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FEATURES PASTORAL 4 | BUILD TEAMS Not every child will want to stand for something like school council. But you don’t have to have a loud voice or be a natural leader to have agency; you can be a small cog in a big machine and have just as much of an impact. Encourage pupils to combine their unique talents to make effective world-changing teams. Maybe groups organised by shared passions could create a campaign together: one person researching, one designing a logo, one writing a mission statement, etc. 5 | CHANGE THEIR WORLD Allowing choices in the classroom is another great way to foster a sense of agency. Are there meaningful choices you could give over learning? What the children learn, how they learn, or perhaps more control over something like seating plans? It can be a brilliant opportunity to discuss different forms of democracy, too. Faced with a choice, do pupils want to take a straight yes or no referendum, with the risk of leaving half the class unhappy? Do they want to elect peers to investigate options in more depth and decide on their behalf? 6 | REFLECT AND CELEBRATE For children to see how all the small choices and decisions they’ve made add up to a meaningful impact on their world, they need a chance to reflect. Did the compliments they shared lead to a happier classroom? Which acts of kindness left the biggest footprint in their community? And don’t forget to celebrate! Stepping up to take responsibility is hard, and recognition always goes a long way. Maybe a ‘school change-maker’ badge is in order? Providing children with a feeling of power over their own learning can lead to a much happier classroom, says Lucy Unwin 6 ways to give your pupils agency Lucy is the author of children’s novels How to Be a Revolutionary and The Octopus, Dadu and Me . She lives with her husband, two daughters and tortoise. www.teachwire.net | 11 1 | UNDERSTAND POWERLESSNESS Young people can often feel frustrated and powerless in the world, whether it’s to do with the climate crisis or changes in government. They know what’s going on, but, with no vote or influence, these things can be even scarier for them than they are for the adults. Then they come to school and can be swept along through busy days in environments they find stressful. Hold a class chat or ‘town hall’ to really explore where your pupils feel most powerless, and how this affects them. 2 | SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL Doing one small thing can be incredibly powerful – even in the face of seemingly huge problems – and positive change can start with something as simple as sharing kindness. Offer your students an ‘Acts of Kindness’ tick-list with simple ideas like ‘play with someone new’, ‘learn to say hello in a different language’ or ‘make someone laugh’, and hold a class competition to see who can do the most. See lucyannunwin.com/resources for a printable list. 3 | FIND THEIR PASSIONS Now pupils know they do have power, help them to focus it. Are there things the children feel should be more appreciated or understood? Things they want to protect? Things they want to see happen? Consider introducing a ‘passion project’, like in How to Be a Revolutionary . The characters’ projects in the book include sharing the joys of an under-appreciated animal, or making rummage boxes for dementia patients at a care home. The idea is to be led by the students’ own interests.