What you might need to know
This video includes AI-generated content produced under human supervision. Script by Dr Emmanuelle Schön-Quinlivan.
For this final lesson, we look at the concept of teamwork in the European Union. As we mentioned in previous lessons, the EU is a big club. So how can all countries work together? It is difficult, and it involves a lot of compromising.
If Ireland were not part of the EU club, it might be able to make its own decisions independently from other countries. However, outside of the EU, Ireland is a small country coming up to negotiate with China, the USA or India.
Countries that have joined the EU know that and have weighed up the pros and cons. They know that they will have to compromise a lot to get a decision through at the European level, but they think they have a better chance on the international stage as a member of the EU to protect what matters to them. For example, the EU bans the sale of chickens washed with chlorine. The US allows it.
If Germany on its own was trying to impose no chlorine-washed chickens on the US, it wouldn’t be successful, but as part of the EU, it is. It’s even more relevant for smaller countries like Ireland!
This lesson really tries to explain compromise through children’s literature and what it entails in practice. The EU is not a panacea. It requires compromises. Each country in the club needs to weigh the benefits and disadvantages of being in the club and can choose to leave the club.
For the children, this lesson uses the book The Day the Crayons Quit to convey the idea that teamwork requires compromise but can help them make something creative.
As an activity, we get the children to use building blocks in groups of 5 or 6 to build a tower with different colours. We’re trying to get them to work together and see how easy or difficult it can be to agree in a group, just like in the EU! It also builds attitudes of respect for different views, skills revolving around cooperation and conflict resolution, and values of fairness and democracy.
If a child insists on building a tower by itself, this can also be taken as an example of preferring full control over compromise and maybe not being able to finish the tower or access all the colours. There is learning in this as well!