Povzetek
Otroški parlament je oblika vzgoje šolskih otrok za demokracijo, ki je za otroke neprecenljiva, saj jih uči številnih socialnih in komunikacijskih veščin – spodbuja kritično mišljenje, omogoča medgeneracijsko povezovanje, uči o različnih temah, zastavlja številna vprašanja, osvešča o pomenu dialoga, razprave, odkrivanja in podiranja tabujev, spoštovanja različnosti in sprejemanja drugačnosti oz. različnosti. Ko sem se pred leti srečala z vodenjem šolskega parlamenta, me je skrbelo, kje bom dobila informacije o zastavljeni temi, da jo bom dobro predstavila otrokom. Prebrala sem priročnik za mentorje in mrzlično začela iskati informacije po spletu, se napotila v knjižnico po literaturo s tega področja, klicala kolegico, mentorico šolskega parlamenta na drugo šolo … Le zakaj, sem se začela spraševati. Mentorstvo sem vzela kot osebni izziv in poslanstvo.
Abstract
Personal Challenge – Mentoring a Children’s Parliament
Children’s parliament is a form of educating school children for democracy and is invaluable to children, as it teaches them many social and communication skills; it promotes critical thinking; enables intergenerational integration; teaches about various topics; poses numerous questions; and raises awareness of the importance of dialogue, debate, discussion, discovering and shattering taboos, of respecting diversity, and accepting differentness or diversity. Years ago, when I was entrusted with the task of leading a school parliament, I was worried where I would obtain information about the proposed topic so that I would be able to present it to the children well. I read a handbook for mentors and began to feverishly look up information online, went to the library to borrow literature on the topic, called a colleague, a school parliament mentor at another school, etc. What for, I began to wonder? I considered mentoring a personal challenge and mission.