Development education is an imperative matter to incorporate into our schools. Children need to be aware of the wider world around them and how they can impact their society in a positive way. There are so many global issues that can be teased out and discussed in our classrooms – war, hunger, inequality, political instability. Our world is moving forward, ethically, at a radical pace. We, as a people, are becoming more accepting to change and susceptible to diversity. Children need to be aware of their role as global citizens and how they can play an integral role in moving our world forward for the better.
As part of my school’s Green Schools’ initiative we tackled the theme of Global Citizenship. I manage the Green Schools’ Committee in my school and so I had the responsibility to encourage all my colleagues to highlight global issues in the classroom and to have open discussions with the children. This meant I sharing information at staff meetings and having regular discussions. We managed to earn this flag over the course of a three-year period. The time frame gave this important theme the time it deserved to be properly teased out.
