Some schools in England and Wales could close on certain days in February and March, after teachers voted to go on strike over how much they are paid. This resources pack includes an article from The Week Junior magazine, along with a sheet of activities designed to get children thinking, talking and writing about what the story means to them.
Oracy
Pupils around the country are going to miss out on lessons because their teachers are going on strike. Is it fair to put children and their education in the middle of a disagreement between teachers and the Government? Or do you think the teachers have a fair point when the value of their pay has decreased so much over the last 12 years? In any case, isn’t the real harm being done to children by the fact that so many teachers are giving up because of low pay and overwork? What do you think?
Writing skills
Imagine you are a teacher who just happens to have three top ministers, such as the Prime Minister (Rishi), the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Jeremy) and the Education Secretary (Gillian), in your class. Write the ‘teacher talk’ part of a lesson where you explain what happens when the amount of money people get paid goes up by a smaller percentage than the rise of prices in the shops.
Or
Write a letter to your own teachers, either pleading with them not to go on strike or offering your support for their demand for better pay.
Investigate
Conduct a small survey of about five teachers in your school. Ask them what they think are the three best things about being a teacher and the three worst.
Find the entire series of Topical Tuesday resources to download in our Topical Tuesdays collection.
What is The Week Junior?
The Week Junior magazine looks at current affairs and helps children make sense of the world, provides context and clarity to complex issues, improves general knowledge and encourages discussion and debate.
To find out more about The Week Junior and to download its free resources, please go to The Week Junior website.