Embankment station

https://secretldn.com/mind-the-gap-embankment-station/?fbclid=IwAR30gdsWyENmcHmKsPjt2_fXbwe5D_L9DTUHJjvx6Na8v-BtLy_tsjx69eI

Visitors to London Underground stations hear a friendly warning every time a train arrives; "Mind the gap!" which reminds people to step over the gap between the train and the platform. One morning at Embankment station an elderly woman approached a guard to ask why the voice making the announcement over the loudspeaker had changed. The guard told her that all the announcements across the London Underground had been updated so the old voice had been replaced.

The woman was a GP, Dr Margaret McCollum. She told the guard that the old voice was her husband; an actor called Oswald Lawrence who never became famous but had recorded "Mind the gap!" for all the London underground stations in the 1970s. Oswald died in 2007 and Margaret missed him very much; she felt alone but every day on her way to work at Embankment station she could hear Oswald's voice. Sometimes she would wait on the platform a little longer just to hear his voice every time a train in.

The staff at Embankment station listened to her story and said they would try and find the old recordings, but they knew it would be impossible as the whole system had been erased. Margaret knew that she would not hear Oswald again.

The following year, Margaret was sitting on the station on her way to work when a train arrived and the announcement came over the loudspeaker; "Mind the gap!". Margaret couldn't believe what she heard; it was Oswald speaking!

Many people at Embankment station felt empathy with Margaret; they too had lost loved ones and knew how it felt to feel alone. They wanted to help, so an operation had begun to restore Oswald's announcement. And that is why today if you travel on the underground you will hear a digitalised voice warning you about the gap at every other station, but at Embankment station you will hear only one human voice, a booming male voice saying, "Mind the gap!" and it's Oswald.

What do you see in the picture?
where is it?
What do people hear while standing at the station?

explain the story

- How do you think Margaret felt when she heard Oswald's voice every morning?
- He was only saying three words; she couldn't hold a conversation, so why do you think she would sometimes wait on the station to hear him again and again?
-  How did Margaret feel the first time the announcement was a different voice?
- The guard was probably very busy, why do you think he stopped and listened to her story?
- Oswald's recording had been erased, why do you think staff spent so long trying to restore it? Why didn't they just say, "sorry, it's a different voice now."
- what does empathy mean?
- how do you think Margaret felt when she heard Oswald again?
- this story has gone viral; why do you think that is? What does that show about people around the world today?
- Why is this story about no outsiders? (Margaret felt like an outsider, but the staff worked together to make sure she felt welcome and loved)
- what can we learn from the staff at Embankment station?

Merry Christmas everyone!

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat 

Rosa Parks

https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/12/public-transit-system-honors-rosa-parks-with-open-seat-on-every-bus.html?fbclid=IwAR1D4iGAGkRJZM7NBuZkI_Clo4FnQUCYzVrZ-h6C1DY8n_UGUmee9C_DTbg

On 1st December 1955 in Milwaukee USA, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus. Rosa was sitting in seats reserved for black people, but the seats for white people were full and the driver told her to stand so that a white person could sit down; she was arrested but her act led to supreme court legislation that outlawed segregation on public transport in America.

For three days this week in Milwaukee all buses are reserving a seat in honour of Rosa Parks. Each seat has a picture of Rosa and a rose. Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele says, "Rosa Parks was a trailblazer who was guided by the north stars of equality, justice and compassion to make our country better and stronger."

"All of us have a responsibility to honour the work of our civil rights leaders, and to do our part to continue, grow and advance our efforts to achieve racial equality and make Milwaukee the healthiest county in Wisconsin."

"This is a unique opportunity for our bus drivers, employees, leaders and other community leaders to come together to reflect on the past and look ahead to the future."

what do you see in the picture?
where is it?

explain the story

- what is segregation?
- who was Rosa Parks, why is she famous?
- why was Rosa Parks arrested? Does this mean Rosa was a criminal?
- why are people celebrating someone who broke the law?
- why are buses reserving a seat?
- do you think if the bus is full someone will move the poster and sit down?
- why do you think Chris Abele says achieving racial equality will make his town healthy?
- "reflect on the past and look ahead to the future" what does that mean?
- what does this story show us about laws and ideas? (they can change)
- what can we learn from Rosa Parks?
- why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat

nappy change

https://www.storyhulk.com/2019/10/15/fathers-have-started-campaigning-for-baby-changing/?fbclid=IwAR1vSSeW9yiQEgx7i0m-sGebyAH93XqQhHO9jr5cDHvDn9yasGBvLP4u9tQ

A Dad has started a campaign #squatforchange to have public spaces available for men to change their baby's nappy. Often nappy-changing facilities are located in female or disabled toilets,  leaving men to make do in male toilets, squatting on the floor. Dad, Donte Palmer published a photo of himself squatting to change his son's nappy and the photo went viral with other Dads joining the campaign.

The campaign is starting to  work. Pampers has agreed to install 5000 baby changing tables in men's toilets across America and Canada by 2021.

Donte says, "This campaign is changing the narrative of what a father is. the dynamics of showing what a marriage looks like, like showing that marriage equality is important. My wife and I do everything equally - diaper changing is not just my wife's job, it's my job as well."

what do you see in the picture?
where is it taken? what is happening?

explain the story

- why is the man squatting?
- is that the best way to change a nappy? what does he need?
- why doesn't Mum just take the baby and change the nappy on a table in the female toilets? (lots of possible reasons: perhaps he wants to change the nappy; perhaps it's his turn; perhaps he is out without Mum; perhaps he lives in a family with two Dads or perhaps he is a single Dad.)
- why do you think most male public toilets do not have a baby changing table?
- what does this suggest about ideas around which gender should change a nappy?
- "The narrative of what a father is" what does this mean?
- Dante says, "Diaper changing is not just my wife's job, it's my job as well" why does he say that?
- why are ideas about gender roles changing today? (what does gender mean, what does 'gender roles' mean)
- Pampers are a huge company who make nappies and they are now going to fund baby changing tables in male toilets; what does this show about their attitude to gender roles today?
- what can we learn from Dante?
- Why is this about No Outsiders?

No Oustsiders in our school: teaching the equality act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat