KING LAWRENCE:
“Quiet everyone!” bellows King Lawrence.
KING LAWRENCE:
“Why will no one listen to me?!”
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
King Lawrence appears to have lost control. Children are trying to talk at once – it's causing havoc. Perhaps you could help us restore order? But first, let me tell you how we got here…
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
It was the last day of the summer holidays, and the sun was beaming bright. Mr and Mrs Ostrich thought it was the perfect day to take their restless children to the watering hole.
MRS OSTRICH:
“Have we got the towels and snorkels?” asked Mrs Ostrich.
MR OSTRICH:
“All packed” wheezed Mr Ostrich, who was loaded up with heavy bags and buckets, like a mule.
MRS OSTRICH:
“Kids, we need to leave right now” screeched Mrs Ostrich.
MR OSTRICH:
“Listen to your mother, kids” whimpered Mr Ostrich, almost collapsing under the weight.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
But none of the children were listening. They were all running riot. Two of them were wearing their snorkels already and building sandcastles:
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
Another two had already gobbled up their packed lunch sandwiches and were still hungry, so were chasing their sister, pleading with her to share hers.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
And Orion, the youngest ostrich kid, was about to jump off a small rock in an attempt to fly
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
Mr and Mrs Ostrich had lost control of their children.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
So with nowhere else to go for help, Mrs Ostrich took her children to see the king.
KING LAWRENCE:
“I hear you’ve been very naughty” growled King Lawrence. “Not listening to what your mum and dad have been asking you to do”.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
But the ostrich children continued to play, not listening to the King either!
KING LAWRENCE:
“You should be more like my children”, roared King Lawrence, “The most well-behaved children in the kingdom”.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
At that moment, there was a huge crash. The King turned around to see Princess Flo hanging from a chandelier, and Prince Otis with his bottom stuck in a vase and another vase broken on the floor. The very opposite of behaving.
MRS OSTRICH“Can you help us, King Lawrence?” pleaded Mrs Ostrich.
KING LAWRENCE:
“The whole kingdom needs help” said Lawrence, “These children are out of control!”
MAPLE:
“ Adults always know what is best,” said Maple, “everyone knows that, so children should always do what they say.”
KING LAWRENCE:
“You’re right” agreed Lawrence, “Maple, tell the Trumpeters to get ready for my Royal Decree”.
KING LAWRENCE: (singing)
Reckless kids from all around
Are you ignoring what adults say
Adults are wise, their judgement is sound
So you’ll do what they say everyday.
So, I’ll make this new law, with a stamp of my paw!
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
The King’s decree meant that all children had to recognise that adults are wise and always know more than children. So now, of course, everything was to go smoothly… at least, that’s what the adults thought…
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
It was the final day of the summer holidays, and all the children were playing on a snake swing. A jump, a swing, and a splash into the watering hole –
RUTH RHINO:
“Did you see how high I went, mum?” exclaimed Ruth the Rhino, emerging from the water.
MUM RHINO:
“Go girl” shouted her proud mum…
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
Next up was Ernie the Elephant. As he took hold of the snake swing, and prepared to jump, he did what you should never do… He looked down! Ernie suddenly became aware of how high up he was.
ERNIE:
“Mum, Dad, I can’t do it,” cried Ernie.
MUM:
“Don’t think about it. Just jump and swing!” exclaimed his Mum.
ERNIE:
“But it’s making me dizzy” whimpered Ernie.
MUM:
“You’re okay, I promise” said his Mum, “Now, three, two, one, go!”
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
Ernie really didn’t want to swing, but King Lawrence had decreed that adults know best. So, he leapt, swung, and plummeted down into the watering hole, with a huge splash.
DAD:
“Wasn’t that fun?” cheered his Dad.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
Ernie rose from the water, tears in his eyes and a ribbeting frog on his head. He did not find that fun, at all.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
The next morning, it was the first day of school, and Mrs Zebra was teaching her new class about handwriting.
MRS ZEBRA:
Right, show me the hand, hoof or paw you write with… come on, pop them in the air so I can see.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
That’s when Charlie the Cheetah shouted out with a question.
CHARLIE:
“Mrs Zebra?” strained Charlie, “Can I go to the toilet please?”
MRS ZEBRA:
“Only if you’re quick,” said Mrs Zebra.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
But before she could finish her sentence, Charlie had raced off, used the toilet, and returned to his seat.
MRS ZEBRA:
“Did you wash your paws?” asked Mrs Zebra?
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
Charlie hadn’t. But not a second passed before he had raced off again, washed and dried his paws, and returned to his seat.
MRS ZEBRA:
“Good. Now, where was I?” continued Mrs Zebra.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
But before she could continue, Timmy the Tortoise shouted out.
TIMMY:
“Could I use the toilet too, Miss?” strained Timmy.
MRS ZEBRA:
“You’ve been once already this lesson, Timmy” Mrs Zebra reminded him.
TIMMY:
“Pleeeeease Miss, I’m desperate” he strained even more than before.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
But Mrs Zebra refused. She said that Timmy was too slow. And she reminded him what the king had said…She was the teacher, and she knew what was best.
TIMMY:
“I guess I have to try and hold it in” winced Timmy with a sigh.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
As crowds gathered outside, King Lawrence was in the throne room, glueing the vase that Prince Otis had broken, when Maple arrived.
KING LAWRENCE:
“What are they all protesting about now?” moaned Lawrence.
MAPLE:
“It’s the children, sir” explained Maple, “They are very upset your decree that adults always know best. I know they always need to do what they are told, but don’t kids sometimes know better?
KING LAWRENCE:
“What?” exclaimed Lawrence. “Adults are perfect!”
MAPLE:
“Sir, you seem to have trapped your foot in a vase,” said Maple.
KING LAWRENCE:
“Oh, not again!” complained Lawrence.“Why are things never simple, Maple” grumbled Lawrence. “I guess you want me to announce a new decree then?”
MAPLE:
“Yes sir” said Maple. “Maybe that children should do what their adults tell them, unless the child can give a good reason not to?”
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
Lawrence reluctantly agreed.
KING LAWRENCE: (singing)
Here’s a solution, I have the results.
If you listen to me there’ll be no treason
Kids you won’t always have to obey your adults,
If you show you have a good reason
Here’s a new law, with the stamp of my (interrupted)
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
But before the King could finish his royal decree, Wayne the Warthog interrupted him…
WAYNE:
“No no no!” shouted Wayne, “It won’t work. Because even when a child knows better, an adult won’t believe them. They always think they know better”.
MRS WARTHOG:
“That is not true” exclaimed Mrs Warthog.
WAYNE:
“You’re doing it right now!” replied Wayne Warthog.
MAPLE:
“Go on, Wayne” said Maple, “Tell us what you mean”.
WAYNE:
“Last week it was Harry the Hippo’s birthday party, and we were going bowling” explained Wayne. “I had a brand-new pair of trainers that I was so excited to wear. Everyone was going to love them. But mum said that they looked silly and that everyone would laugh at me. I tried to tell her that they were the latest fashion, but she wouldn’t listen. Instead, she insisted that I wear her Dad’s old bowling shoes which were old, smelly and weird. So of course, when I arrived, everyone burst out laughing because I looked so ridiculous.”
MRS WARTHOG:
“Well I think they’re smart. And I know a lot about fashion, I’ll have you know” said Mrs Warthog, adjusting her floral quilted neckerchief.
WAYNE:
“I don’t want smart, I want cool, Mum!” howled Wayne.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
And in that moment, the watering hole burst into protest. Children were shouting that adults don’t always know best… ESPECIALLY when it comes to fashion. And that’s where we started. King Lawrence has totally lost control and needs your help.
SIR STEPHEN FRY:
So, do you think you can help? Adults are older and more experienced but do they always know best?
And Socrates, a very famous philosopher, said we should always be obedient. That may be true, but perhaps there are times when children know best, and they can even teach adults a thing or two.
Over to you…and have fun discussing.
Yes, Timmy, you can go to the toilet now!
Video summary
In this illustrated story narrated by Sir Stephen Fry, a community of animals living in a fictional savannah try to navigate some tricky philosophical questions.
After Mr and Mrs Ostrich complain to King Lawrence the Lion about their children not listening and being naughty, the King issues a a decree ordering all children to obey their adults, believing they know best.
This leads to a number of incidents in the community and and sparks protests from the children. The King and his trusted advisor Maple the Meerkat, try to change the law but this causes further outrage.
Sir Stephen Fry explains how famous philosopher Socrates said we should always be obedient, but perhaps there are times when children know best, and they can even teach adults a thing or two.
This video is from the series Fantastic Philosophy.
Teacher Notes
Key Questions
Before watching the video:
- We should always do what our trusted adults say, but do they always know best?
- What things might children know more about than adults?
During / after the video:
- Do you think that adults always understand how children feel?
- What do you think Ernie the Rhino’s mum and dad should have done?
After the video:
- How could children try to explain how they feel to adults?
- If you were King Lion, what decree would you make?
Philosophy and Meta-Cognition
The term ‘metacognition’ is often translated as ‘thinking about thinking’ (Flavell 1979). In primary schools it is becoming more and more popular as children are encouraged to think about their own learning more explicitly.
The Global Metacognition Institute recommend the following metacognitive questions you might ask your students that might lead to deeper philosophical reflections, questions and/or discussions.
- How do you know that's a better answer than the alternatives?
- How strong is the evidence on which that claim is based?
- Is that something you are 100% certain about or is there any room for doubt?
- How might you challenge that idea?
- Why might other people claim that the opposite is true?
- What would good evidence to support that claim look like?
Philosophy and the KS2 English Curriculum:
Fantastic Philosophy will facilitate teachers in achieving the aims of the English National Curriculum for KS2, particularly:
- Teachers should therefore ensure the continual development of pupils’ confidence and competence in spoken language and listening skills.
- [Pupils] must be assisted in making their thinking clear to themselves as well as to others and teachers should ensure that pupils build secure foundations by using discussion to probe and remedy their misconceptions. Pupils should also be taught to understand and use the conventions for discussion and debate.
Philosophy and Religious Studies:
There is no set National Curriculum for Religious Studies, but Fantastic Philosophy will facilitate the teaching of Religious Studies by helping to show children that there are different perspectives on the same topic, all of which may have valid arguments. It will help teach essential skills of listening to others' perspectives, and showing respect for different views.
Philosophy and PSHE:
In a world where children are increasingly exposed to social media and fake news, Fantastic Philosophy helps them develop critical awareness and evaluative skills. It teaches them to identify weak arguments and develop their own viewpoints.
More from this series:
Is it ever right to lie? video
Sir Stephen Fry narrates an illustrated story set in a fictional savannah asking whether it's ever right to lie?
Should everybody be allowed to say what they like? video
Sir Stephen Fry narrates an illustrated story asking whether everybody should be allowed to say what they like? Even if it means causing offence or upset.
