Starting with a story, ‘Wangarĩ’s Trees of Peace’ by Jeanette Winter, this project evolved illustrating how storytelling can be both the inspiration and process for learning. Working with volunteer Mary Troup, a quaker and musician, P5 pupils learnt about Wangarĩ Muta Maathai, who founded Kenya’s Green Belt Movement and lead mass action for reforestation despite political intimidation. The children were intrigued by the story as one P5 explains, “It was really good that it was someone of her gender and her heritage, just making a stand for people like her all around the world.”
“The project grew in surprising ways, showing how storytelling can be both the inspiration and the process for learning.”
Planting the Seeds
To enrich the narrative, Mary drew her experience as a veteran of the Conservatoire to add her own musical accompaniment. This inspired a rich collaboration through which the pupils wrote, composed and choreographed their own performance to tell the story of the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Three Royal Conservatoire students came and worked with the pupils to help them make their own composition. The piece of work showcases the power of story to propel learning and action.
Branching Out
Class teacher Karen Taylor ran with this energy. “The project started quite small and I was surprised how well the pupils adapted.” says Karen. “They’ve had the opportunity to use so many different skills, whether it’s performing, coming up with ideas, creating songs, creating dance moves, or just collaborating and working together. There’s been an opportunity for every child to take part, with shy children coming more to the fore. I have definitely seen confidence grow.”
The school drew on past collaboration with Wosdec, who have trained teachers in their global storylines approach. The pupils identified the beginning, middle and end of Wangari’s story and then broke it down further into scenes they wanted to show from the book.
Pupils have been authors, identifying key words from the text and building from a model song verse to create the rest of the lyrics. They created their own soundscapes to build the texture. In PE, the pupils were already studying dance so Karen introduced some African Harvest dance moves, which turned into the Jambo dance in the final performance.
Taking Root
SDG 15 calls for reforestation, which is very real for Oakgrove pupils. Pupils and staff are conscious of their immediate environment, planting and tending to school grounds which lie beneath Glasgow’s M8 motorway, a concrete illustration of the complex relationship between people and planet.
“The piece of work showcases the power of story to propel learning and action.”
The project reflects a wider ethos across the school. Oakgrove’s children cultivate peace across their school by volunteering as mediators, pupil councillors, buddies and members of the eco committee. Since COP 26, the school has been holding regular climate cafes. Headteacher Jane Cerexhe supports children who have recently arrived in Glasgow by spending time with them in the school’s garden.
Bearing Fruit
After so much preparation, the pupils are excited to reveal the songs, costumes, props and choreography they have prepared, which is being kept under wraps for now. Quakers in Britain were already working with Members of the Scottish Parliament following a cross-party motion which encourages all schools and local authorities to read Peace at the heart, the Quaker report, and explore how they can place peace at the heart of their approach to education. They are excited to share the Oakgrove performance, with parliamentarians alongside an exhibition exploring peace education across Scotland.
“There’s been an opportunity for every child to take part, with shy children coming more to the fore. I have definitely seen confidence grow.”
“I think the most important message to give to the members of Parliament is probably that you can change the world with the smallest action,” explained another P5. “Wangari just planted trees and she inspired so many other people and they were bringing green back to Kenya.”
