see in this world. challenge thrown at them.
London to meet the five authors and find out how jobs in the private sector – four times as many. i My eldest son is, i shudder to admit, a “party So, educators, never underestimate the role you
a book is made, £100 worth of Usborne books, and wonder how many of those 2008 moves were as boy”. His overwhelming aim in life is to play sport play in the lives of your students. never believe that
two free subscriptions to magazines about books. unplanned as mine was 15 years earlier and how and have a good time. academia falls rather far the extra time you take to encourage the children in
Best of all, probably, the prize includes a visit to the many were part of what the unions are hyping as a down his list of priorities, and he has managed to your care is misguided or wasteful. Put your faith in
winner’s school by the author who started his or her “Big Shift” caused by ever less attractive conditions involve himself fully in every non-academic activity your students, and you will be repaid in spades. and
story. See www.usborne.co.uk/youngwritersaward in government-funded schools? offered by his school – and, most importantly for that, dare i suggest, is what school is really all about.
him, his peer group. if there’s an accident waiting to
are you with Vincent nicholls, new archbishop of • Susan Elkin is a freelance education journalist and happen, you can bet that son of mine is first in the • Karen Sullivan is a bestselling author, psychologist
Westminster, or against him? He wants more religion former teacher. queue to seek involvement. and childcare expert. Email kesullivan@aol.com
SecEd • June 18 2009 
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