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Review the paper: ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ (Ehigie, 2021) and consider why Development Education is important and how you would try to include it in your own teaching and encourage colleagues to plan development education activities throughout your school.
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article, The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World. I feel that, as an educator, it is important to hold a mirror up to ourselves, our own preconceptions and behaviour, while engaging with the children on topics such as global citizenship. I liked the idea of connecting with our own history of colonial racism and mass immigration with current issues of the same. In my case, Development Education has a huge relevance as the majority of children in my school come from the Middle East and Africa. They bring a myriad of experiences with them to our school, and we already delight in tapping into these to bring a sense of global unity. I am excited to learn more on this course about the various global inequalities, and to get ideas on how to make the link with the children, between local and global issues. I work with children with Additional Educational Needs, and I think these topics can be explored during our small group and individual lessons, as a means of building social and communication skills.
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I teach in a very large, culturally diverse, urban school in Dublin. While the themes of Development Education are extremely important regardless of school context, I feel that they are particularly relevant to the children that I teach. Many of their parents, wider family members (or indeed the children themselves) have first hand experience of some of the injustices and inequalities referenced in the above article, and it is crucial for me as their teacher to be fully informed and aware of their experiences.
I found that the author of “The Role of Global Citizen’s in Today’s World” did an excellent job of breaking down an incredibly complex topic into accessible, manageable chunks. What I found most interesting, was the way in which they promoted the concept of starting small. Do not encourage students to feel overwhelmed or defeated by the global scale of many of today’s issues, but rather enable them to recognise the importance of their own contributions at a local level.
I look forward to encouraging my students to recognise themselves as global citizens and enabling them to recognise the close links and similarities that they have with other countries and cultures. I look forward to gathering a bank of resources and ideas that I can use in my classroom and share with my colleagues and educating myself on how best to encourage change among my students.
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Development Education is important because it increases
awareness and understanding of the unequal world we live in. It teaches us about the Global family and how our actions affect people in other places. Ehigie’s states “This is an epiphany that sees us viewing the problems of our neighbours, as problems of our own”.
I would include it Development Education in my teaching and
encourage colleagues to do the same as it teaches important skills to children such as critical thinking, leadership, exploring, debating skills, etc.
As a primary school teacher I would teach about Development
Education in SPHE under developing citizenship with local and wider
communities. I would teach it in History using historic figures. In her
introduction Ehigie uses the quote from Malcolm X ‘You’re living at… a time
of revolution, a time when there’s got to be a change’. As she states in her paper it resonates today as much as it did back then. Street protests presently across France due to police violence and
systemic racism triggered by the fatal shooting of a 17 year old. The ‘Black lives Matter’ movement for the same reasons. The lack of freedom and human rights in wealthy and poor nations evident around the world. -
I really enjoyed engaging with the paper “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World”. I believe that Development Education is important as it enables children to develop their awareness and comprehension of the interconnected and unequal society in which we live in. It provides children with the opportunity to develop a sense of concern and thought towards local and global problems. Through engagement in this, children can explore justice and equality at different levels.
I would include development education in my own teaching by selecting activities/resources that enable children to engage in critical thinking, equality and the demonstration of respect. I think peer work is important in relation to these activities as it invites the children to collaborate with each other through discussions to help them understand their world and their place in it.
I think it is important that staff members demonstrate empathy towards each other as it is stated by the article that “to be a global citizen, is to care” as well as a high level of respect. This shows children how to respect each other and care for each other which promotes a positive learning environment for all. Additional training in development education should also be provided to staff members who may seek further training in this area.
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Hi Danielle,
I would be also a believer on what you mentioned about respect. You can’t expect to teach a class without you first of all respecting the children which the majority of times this will lead to them respecting you. This respect starts with you and what the children see from you every day- saying thank you, please, offering a helping hand to other members of staff and being a good role model will have an impact on how they carry themselves in the school.
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I really enjoyed reading ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’. I felt that the writer made the complex information very accessible and easy to understand. I particularly resonated with the part about ‘Education as a means to kick start global citizenship. In the school I work in, we had an incident where parents believed that the school was being used to house immigrants over the holidays. This created a lot of tension in the community between parents, staff and students. We had many parents refusing to send their children into school and it was very uncomfortable for some of our students from other countries. It made for some very difficult conversations and just further highlighted how important Development Education is. As mentioned in the article, I tried to highlight the history of emigration that existed for centuries in Ireland. I really wish I knew about the Development Education Teacher Handbook, as a guide for some other lessons.
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<p class=”MsoNormal”><span lang=”EN-GB” style=”mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;”>I found ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ to be very insightful. The author gives a very interesting account into his experience of growing up in Ireland and his outlook on racism. Development Education is absolutely vital to include in our classrooms. We live in a modern, diverse Ireland, however often children in our schools can be unaware of development education issues, particularly Global ones. I would teach Development Education through SESE, SPHE and English subjects. In History lessons children can learn about key people throughout history that have made significant changes for equality and rights for others. In Geography, we can teach about different parts of the world and different issues people face in these parts, water, education rights etc. In SPHE we can look at morals and challenge the injustices that are faced in the world. I have taught some of the Global Goals lessons and have shared them with colleagues in my school. I found them to be fantastic and the children really learned from them. In English, children can read novels relating to Development Education for example ‘I Am Malala’.</span></p>
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This was a really thought provoking article and it was great to get the personal insight into someone’s experience of change and how we have moved on in society.
I really believe that Development Education is one that is becoming more and more important in how we educate children. Firstly, because Irish society is so much more diverse than it was 20 even 10 years ago and we all need to see ourselves represented and reflected in the society we live in.
Society has evolved to become more tolerant of different nationalities, cultures, religions etc but it has also become more aware of inequalities and injustices that are happening worldwide through social media and mainstream media. The world has become a smaller place and access to information as well as advocates and activists is much more accessible.
As we can see the topic can be easily integrated into curricular subjects such as SPHE, SESE, Maths (problem solving) English, the Arts etc and it is a topic that the children certainly want to engage in. There are so many resources available to teachers from PLAN Ireland, An Taisce, Amnesty etc that teachers can find many ways to access the material at an age appropriate level.
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<p class=”MsoNormal”><span style=”font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’; color: #163c42; background: white;”>Development Education has never been as more important as it is now in 2023. One only has to look at the current daily international news to understand its relevance for here in Ireland and globally. I teach in a very middle-class school where the majority of children are Irish. I think it is very important we teach children about global citizenship and make our school a very welcoming place for a small minority of student who are not Irish. It is important to have children appreciate other cultures and celebrate differences. I thought the article was very thought provoking and I think the concept of sharing common humanity would be a very good starting place to provoke discussion and debate in the classroom. I would also bring to the attention of my colleagues the games and resources outlined in module when planning development education activities in our school. </span></p>
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This paper ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ was as informative as it was interesting. This year in particular, my classroom has turned a 360 as regards children from different economic and cultural backgrounds. This paper helped enormously to develop my bank of language that I can share with the children as we talk and learn about Global citizenship and events that are shaping and changing our world. The idea of the children learning the skill to empathise is one that will benefit them throughout all other subjects areas and life in general. The children will be empowered to learn that they can make a difference, however big or small. The resources shared here are invaluable and will be important as we take a child centered approach to showing the children how they can appreciate and accept different cultures and nationalities into their classrooms and communities. I am looking forward to exploring the rest of the subject matter included in the course
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Hi Linda,
I think your experience from this year will mirror that of many others as our classrooms and schools become increasingly diverse. The course will explore the topic of ‘migration and refugees’ in a later module, and you will certainly be able to draw some parallels between the modules.
I feel the following quote from the passage really captures just how important development education is and how we must prioritise it in classrooms. ‘My mother would provide me with stark warnings of how racism will try to greatly shape how I navigate my life in Ireland, and how I had to tirelessly work to resist it in the pursuit of my goals’.
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<p class=”MsoNormal”><span style=”font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;”>Development Education is important because it increases awareness and understanding of the unequal world we live in. It teaches us about the Global family and how our actions affect people in other places. Ehigie’s states “This is an epiphany that sees us viewing the problems of our neighbours, as problems of our own”.</span><span style=”mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;”> </span></p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”><span style=”font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;”>I would include Development Education in my teaching and encourage colleagues to do the same as it teaches important skills to children such as critical thinking, leadership, exploring, etc. </span></p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”><span style=”font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;”>As a primary school teacher I would teach about Development Education in SPHE under developing citizenship with local and wider communities. I would teach it in History using historic figures. In her introduction Ehigie uses the quote from Malcolm X ‘You’re living at… a time of revolution, a time when there’s got to be a change’. As she states in her paper it resonates today as much as it did back then. Street protests presently across France due to <span style=”mso-spacerun: yes;”> </span>police violence and systemic racism triggered by the fatal shooting of a 17 year old. The ‘Black lives Matter’ movement for the same reasons. The lack of freedom and human rights in wealthy and poor nations evident around the world. </span></p>
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As I was reading the article ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ some flashbacks of my own education became apparent. It reminded me of the lessons spent learning about the idea of ‘stewardship’ in CSPE in secondary school, which aimed to open our eyes as secondary students to our roles as human beings inhabiting this planet. It highlighted for me that I was not exposed to these types of discussions until second level. It was not touched on at primary level which was a shame as it is such an important aspect of young people’s lives nowadays in our ever changing and evolving society. It is important that we recognise and acknowledge these changes in our teachings to promote equity and equality for all. We as teachers need to push forward the motion that a global citizen is one with a shared responsibility.
I believe I would aim to include development education activities in my teaching by highlighting current social issues in the classroom, at a child’s level. The issues would need to be carefully thought about and reflected before discussing them in class depending on their nature but with social media, I feel children are made aware of current affairs far more rapidly than years previous. I would aim to get pupils to discuss, debate and find resolutions to these issues which may occur in the locality, nationally or worldwide. In doing this as teachers we are opening our pupils’ eyes to the real world and encouraging them to make a difference.
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<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>From reading the paper, “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’, I have realised the importance of Development Education in highlighting the major societal issues which still plague us such as poverty, hunger, inequality, and discrimination. Through developing a sense of common humanity and solidarity, citizens can co-operate to take action against these issues on a local, national and global basis. Development Education is an essential area to teach in an increasingly diverse and multicultural society that we have in Ireland which lays the foundations for school communities built on tolerance, respect, and understanding. Educators must be aware of current social issues nationally and internationally and ensure that they can spread awareness of these issues in a child-friendly way. Formal development education can be taught cross-curricularly through subjects such as SPHE, English, and SESE where pupils can learn about Ireland’s history of colonial racism and migration trends along with facilitating activities which allows children to become active members of their community which can develop empathy, citizenship and a sense of care which becomes innate features of their personality. </span>
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Hi Sean,
Welcome to the course.
Current international events have heightened awareness around, and the importance of, development education. Development education plays a crucial role in nurturing global citizenship. It equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to understand and engage with global issues.
SPHE is a great subject for integrating and interrogating the themes of development education.
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<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>In reading, “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’, I feel a renewed acceptance of where I am and what I am at in todays busy and indeed unfair world. There is so much to feel positive about as the bginning of the paper suggests. As a teacher I am positive about the role I can play in improving my classroom as a small global community in a very large global world. My pupils, I hope will in time become Global Citizens and we will aim to share equality in a common humanity school. </span>
<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>As per the article, there is no “Golden Bullet”, to solving the worldwide issues, but if small communities, such as my school can begin to make small changes in actions and attitudes, then this will lead to better understanding and spreading of the good work to larger communities. Small changes will lead to better outcomes and bigger results in the long run. If as a teacher I can impart on my pupils that the key element of being a global citizen is appreciating our place and the place of others. It is care and empathy. Everyone juggles, but I agree that a better future will and does lie ahead. </span>
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The author of ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’, Eric Ehigie concludes his article with the comments that to be a Global Citizen we need to care and we need to empathise. Social media although often vilified has helped dissolve borders and enable children to see, experience and consider issues. As a teacher I can model, promote and discuss what it is to be a good citizen in our locality but giving children access to global issues through media, seeing the impact and hearing from those affected sends a very powerful visceral and visual message, reinforcing the notion of being a global citizen. My interpretation of this article and how I could use it effectively in my classroom, would be to promote citizenship through watching programmes such News2Day or National Geographic along with topics covered as part of the curriculum. Often, ‘discreet’ learning is the most effective.
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Hi Darerca
I really agree with everything you have said here. The need to care and empathise is something we need to communicate to children because this is the only way to develop their role as Global Citizens. It is up to us to model and promote this, as you have said. Focusing on our locality can allow children to relate to it more concretely but then expose them to global issues. I think it’s a great idea to promote global citizenship through watching New2Day. They have fantastic pieces, that really engage the children. I use this regularly in my class, but it would be great to have a focus of Global Citizenship and use it as a stimulus for further lessons.
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The importance of Development Education has never been more evident, considering the current international news and its relevance in Ireland and globally. As an educator in a mixed-class Irish school, I believe it is crucial to teach children about global citizenship and create an inclusive environment for non-Irish students. Appreciating diverse cultures and embracing differences should be emphasized. The concept of shared humanity, proposed in the article, serves as a valuable foundation for provoking discussions and debates in the classroom. Introducing the recommended games and resources from the module would greatly enhance development education activities in our school. Collaboration among colleagues is essential in implementing these activities effectively. By prioritizing development education, fostering global citizenship, and utilizing appropriate resources, we can establish an engaging and welcoming learning environment that prepares students to become empathetic and active participants in the global community.
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In 2023, the importance of Development Education has never been more evident, considering the current international news and its relevance in Ireland and globally. As an educator in a mixed-class Irish school, I believe it is crucial to teach children about global citizenship and create an inclusive environment for non-Irish students. Appreciating diverse cultures and embracing differences should be emphasized. The concept of shared humanity, proposed in the article, serves as a valuable foundation for provoking discussions and debates in the classroom. Introducing the recommended games and resources from the module would greatly enhance development education activities in our school. Collaboration among colleagues is essential in implementing these activities effectively. By prioritizing development education, fostering global citizenship, and utilizing appropriate resources, we can establish an engaging and welcoming learning environment that prepares students to become empathetic and active participants in the global community.
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Hi Mikey,
You have correctly pointed out how current international events have heightened awareness around, and the importance of, development education. Linking learning back to current affairs and global events is a very effective way in showcasing just how relevant it is to the lives of the children.
The article raises several pertinent issues, and the concept of ‘shared humanity’ is ne which also stood out for me. You have alluded to the importance of development education being covered as part of a whole-school approach and this can really embed the learning over a period of years.
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The paper “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World” (Ehigie, 2021) highlights the importance of development education. As a primary school teacher, I recognise its value in fostering global citizenship. By integrating diverse perspectives, global issues, and cross-cultural understanding, development education equips students with the skills and values to navigate an interconnected world. I incorporate development education by creating an inclusive classroom environment that promotes critical thinking and empathy. To encourage colleagues, I collaborate on workshops and professional development to share strategies and resources. By fostering a shared vision and emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches, we inspire fellow educators to plan development education activities throughout our school. Together, we empower the next generation to become compassionate global citizens, capable of making positive contributions in our changing society.
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The paper by Ehigie (2021) emphasizes the importance of development education in fostering global citizenship. As an educator, I see the value in equipping students with knowledge, skills, and perspectives to engage with global issues and become agents of change.
In my teaching, I would integrate global perspectives across subjects, fostering open discussions, critical thinking, and empathy. Through case studies, current events, and interactive activities, I aim to inspire students to analyze and reflect on global challenges.
To encourage colleagues to plan development education activities, I would share my experiences through workshops and professional development sessions. I would emphasize integrating global perspectives into the curriculum and offer support in designing engaging activities. Collaborating on cross-curricular projects, we can collectively inspire students to become active global citizens.The paper reinforces my commitment to promoting development education. By nurturing global citizenship skills, I empower students to understand and address global challenges in an interconnected world.
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Like others on this forum, I teach in a large urban school where the student body has become increasingly diverse over the last several years. The idea of CPD in the area of developmental education is largely down to the arrival of a number of students with refugee status over the last 12 months and the ongoing conflicts which become more relevant to the students when their classmate has first hand experience. The language around how we can discuss these types of topics is incredibly important.
The article ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ was informative in that it highlighted the importance of developmental education as a means of developing global citizenship. With this article in mind, I look forward to engaging with resources which will help students to recognise their place in the world and how their small changes in actions and mindset can have a knock on effect nationally/ globally.
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I think that development education is a crucial aspect of education today. It helps students understand the interconnectedness of global issues and how these issues impact people, communities, and the environment. By learning about global issues, students can develop a sense of empathy and responsibility for the world around them. It is important that they come to acknowledge, As mentioned in the paper, the “complex mixture of privileges and disadvantages with which you personally juggle, and that which your neighbour juggles”
To include development education in my teaching, I would incorporate global issues into the curriculum by selecting topics that are relevant to the students and their lives. For example, if I were teaching a science class, I would incorporate discussions about climate change and its impact on the environment. If I were teaching an SPHE class, I would incorporate discussions about human rights and social justice. Additionally, I would use real-world examples to help students see the relevance of their learning.
To encourage my colleagues to plan development education activities throughout our school, I would suggest collaborating on interdisciplinary projects that involve global issues. For example, we could organize a school-wide event to raise awareness about a particular issue, such as poverty or access to education. We could also provide resources and training for teachers who are interested in incorporating development education into their curriculum. By working together, we can help students develop a deeper understanding of the world around them and become responsible global citizens.
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Hi Daniel,
Welcome to the course and thank you for your contribution here. I think your post alludes to that sense of shared global citizenship that we are seeking to instil through development education. It’s so important to develop that sense, as problems elsewhere in the world are likely to become problems here at some point. The content in later modules on ‘migration and refugees’ and ‘global inequalities’ will develop this further.
SPHE is a great subject for integrating and interrogating the themes of development education. Sourcing quality picture books around the topics and themes is also an effective way of getting rich discussion going. This helps the children to (initially) remove themselves from the discussion and view it through the ‘fictional’ lens of the literature.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the article ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s world. I feel it is extremely well written piece that helps us recognise the importance of development education through fostering global citizenship. The author gave added gravitas to the situation through the description of his personal account. I particularly liked the point he made the system of self explaining that by improving ourselves is the starting point of being a global citizen and this can be achieved through education.
The school I teach in has a number of children from various countries and cultures and like all classrooms this has grown substantially this year with the influx of Ukrainians. It makes the whole topic of development education more real for all pupils as they witness first hand how humanitarian need is important for all to be aware of and work towards reducing it. Inequality is rife at the moment due to this war between Russia & Ukraine and we must try make a positive from a negative and use it to teach how unjust governments/society can be and learn how to act on it.
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<p class=”MsoNormal”>From reading the article ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ the importance of developmental education is highlighted. Developmental education is crucial in shaping global citizens who can make a positive impact on our world. It helps us understand and address global challenges. As teachers, it is my belief that we have a duty to teach about global education to inspire and prepare students for the future. Knowledge is power.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>By incorporating developmental education in our teachings, we can help students develop critical skills like thinking, empathy, and understanding different cultures. These skills are essential in today’s interconnected world, where we face problems that effect everyone. I would use discussions, projects, and real-world examples to help students become aware of the world’s challenges and inspire them to take action. The article so aptly outlines that every contribution made helps, no matter how big or small- ‘trying to be the change we see in the world is both accessible and powerful’. I would try to promote this in a school wide sense by collaborating with staff and frequently sharing resources and information on global education. If all teachers implemented changes into their classrooms and schools, we would make great strides in terms of enabling all to become active global citizens.</p> -
Development education is essential in today’s interconnected world as it helps students develop a deeper understanding of global issues, cultural diversity, and their own role as global citizens. It goes beyond traditional academic subjects and aims to cultivate students’ critical thinking skills, empathy, and sense of social responsibility. By learning about global challenges, such as poverty, inequality, environmental sustainability, and human rights, students become more informed and empowered to take action and contribute to positive change.
Development education can be incorporated using a cross-curricular approach and colleagues can be encouraged to plan related activities throughout the school in an effort to promote this subject area. This can be achieved through adopting various strategies at a whole school level such as: Providing opportunities for students to explore and discuss different perspectives, analyse real-world case studies, and engage in meaningful debates. Organise field trips or invite in guest speakers. Collaborate with colleagues, engage with the community. Celebrate cultural diversity in your school. Participate in initiatives such as Green Schools, Our World Irish Aid, Global Citizenship Schools Award, Blue Flag etc.
Effective development education is an ongoing process that requires continuous reflection, adaptation, and collaboration. By implementing these strategies and promoting a holistic approach to education, you can create an environment that fosters global citizenship and equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute positively to the world. -
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I teach in a very middle class school in South Dublin. It is imperative to the development of global citizens that all children of Ireland are taught about Global Citizenship. We live in a global interconnecting world where nearly every country globally is accessible to these future adults. Many of my students are very privileged in a global sense and it is most important that they recognise and realise this so they can be advocates of a fairer world for all children.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Role of Global Citizen’s in Today World. It encapsulates a very common experience of many Irish people today. ‘To be a global citizen, is to care. It is to empathise. ‘ I am left with these words. I think of all the great teachers I had in secondary school that instilled this ethos in their Geography and History lessons. It is one of the greatest obligations that we can give children today.
I look forward to using some of the workshops and games in my class next year.
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Hi Saoirse,
Welcome to the course and I hope you learn something that you can take back to the classroom in September.
Development education plays a crucial role in nurturing global citizenship. It equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to understand and engage with global issues.
By learning about global challenges, such as poverty, inequality, environmental sustainability, and human rights, students become more informed and empowered to take action and contribute to positive change.
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I found “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World” to be a very interesting, thought provoking read. In it, Ehigie discusses not only the importance of educating young people about topics of global inequality, but also emphasises how crucial it is to instill a sense of global self and unity within them also. Young children in particular can feel very detached from many of the issues discussed within the article and it can be difficult for them to comprehend the links that they have with people in other countries and places that seem so far away. As teachers, it is important that we create an atmosphere of inclusion and togetherness, and show the children that although our customs, traditions and lifestyles may be different, we are all humans who should all experience the same treatment and be afforded the same rights.
I’m looking forward to getting some ideas from this course for the ways in which I can integrate themes of Development Education into my classroom and share these ideas with my colleagues. The demographic of my school has changed hugely in recent years and I have always been very conscious to educate myself as much as possible about the backgrounds and experiences of my new students. However, I feel that this course will provide an even greater opportunity to explore such topics.
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Ehigie highlights the need for individuals to embrace a global perspective, recognize their responsibilities towards global issues, and actively contribute to sustainable development. The paper effectively argues that global citizens possess a sense of empathy, cultural awareness, and critical thinking skills necessary to address complex challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change.
Development education plays a crucial role in nurturing global citizenship. It equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to understand and engage with global issues. By incorporating development education in my teaching, I would aim to foster students’ global awareness through interdisciplinary lessons, case studies, and interactive discussions. I would encourage colleagues to plan development education activities throughout the school by organizing guest speakers, workshops, and global partnerships. Furthermore, integrating global perspectives into the curriculum and collaborating with local and international organizations would provide students with real-world experiences, promoting a sense of responsibility and action towards creating a more sustainable and equitable world.
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Hi Sam,
Welcome to the course. You are so right to highlight the need to highlight the concept of ‘global citizenship’. Getting children to think beyond their own experience of the here and now is really important in drawing attention to our role within a global community. You mention the benefits of ‘integrating’ these themes and perspectives into our curriculum. Development education lends itself to cr0ss-curricualr learning and there is huge scope to build and develop integrated units around these themes.
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In ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World,’ Ehigie (2021) provides a comprehensive examination of the importance of global citizenship in contemporary society. The paper highlights the need for individuals to embrace their roles as global citizens and actively engage in issues related to social justice, sustainable development, and cultural understanding. Ehigie effectively argues that global citizens possess a sense of responsibility towards addressing global challenges and promoting positive change.
The paper highlights the significance of development education as a means to foster global citizenship. Development education plays a crucial role in equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to understand and address global issues. By incorporating development education in teaching practices, educators can empower students to become informed and active global citizens.
To include development education in my teaching, I would integrate global perspectives into the curriculum across various subjects. I would incorporate case studies, discussions, and projects that encourage students to explore diverse cultures, analyse global challenges, and propose solutions. Furthermore, I would collaborate with colleagues to plan development education activities throughout the school, such as organising workshops, guest lectures, and community service projects. By fostering a school-wide commitment to development education, we can cultivate a generation of socially responsible individuals prepared to contribute to a more just and sustainable world.
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Hi Aisling,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the article by Ehigie. Empowering children with the social and moral responsibility to fight for these core issues is the ‘ideal’ goal of an effective development education programme. Many of the suggestions you have put forward for incorporating development education in your teaching would carry weight within the SPHE curriculum. Getting guest speakers and those from community/national/global organisations involved in providing perspectives is encouraged within this curriculum. I hope that the content of the upcoming modules will provide you with other ideas of incorporating the central themes of development education across the curriculum.
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<p class=”MsoNormal”><span style=”mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; background: white;”>I found the article, </span><em style=”box-sizing: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;”><span style=”font-family: ‘Calibri’,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;”>The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World, </span><span style=”font-family: ‘Calibri’,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;”>thought provoking and very insightful.</span></p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”><span lang=”EN-GB” style=”mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;”>We as educators need to help students to take an active part in becoming global citizens. </span><span style=”mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; background: #FCFCFC;”>Through development education activities our teaching can increase awareness and understanding of the rapidly changing and unequal world in which we live. It is important to recognise that we as educators can challenge stereotypes and encourage independent thinking and help our students critically explore the root causes of global justice issues and how they interlink with our everyday lives</span>.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”><span lang=”EN-GB” style=”mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;”>There are many things that can be done to build a more inclusive environment. Each of us can take steps to be more inclusive. Our words and actions send out loud messages to those around us. It is important as an educator to demonstrate visible support for diversity and inclusion and actively promote inclusion in the school environment. </span></p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”><span lang=”EN-GB” style=”mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;”>Im looking forward to engaging course content and topics. </span></p> -
In the article. ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’, we are presented with information on the importance of working as global citizens in today’s society. It highlights the importance of encouraging people to embrance their role as a global citizen and to work to educate yourself on global issues that can be seen on the news or online.
As an educator, I feel that in 2023, Development Education is a very important topic that children should have access to. It is important to encourange children to recognise that they possess a responsibility toward global issues and that they can contribute to sustainable development. In this paper, we can see that it is highlighted that as global citizens, we possess the awareness and critical thinking skills needed to address issues such as inequality.
In my classroom, I would address development education and the concept of being a global citizen through geography and history lessons mainly, but through discussions and project work I feel that the children I teach would really enjoy learning about this. I would encourange colleagues to get involved by planning with other year groups and by showcasing any work my class have done in order to give colleagues an insight into what we are learning.
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Hi Sarah,
Welcome to the course.
Development education is essential in today’s interconnected world as it helps students develop a deeper understanding of global issues, cultural diversity, and their own role as global citizens. It goes beyond traditional academic subjects and aims to cultivate students’ critical thinking skills, empathy, and sense of social responsibility. By learning about global challenges, such as poverty, inequality, environmental sustainability, and human rights, students become more informed and empowered to take action and contribute to positive change.
I wish you all the luck back in school in September.
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Review the paper: ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ (Ehigie, 2021) and consider why Development Education is important and how you would try to include it in your own teaching and encourage colleagues to plan development education activities throughout your school.
Post a reflective piece (150 words min) to this forum as a reply to this post
I found this piece very comprehensive, balanced and informative. It encapsulates the perspectives of many from different viewpoints and draws conclusions that are realistic as well as thought provoking.
The individual can make a significant change in the world no matter how small.
Education for mutual respect and tolerance needs to be afforded to all.
Being realistic and optimistic in equal portions is important.
It is not simply about a singular issue- it encapsulates what it means to be a global citizen in this world.
This article has ideologies that are both aspirational and attainable- It focuses on the self and from that great things happen.
Education is key to this- both in school and in society; young and old benefit from education. We are life-long learners and it is important to recognise our value and importance in regards to change in this world as global citizens.
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Hi Michael,
Welcome to the course and thanks very much for sharing your perspectives on the reading for the module. What strikes me about your summary is how much depth can be taken from a short written piece. Each of your points could be developed over a period of lessons, and relate to so much content from across the curriculum. Concepts such as ‘mutual respect’, ‘global citizenship’ and ‘being able to make small changes’ encapsulates the breadth of development education. I hope the themes covered in subsequent modules will enable you to put together a plan of action for the coming year.
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<b>From reviewing the paper ‘ The role of Global Citizens in today’s world’ it is evident that development Education is important because it helps students understand global issues and their place in the world. It encourages students to think critically about the root causes of poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, and to explore possible solutions. By learning about these issues, students can become more informed and responsible decision-makers, and can take action to make positive changes in their communities and beyond.</b>
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<b>To include Development Education in my own teaching, I would start by incorporating relevant topics and activities into my lessons. I would use a variety of teaching methods, such as group discussions, case studies, and simulations, to engage students and encourage them to think critically. I would also encourage my colleagues to do the same, by sharing resources and ideas and collaborating on projects and activities.</b>
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<b>To encourage colleagues to plan development education activities throughout our school, I would organize workshops and training sessions to provide them with the knowledge and skills they need. I would also work with school administrators to ensure that development education is included in the curriculum and that resources are available to support it. Overall, I believe that development education is essential for preparing students to be active and engaged global citizens, and I would strive to make it a priority in my own teaching and throughout my school.</b>
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eThe article Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World was very insightful and gave a very unique perspective on growing up in Ireland. The article was very thought provoking. Ireland has gone under huge change since I was in primary school in a small school in Roscommon where one child in a class of thirty was not Irish. I didn’t ever consider as a child how difficult it may have been for that particular child. Thankfully our society is so much more diverse now and multicultural. I know teach in a rural school with a variety of nationalities and different cultures. I think it is so important we teach children about global citizenship in order to foster understanding and acceptance of different cultures with schools and in society in general. I hope to bring to the attention of my colleagues of the resources outlined in this module when planning for development education in our school.
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The following phrase from the piece we had to review really stoód out for me, ‘Trying to be the change we wish to see in the world is both accessible & powerful, no matter how big or small one feels their contribution is.” If we could get children to realise the power we all have to make a change in the world, how we are all connected through a common humanity, then this could have a real positive effect on how they see the world and possibly be a catalyst for small actions they can achieve themselves to make a difference. Development Education promotes global citizenship, the idea that we are all cut from the same cloth and teaches children to recognise this fact & how they can use their abilities & advantages to improve things for other people who are in less fortunate situations. It should promote happiness & well being in recognising our advantages, developing empathy for others & trying to find ways no matter how small we can make a difference. It develops a human conscience. I feel that all these values promoted by Development Education are badly needed in our society where the negative voices & opinions about refugees & asylum seekers have started to come to the fore. Often the messages received in the community or the home can be very negative towards situations developing in the world. Children need to be aware of the positive voices too and be empowered to challenge what they are hearing.
I think the resources for teaching about the 17 Development Goals could be a great place to start with children. Over the course of the year the goals could be looked at-what they mean, how they make us feel/think, how they are being put into action around the world and what simple things we can do. It could be carried out as a whole school project with different classes looking at different goals. Whole school actions could be identified & shared with the community to lead the way for change. I will definitely be sharing the resources shared in this module with staff in my school.
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Hi Laura,
Welcome to the course. I love the extract you have taken from Ehigie’s paper. Getting their students to believe and invest in that motto is something that any teacher would be proud of. Like any ‘change’ initiative, it is important to start small and ensure early ‘wins’ to keep the momentum going and to generate interest with others. The sustainable development goals are an excellent learning resource, and you will cover them in more detail in module 3 (global inequalities). The last point you have made is another very important one – development education will have the greatest impact if it is done on a whole-school level. Having whole-school celebrations and whole-school projects adds a layer of authenticity to the area.
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<p class=”MsoNormal”><span lang=”EN-US” style=”mso-ansi-language: EN-US;”>‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’, highlights many of the social issues that affect us, both at home, locally and worldwide. From poverty, homelessness, inequality – we need social change, and we the educators have a platform to do so, in our classrooms and in the schools, we teach in. I already include development education in my classroom, as our young students are naturally curious and they develop an interest in what things are, what they do, how things happen and why things change. They learn best by being able to discover things for themselves. Therefore, I believe through having conversations with them and allowing them to observe and discover for themselves, increases their understanding of the world we live in and our sense of belonging to our community. This teaching allows independent and critical thinking, and young children like to be (and should be) listened to as they engage in discussions and deliberations. They can make a difference, and we the educators must recognise this and value their contributions, be they big or small, starting within our own classrooms.</span></p>
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Hi Noreen,
Welcome to the course. It is brilliant to hear that you are already incorporating development education into your practice – hopefully you will be able to share some examples in subsequent modules. Independent and critical thinking are key skills that students can use when learning about development education. It is more than simply a teaching lecturing about inequalities globally – the children can explore specific themes and research how people around the world have different levels of access to key services. They can then formulate their own opinions and points for debate, as well as discussing the potential solutions (in all areas as ‘global citizens’)
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The role of global citizens in today’s world, as highlighted by Ehigie (2021), is of utmost importance. In an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, it is crucial for individuals to recognize their global responsibilities and actively engage in addressing global challenges. Global citizens possess a deep understanding of diverse cultures, empathy towards global issues, and a commitment to promoting sustainable development.
Development Education plays a vital role in fostering global citizenship. It equips individuals with knowledge about global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change, while also promoting critical thinking, empathy, and a sense of collective action. By integrating development education into my teaching, I would strive to create a classroom environment that encourages dialogue, reflection, and active engagement with global issues. This could involve incorporating case studies, guest speakers, and interactive activities that promote cross-cultural understanding and empathy.
To encourage colleagues to plan development education activities throughout the school, I would emphasize the interconnectedness of global issues and the importance of fostering a sense of global citizenship in our students. I would propose collaborative projects, workshops, and awareness campaigns that highlight the relevance of global issues to various subject areas. Additionally, I would emphasize the potential impact of development education on students’ personal growth, critical thinking skills, and ability to contribute meaningfully to a globalized world. By fostering a culture of global citizenship within the school, we can empower students to become active agents of positive change on both local and global scales.
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Hi Sam,
Welcome to the course. You have used the word ‘interconnected’ a number of times in your post and I think this really speaks to the key point of Ehigie’s article. The author is seeking a shift in mindset from ‘local solutions to local problems’ to ‘global solutions to global problems’. We can all be guilty of passing things over as they do not directly relate to our lives in Ireland. However, as you have pointed out, development education can play a key role in developing a sense of ‘global citizenship’ among our pupils. Later modules on climate change / global inequalities can be covered through this ‘interconnected lens’. I’m sure you will be able to discover many specific examples of how this interconnectedness could be developed in the remainder of the course.
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I found the article very interesting with much reflection throughout. It is important to remember that where we are is shaped through history and historical events and this alone when taught effectively from an early age can evoke an empathy in our students needed for further future focused discussions. I like the point about reimagining how we teach, and giving our students a chance to be their best selves and learn from each other through independent and group work, rather than the formal learning that was the norm for many many years. Although difficult, with a conscious effort we can all be part of the rising tide and influence our students and staff to be better global citizens. With our new curriculum due to provide more flexibility in what we teach and how we teach it, hopefully we can spend quality time teaching past events and how we can learn from these. I think it is important also that we isolate and praise day to day examples of empathy in our students as these small acts clearly need to play a big part in everyone’s future.
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I personally found this article very interesting as I believe that development education is so important to me as a primary school teacher. I feel it is my job to ensure that children have the tools to critically analyse the world around them and to make each child feel that they can make a difference in the world relating to development education whether it is big or small.
Myself and my colleagues could educate young learners to understand the injustice around the world by getting children involved in a project that they are interested in. Each class could take on a different topic that is linked to development education such as gender, climate and migration. This would make it a whole school approach which would be very beneficial to everyone in the school community. Children can take ownership of their projects and teachers can allow them to have a voice and that everything they say will be listened too.
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- This article was particularly interesting to me as I have recently had children from different economic and cultural backgrounds move into my class. It helped me highlight the importance and development education in my teaching and also in the children’s learning. The role of global citizens is extremely important as pointed out in the article. It gives a great insight into poverty, inequality and change which are happening throughout the world around us every day and even in our locality. It is important that we involve children in this and help them understand that they can make a valuable contribution to our world and also praise them for the empathy that they use on a daily basic by interconnecting with others all around the world.
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<p class=”MsoNormal”>This paper ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ (Ehigie, 2021) is very thought provoking. It covers many areas that are linked to the objectives of this Developmental Education Course. It addresses various themes that are fundamental to creating and maintaining an equal and fair world. The ‘system of self’ emphasises the individual decisions that we make and the impact our decisions have, especially as educators.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>I work in a large urban school in which Human Rights are explored in classes. There are several books and videos that are aimed at exploring Rights of the Child, Human Rights and Global Goals in a child friendly manner. They are aimed at reducing inequality in a learner and process centred way. My colleagues and I aim to celebrate diversity and differences.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>We can see how critical literacy allows multiple perspectives and encourages us to critically analyse information to see the root of issues and to be aware that people are still being victimised. The local and global community communities have a responsibility to support one another.</p>-
Hi Mary,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for drawing attention to Ehigie’s ‘system of self’ piece. It’s so important that children become aware of the impacts of their individual actions and how these can form a collective. The topic of ‘critical literacy’ is one which we explored in depth as part of webinar 5 for the PLC. I can see very clearly the ways in which development education, human rights and the sustainable development goals can be interwoven here. More resources on critical literacy can be found here for those interested.
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<p class=”MsoNormal”>The importance of Development Education is increasing within the global developments that we see around us every day. I see the value of development education as having two main learning objectives for children. Many of our children in our Irish schools do not have a fair bite of the cherry in terms of education advantage and opportunities. The phrase that resonated the most with me from this paper as that poverty keeps the fruit within the basket. Firstly, it is essential that all our pupils are encouraged to become responsible global citizens and to recognise within themselves that they have an agency for change. It is also very important that we teach our children to recognise social issues that affect others but also to realise when they themselves are negatively impacted by social issues. This recognition and knowledge will help pupils to recognise their own needs and deficits while also supporting the needs and deficits that exit within our global setting.</p>
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I found the article “The role of Global citizens in Today’s World” informative with a powerful impact without being a complex read. It is very relatable by asking the reader to reflect on their own personal history, whilst highlighting injustices and inequalities in the world. It makes me reflect on our role as educators in shaping children’s awareness of their roles as global citizens.
I teach in a community national school setting in an urban area. We strive to create an inclusive school community with an awareness for the culture, heritage and history of all our pupils. I think the article highlights the importance for children to reflect on their own global citizenship creating an awareness for empathy, equity and equality in today’s world to create a sense of togetherness and community. Our school has a diversity committee who are excellent are developing whole school initiatives and ideas around the idea of global citizenship and positive awareness towards all aspects of diversity.
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I really enjoyed reading the article ‘The role of global citizens in Today’s World’
As a teacher, I think it’s important to provide a curriculum with a global perspective. More importantly though this curriculum should not simply focus on once off lessons but try to promote a holistic whole school approach to developmental education.
In the primary school curriculum SESE and SPHE provide lots of opportunities and lends itself well to developmental education but it can also be integrated with other subjects like maths, the Arts and religious education.
There are many resources available to educators including online resources to help promote developmental education in schools. DevelopmentalIreland.ie, plan international Ireland, Amnesty international, First Aid to name but a few.
School could also promote campaigns and charitable activities. Teachers could provide opportunities for children to partake in campaigns about issues that may affect them in school, locally or globally.
Having a school council could provide opportunities to develop attitudes and values important for citizenship.
The whole school staff should make a big effort to display a sense of respect for each other within the school to show children how to show value and respect for people and the roles they carry out within the school. Making sure all staff understand what developmental education actually is and providing training from an outside source if need to help define what developmental education is and how to promote it in a school.
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Hi Eimear,
Welcome to the course. Including more global perspectives in our teaching would certainly allow us to provide for a more ’rounded’ curriculum. Your post shows excellent engagement with the themes of development education and the content of the article by Ehigie. Thinking of an integrated approach is essential, in order to cover these themes. ‘Developing citizenship’ on both a local and global level is a key aim of the SPHE Curriculum – the formation of student councils gives children the ‘lived experience’ of democracy and can be so valuable in that regard. So much of what we do in schools can model good and effective citizenship. As you have alluded to, our interactions with each other and with the children can play a key role in this.
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The paper “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World” (Ehigie, 2021) emphasises the importance of development education.
As a teacher, I see its value in promoting global citizenship. Development education integrates diverse perspectives, global issues, and cross-cultural understanding, equipping students with skills and values for an interconnected world.
I like to create an inclusive classroom environment that encourages critical thinking and empathy. I make an effort to work with colleagues on workshops and professional development to share strategies and resources. As a staff, we inspire fellow educators to plan development education activities throughout our school, empowering the next generation to be compassionate global citizens who make positive contributions in our changing society.
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Hi Katie,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. The inclusive classroom that encourages critical thinking and empathy sounds like a wonderful learning environment. As educators, we must do all we can to create this environment. You will see throughout the course how the main development education themes lend themselves to this. There is much opportunity for the children to compare the reality in a local context with the reality on a global level. Children can then decide what actions can / should be taken at the different levels to rectify (or take steps tor rectify) the issues.
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The paper emphasizes the importance of development education in nurturing global citizens and fostering a sense of responsibility towards social, economic, and environmental challenges worldwide. As an educator, I fully recognize the significance of development education in preparing students to be active participants in a globally interconnected world. I feel development education serves as a powerful tool to enhance students’ understanding of global issues, cultural diversity and social justice. By engaging with topics such as poverty, inequality, sustainability, and human rights, students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to become agents of positive change.
To incorporate development education into my teaching, I would employ a multidisciplinary approach, integrating global themes and perspectives across various subjects. I would leverage technology to bring real-world issues into the classroom, using multimedia resources and interactive discussions. Having worked in China for 6 years I could also use connections I have made to set up virtual collaborations with Chinese students who would have completely different cultural backgrounds.
Overall, I feel development education is essential in equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become active global citizens.
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Hi Jamie,
I hope you are finding the course relevant. I have to agree with you that development education is a powerful tool to enhance chidrens’ understanding of global issues. Development education plays a crucial role in nurturing global citizenship. It equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to understand and engage with global issues.
You will be equipped to use your own experiences from working in China as a great resource.
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This was a very interesting paper as it was based on the author, Eric Ehigie’s and his mother’s personal experience of injustice and prejudice growing up and living in Ireland. It put them at the cold face of the stark reality of not being an equal citizen in a society, because of their being black in a almost white majority country.
The role of a teacher is to open pupils’ eyes to these issues; to get pupils to inform themselves, to empathise and act beyond their own “system of self”.In other words pupils have to convert from being a class pupil to being a global pupil and thus enlarging their world to incorporate global issues and injustices.
As pupils mature, they are in contact with a wider world through their usage of mobile phones and computers but they are frequently still tied to their own communities and country and they are not partaking in the wider, global world. It is therefore very important to constantly link this global world to the children’s curriculum, to enable them to be more open and understanding to the problems and injustices which exist.I think that current affairs and news items are a great asset to link a child to this global world.
There are many disasters happening because of climate change, drought, famine, political instability, war etc. which makes the challenges faced by these countries and communities more real to pupils.There are many articles and news items on line which show and describe these events and the pictures can sometimes be more effective than a thousand words as the saying goes.
We as teachers must however tread carefully and make sure that our pupils can inform themselves gradually and logically about world issues without undue stress and worry.The content and type of information should be age relevant and appropriate. I think that the 4 modules and the 5 lessons assigned by Plan International Ireland is perfect for the Irish primary school or the Gaelscoil.
By the time a pupil reaches Rang 6, they would have learned the nucleus of the major injustices faced by the Global South and the charter of Sustainable Development signed in 2015 and the goal of having them implemented worldwide by 2030.This would be a very good starting point for the pupils as they enter Secondary Education, where they could continue to dig deeper and propel themselves into global activism.
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Hi Caitlin,
Welcome to the course and thank you for your detailed post. You have correctly asserted that the nub of Ehigie’s article is to ensure that we work to move children from being classroom pupils to global pupils. Acknowledging the connection to ‘global’ concerns, whilst also focussing on the unique association with one’s own locality is very important in this matter. The use of images to inspire discussion around inequalities and natural disasters globally is an effective way of engaging pupils, and ties in with the idea of ‘multimodal’ texts, espoused in the PLC.
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I enjoyed reading “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World” and feel that it emphasises the importance of development education, taking responsibility for our world, both locally and at a global level.
global issues, cultural diversity and social justice. Need to be promoted in primary schools, in particular to the senior pupils so they are prepared for the world of secondary school, travels, work experience, dealing wit other people, the benefits are endless. By engaging with topics such as poverty, inequality, sustainability, and human rights, students are empowered and gain the appropriate skills.
I teach in a rural school where the majority of children are highly privileged and, although I feel we do a lot of work to fundraise for poorer countries (shoebox appeal every year, Wells for Water campaign, Burma Project, Support TY students to visit third world countries…and ,any others) I do feel there is a us and them perception. As a teacher and having recently welcomed a number of Ukranian children in our community I do feel global citizenship needs to be promoted and valued from a young age. On reflection, I do not ever recall ever learning about this in school (and I am not that ancient) but its good to see education is evolving and the SPHE curriculum is allowing for this. I really liked the games promoted in this module, so simple but effective (building the tower) -
Hi Ann,
Great to hear of all the initiative you have in-school for fundraising and supporting those less fortunate the majority of of students in your school and despite this I think it’s understandable that the us and them perception remains, it’s difficult for affluent children to fully empathise with more disadvantaged peers as their experiences are so alien to their own lives. The challenge I think for us as teachers is to develop empathy in our students and I think we start by encouraging them to take a more active role in discovering more about the world around them, starting in their own community. The message to get across is that by actively engaging we can all make a positive difference and contribute to a fairer and safer planet for everyone.
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<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>I enjoyed reading “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World”. It highlights the difficulties that many young Irish people face today and it also shows us the importance and need for development education. Global citizenship needs to be promoted in schools from a young age, and we as teachers are vital to this.</span>
<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>I teach in a Community National School in Dublin where we have a very culturally diverse school community and students from various different backgrounds. Our school values inclusiveness, as well as a respect and understanding for the beliefs and backgrounds of others. We celebrate and explore these through a number of initiatives and activities throughout the year, such as hosting an intercultural day annually whereby children and their families celebrate their country of origin. This, as well as the influx of pupils from war torn countries such as Ukraine, highlights the need for children to be educated on global citizenship to help them to create an awareness and to develop empathy towards others.</span>
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Hi Peter,
Welcome to the course. Whilst all teachers will bring unique perspectives to the course, I think your experience in a culturally diverse CNS will be invaluable to participants here. Many of the key themes of development education that will be explored in this course require an inclusive school culture to fully implement. The need for education around development education has never been greater, given the presence of war in Europe – the idea of a multicultural day is lovely and one that has been shared by other participants also. Giving children that sense of belonging and showing a respect and tolerance for their own culture and customs is commendable.
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The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World
The school I teach in is not diverse, however, I believe it is equally important to encourage and teach the themes of Development Education in all schools, across all diversities.
I liked how the article linked with the children’s own history as this could be a good starting point. I also think it is a good idea to ‘start small’ and build on solid foundations. If the children are given the opportunity to reflect on their own cultural history, for example emigration, they will be able to relate more easily and therefore embrace the compassionate ‘head, heart, hands’ philosophy towards taking action on a larger scale.
I think it is important to promote Development Education through teacher modelling and through cross-curricular and whole school inclusion. Just as a school community works well together through collaboration, this approach to Development Education aids in fostering interest and involvement with colleagues and children as well as parents and the whole school community.-
Hi Helen.
I agree irrespective of whether the school population is diverse or not, developing an understanding and appreciation of diversity is a life skill that everyone needs. I also agree that initially you need to start small and looking at our own indigenous history and culture is a great starting point for developing understanding and ultimately empathy The teacher of course is the role model here so it’s so important to always model tolerance, understanding and respect.
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“The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World” by Eric Ehigie provides an insightful exploration of the concept of global citizenship and its importance in addressing social injustices and promoting social change. The paper emphasizes the need for individuals to recognize their interconnectedness with the global community and take action to improve the well-being of both themselves and others.
The paper underscores the importance of education in fostering global citizenship. It suggests that education should go beyond the immediate concerns of everyday life and cultivate an understanding of our interconnectedness and shared responsibilities. By providing insights into our common humanity and the ways individuals can positively impact their communities, education can inspire social cohesion and progressive change. The author highlights the potential for education to address issues like racial discrimination and migration, drawing on Ireland’s historical experiences as a reference.
In conclusion, “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World” offers a thought-provoking analysis of global citizenship and its significance in promoting social justice and equality. Through personal narratives and broader reflections, the author emphasizes the need to recognize our shared humanity, engage in self-reflection, and prioritize education as a means to foster global citizenship. The paper effectively conveys the urgency and importance of taking action as global citizens to create a more just and equitable world. -
I enjoyed reading ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ as it highlights the importance of solidarity and to appreciate how different cultures are woven together today. Development education and social justice are becoming more and more relevant in Ireland today and this in turn needs to be taught to children in the classroom. The school I teach in has children with many different backgrounds and it is vital that they all are included in everyday school life. Teaching these topics to children will help them to understand how no matter where they are from or their background, they all have the same rights and responsibilities.
It is vital that us, as teachers, buy into teaching development education as to give the children a better understanding. If a child sees how important it is to a teacher, they will feed off that and begin to see how vital is it to have inclusion in the classroom.
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Hi Kevin,
As an island country there’s has been a historical disconnect from global goings on. However, as you’ve mooted the themes of Development Education are becoming more and more relevant in the connected Ireland our students live in today and it’s incumbent on us as teachers (and of course parents) to ensure they become responsible and aware global citizens. The challenge is, to get them active in this role and interested in making the world a better place and that’s what Development Education is all about, developing understanding and empathy.
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Hi Kevin,
I think you have made some very good points and I completely agree with the point that developmental education is becoming more relevant within the Irish classroom in recent years. I also agree that it is vital that as teachers we buy into the concept, and implement the ideologies on a national scale.
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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. -
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>This article emphasises the importance of global citizens in addressing social issues and promoting social justice. It highlights the need to recognise our interconnectedness and work towards improving the well-being of all members of the global community. It suggests that personal transformation and individual actions are key to reforming societal systems and tackling social challenges. It also stresses the significance of solidarity and shared humanity in fostering positive change. Education is seen as a crucial tool for promoting global citizenship and empowering individuals to contribute to a better world. The article concludes by encouraging individuals to care, empathise, and work together to create a more just and equitable global society.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Some key points as viewed by me within this article are:</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>- Global citizens play a vital role in addressing social issues and promoting social justice.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>- Recognising our interconnectedness and common humanity is essential in fostering positive change.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>- Personal transformation and individual actions are crucial for reforming societal systems.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>- Solidarity and inclusivity are important principles for global citizens to embrace.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>- Education is a powerful tool for promoting global citizenship and empowering individuals to contribute to positive change.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>- Global citizens should care, empathise, and work together to create a more just and equitable world.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Development education is important because it helps individuals understand global issues, appreciate cultural diversity, and encourages them to take action for positive change. To incorporate development education into teaching and learning, I will endeavour to:</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>1. Include diverse perspectives, cultures, and global issues in the curriculum to broaden students’ understanding of the world.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>2. Foster critical thinking skills by promoting discussions and debates on global challenges and their root causes.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>3. Encourage my students to empathise with others and develop a sense of solidarity by engaging in service-learning projects or connecting with global communities.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>4. Encourage students to actively engage in local and global issues through advocacy, community service, and informed decision-making.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>5. Utilise digital resources, guest speakers, and virtual exchanges to expose students to global issues and perspectives.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>6. Offer opportunities for my students to engage in real-world experiences, such as simulations, field trips, or cultural exchanges, to deepen their understanding of global challenges.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>By incorporating development education into teaching and learning, teachers can inspire students to become informed global citizens who are equipped to contribute to a more just and sustainable world.</span></p> -
I found the paper ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ to be an interesting read as it mixes the biographical narrative of Eric’s upbringing as an immigrant in Ireland who’s susceptible to racism, with the informative element of why anyone; educators, students or others need to engage with the ‘system of self’ and become more global citizens.
In terms of bringing this mindset into a primary classroom, I love the concept of the ‘system of self’ whereby every system or company, cooperation, sports team and even country have people at the core. The thought of empathy and morality is one that is vital to teach, especially for the younger age groups. Inquiry lessons could be introduced with something similar to ‘What if the leaders/captain of ______ only had kind thoughts?’
The sustainable development goals should be spread across the curriculum at primary level and divided out between year groups for continuous planning. This would ensure that no student goes though primary without having projects completed on, or cross-curricular links made to all 17 goals.
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Hi Kieran,
Absolutely, developing student’s empathy is essential for meaningful development education and I think we can only achieve this through active and discussion based learning. Development Education is an important tool in making sense of the complex issues and needs to be active, reflective and interactive, encouraging empathy as you alluded to but also optimism and positivity on how we all can play role in a more just and sustainable world.
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I found this paper, ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ really insightful. The one sentence that really resonated with me was,
‘We, as human beings, are truly bound to one another, and the job of the global citizen is to recognise this, find their place in today’s world, and see where they can use their unique abilities to improve it for those who are less fortunate. ‘
This paper has highligted how we are all human beings – equal – sharing the one planet, but yet we are not. Unfortunately, as this paper has highlighted, we see evidence of disparity acorss the globe, economically, socially, racially etc. It is important that we, as educators, take on a repsonsibilty to develop Global Citizens wihtin our schools. We need children to see the bond that we have as humans and that a difference in religion, race, financial situaiton or any other difference should impact this bond. Children have an innocence, where they can be blind to colour, money, religion etc. and it is the influences locally and globally that can change this.
I look forward to learning and developing ways to incorperate this more in my classtoom. I have used racism in football to teach children about these issues and found it really impactful. I would love to develop this further. I teach in a school that is becoming more diverse each year and it is important that we promote equality and empathy throughout.-
I think you have made an incredibly valid point Ann when you talk about how our children have an innocence where they can be blind to colour, money, religion etc. and that it is the existing prejudices, inequalities and racisms that already exist across the globe that influence and taint our young children’s ability to see every human as an equal. However thankfully thanks to the influence of others like the author and also education initiavies, like our Green Schools Programme in schools, humans everywhere are being forced to reflect on their own prejudices and their influences on their neighbours and are getting increasing better at addressing these and changing these for the better.
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<p class=”MsoNormal” style=”margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Cambria; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt;”>What resonated most with me from this incredibly perceptive and well written article was the nature of global citizenship. To encourage everyone to identify, realise, recognise and empathise with each other regardless of socio-political culture. Simply to see our neightbours issues as our own. To help each other in times of need and to recognise those who have not been afforded the same opportunities. In helping and supporting others around us grow financially, politically, educationally and socially, ‘we’ as global citizens are evolving and thriving. By insisting on equality, fairness and justice, ensuring nations are not starving and have access to clean drinking water, preventing war and genocide due to social and political unrest should be our duty. We must collectively take responsibility ensuring nations are safe. Regretfully I am guity of witnessing atrocities throughoiut the world through the media. Other than feeling hugely appreciative of the ‘deck’ dealt to me, I know I don’t do enough to make a change in the lives of others, my fellow citizens. I think this could spark an interesting debate within the classroom. I think encouraging children to care for each other within their class, school, community and country is a good start to enable them to recognise the importance of their own contributions and their effect on a global level.</span></p>
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As Teachers and Educators we are in the prime position to develop ‘global citizenship’ amongst young people . As the article states young people have a natural ‘admirable fervour’ and a ‘burning passion’ that can be harnessed in schools and used to develop effective global citizens . As educators we need to guide young people through development education in highlighting the root of the problems and unfairness in this world and to do something about it .
Primary school teachers and subject teachers in secondary school have the curriculum to develop such information and skill sets . History is a prime subject to develop empathy with others as the as’ Irish history is inundated by the tragic experience of colonial racism and periods of mass migration.’ Studying the liberator’ Daniel O’ Connell’ as a topic in history encompasses the whole philosophy of global citizenship as ‘O’Connell clearly understood that the oppression of any man or woman, was also an indirect manifestation of oppression against him and he continually acted to rectify the presence of oppression within the domestic shores of Ireland, as well as beyond.’
Also for English teachers the skill of ‘critical thinking ‘ can be developed through development education . As teachers we are always trying to develop cooperation and teamwork amongst our pupils . As the former Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius once stated in regard to this human connection, ‘we are made for cooperation, like feet, like hands, like eyelids, like the rows of the upper and lower teeth’ (Aurelius, 2020: 15).Development Education through participatory teaching methodologies and the ‘Head, Heart & Hands’ methodology allows opportunities to develop global citizenship .
I am a SEN teacher in a middle class primary school . Only a small percentage of our pupils are of an ethnic diversity so I feel Development Education could be included in our SESE curriculum . Also Critical thinking in the literacy curriculum could be developed through development education . I often organise social groups for pupils who have difficulty making friendships and these pupils are sometimes from an ethnic minority so development education could be a part of the social groups . I help in organising the Student Council at school . They are always looking for new projects to be involved in so an action /task orientated project in developing awareness of unfairness & inequality could be a project we could undertake in September . Development Education is active education . Its Human education . It’s not just about knowing it . It’s about taking actions . To be a global citizen, is to care. It is to empathise.
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You have made a number of interesting points regarding the importance of developmental education and it’s cross curricular linkages. Key I think is your contention that DE needs to be active and empower children with the idea that they have the power to effect change. This is one of the most important things we can do as educators. I also think your idea to get the school’s student’s council to lead a whole-school drive to develop awareness of unfairness & inequality in September will be effective. Student councils are invariably made up of strong, popular and respected students who can provide a strong positive influence on their peers.
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The Role Of Global Citizenship in Today’s World was a very interesting and informative read. The author took a very wholistic view to what global citizenship means in our world today and how we can continue to strive for a better and more progressive future addressing prejudice and racism in ourselves, our communities and schools. I found the authors own experience very touching and reassuring that he feels the values and views in Irish society are changing for the good, particularly within our young people. The fact that he feels people are not only changing perceptions and becoming more knowledgeable and understanding but also that he has seen a noticeable change in our society becoming more ‘actionable’ towards racisms and prejudices is very reassuring. As our society continues to change and become more and more diverse the more exposure we have have to each other and to each others cultures, race and beliefs firsthand the more I feel we better understand the concepts that ‘we are made for cooperation’ and ‘are one in God’s eyes’ and will continue to become better Global Citizens.
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Development education is very important because it allows children to look outside their own lives and see how children of similar ages live around the world. It allows them to reflect on the opportunities they have in addition to the resources and supports that are available to them. It enables them to empathise with those who do not have as many opportunities and to gain an understanding as to why that has happened and what can be done to bring change. It was interesting to see the importance of development education being discussed in the paper ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’.
In my own teaching, opportunities are presented in SESE and SPHE to discuss what is happening around the world. Sometimes, we look at case studies of different countries and compare the lives of the children there to the children in Ireland. The use of different picture books in English also initiates discussions on what is happening in other parts of the world. I am currently teaching Third Class so we are at the beginning stages of the children looking into more detailed development education.
My colleagues are often open to new ideas and we could possibly use some of the resources mentioned in the presentation to further development education. We currently participate in Concern debates and Green Schools. A whole school approach using the plans from Irish Aid would also be very beneficial for the children and I will bring these to their attention.
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I really enjoyed reading the article, The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World. I feel that Development Education has never been as important as it is now. But in order to deliver it adequately to our students we must look at our own preconceptions and behaviours. I teach in a school that has many nationalities attending and I think it is extremely important that teachers and adults model how to appreciate and celebrate different cultures. I am excited to learn more on this course about the various global inequalities, and to get ideas on how to make the link with the children, between local and global issues. I thought the article was very thought provoking and I think the concept of sharing common humanity would be a very good starting place to provoke discussion and debate in the classroom. I would also get great use out of the games and resources that are outlined when planning development education lessons and activities in my classroom but also the school.
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Hi Niamh,
I agree Development Education has never been as important in the more and more connected world our students live in today and as a result are more aware of what is happening globally. The challenge I think for us as teachers outside of modelling as you outline is getting our students to take a more active role, and making that connection between local and global as you mention. Starting in their own community, getting them to realise that they can voice their opinions and act and influence the world around them.
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The paper titled <span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>‘</span>The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”> was a very interesting read. There has never been a more important role for global citizens in our world. It is vital that we equip children to analysis social issues and inequalities that exist locally and globally. In a world where false news is rife and influencers can have such an effect on young children, they need to have the information and strength to make informed decisions.</span>
Such inequality and brutality exists in our world that empowering a child to believe that they can make a difference by making small changes is critical. There is an organisation in my area that want to ‘make change by degrees’. They are educating people to live sustainably and have focused on waste and the impact pollution has on our planet. I like their title as it reiterated the thought that small changes do make a big difference.
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I really enjoyed reading ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World. I thought that it’ was very informative and interesting. The school I have taught in for 10 years now is a very large mixed school with 700+ pupils. With such a large number of children, we have families from varying economic and cultural background in every classroom in the school. I have always been cautious with the language and ‘norms’ that I present in my classroom but this paper helped me to develop my appropriate language that I can use and share with the children during discussions and lessons based on Global citizenship and events that are happening daily in our world.
I will use ideas from this paper in my classroom going forward to help me plan child centred lessons that will enable the children to empathise and empower the children to know that they are not by-standers in this world, that they have a voice and can make a difference. Our children will learn that they too are global citizens. -
As a teacher in a DEIS school I feel very strongly about development education. The setting of our school in a disadvantaged area unfortunately means that many of our children often have distorted views on racism, gender equality and what it means to be an Irish citizen in an ever-changing world. As the author noted in his piece ‘The Role of global Citizens in Today’s World’, there is a correlation between ‘anti-immigrant, racialised rhetoric and areas which are underprivileged. For this reason, I feel that there is a huge responsibility on educators to expose our pupils to other more liberal points of view and to ensure they see far beyond the confines of their own local area.
In my own teaching and in line with the curriculum guidelines, I try to ensure my pupils are exposed to a wide variety of lessons, in all subject areas, based on ideas, concepts, history and geography of other regions throughout the world.
As a school community we encourage our pupils, especially those from other countries to share their stories and culture. A big success in the past few years has been our multicultural day where families cooked their national dishes and took them in for everyone to try.
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Hi Julie-Ann,
As previously mooted on this forum, I worked for many years previously in DEIS and fully concur with your experience. Views on so many things including gender, race tend to be black or white in nature. As mooted in my previous post, it makes the Teachers job more difficult to try and breakdown and challenge such strongly held views but I agree there is very much an onus on educators to share and evoke more liberal and inclusive viewpoints and to get student’s to look beyond their own locality as you point out. Only by doing this can they become global citizens.
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I enjoyed reading the paper, ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ as it pointed out the value of solidarity as well as the need to recognize the current fusion of many cultures. It was very insightful.
Development Education is important as it enables children to see beyond their own lives and how children their own age live elsewhere around the world. It is crucial that children consider the opportunities they possess as well as the tools and assistance at their disposal. It also helps children to understand why something has happened, how to help, and how to empathize with people who do not have as many opportunities.
I believe it is wise to start small and develop strong foundations. Children will relate more readily and adopt a more understanding and sensitive mindset towards taking action on a bigger scale if they are given the chance to reflect on their own cultural heritage. To teach children how to become global citizens and the roles they play in the school, it is vital to ensure that all staff members are also aware of what developmental education truly entails and how to promote it locally and globally. Informed by this knowledge and with the help of appropriate resources, staff can create a respectful school climate and promote inclusive principles, ultimately fostering a sense of belonging for all.
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In the opening paragraph of Eric Ehigie’s paper ‘ The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’, he employs very powerful language when he writes that we are ‘plagued with the existence of many social issues that pierce the veil of our wellbeing ‘including poverty, hunger, inequality and political instability.As a black immigrant in Ireland he was well versed in racism from listening to the first hand experiences of his mother and other members of the African community.An interesting point he makes is that one could be discouraged from trying to live more sustainably or not supporting companies which continue to pollute our atmosphere on a massive scale , when one sees others seemingly oblivious to the effect their actions have on the lives of others.However, we need to recognise the power of one and how far we have come on our journey ,while at the same time acknowledging that there is much to do, to make our world a fairer place for all.
Development Education is essential to bring about a fully inclusive and equitable society.It can be incorporated into the SPHE curriculum under the strand Myself and the Wider World and easily integrated into Drama, Religion, History and Geography lessons. Pete Mullineaux’s book ‘Independence Day! Teaching the Sustainable Education Goals Through Drama for All a
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This paper was particularly interesting and relevant in that it was written from the perspective of someone who identified as Black and Irish. It showed development education in a local, national and global context and in doing so, showed its relatability to the Irish classroom.
Development education is a vital component of contemporary education that aims to raise awareness and understanding about global issues, such as poverty, inequality, social justice, and sustainability. It fosters a sense of global citizenship, encouraging individuals to take action and make positive changes. It is rooted in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As a teacher in an Educate Together school, development education has particular relevance in the context of the new Learn Together Curriculum that is coming on stream this year. It too, is rooted firmly in the SDGs and in global citizenship education. I always address issues of development education in my classroom both incidentally and explicitly through Learn Together lessons. Through my post, I oversee the promotion of the Ethical Education programme and have worked on revising the Whole School Plan in line with the Revised Curriculum. In the coming school year, this will be a priority in the school and I will use aspects from this course to promote it, including the youtube video on What is International Development.
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In my opinion, the article The role of Global Citizens in Todfays world is a really interesting read. I think every teacher plays an important and vital role in modelling good practices. We need to be aware of the impact that we have on our students and their lives. This article was easy to understand and is relevant to everyone. We need to encourage students to look after themselves and the role they have to play in their local community. The article empahsised how we must start local and start with looking at the impact our own actions can have on others. I think it is important to teach every student about global citizenship and ensure to come up with ways in which are can ensure to remain diverse in our thinking and in our practices, ensuring everyone is included. As a school we need to collaborate and work together to come up ways of highlightning global citizenship and promoting its importance in every class and in every school. We need to gather resources and ideas.
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Development Education is very important in today’s world. It helps us understand global issues, be more caring, and make a positive impact. We can mix it into different subjects, do a variety of activities outside the classroom, and get involved in community projects. By doing this, we learn to think critically and respect other cultures. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a big part of it, and we can work towards achieving them. We can have fun debates, use videos and other online learning tools, and team up with different organizations. It’s also beneficial to connect with students from other countries. By incorporating Development Education into our teaching practices and inspiring colleagues to plan related activities, we nurture active global citizens who are committed to creating a more sustainable, equitable, and just world. Finally, being a global citizen means caring, empathizing, and acknowledging both privileges and disadvantages. It calls for working collaboratively to reduce disparities and promote happiness for everyone. Although the journey towards a better future is challenging, our progress as humans shows that we can continue moving forward together.
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Hi Deirdre,
As you outline DE themes can be integrated across the curriculum so it’s not as if we are asking teachers to take on a whole new subject. I agree that we should be embedding DE in all aspects of school life (Outside the classroom.) I also think there should be more joined up thinking around Development Education across all classes, a whole-school approach as the topics and themes are so important to explore in every class. DE helps students make sense of complex issues and needs to be active, reflective and interactive, encouraging empathy is a key part of this.
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I enjoyed reading the article ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’. I liked how the author included personal experiences and I found the article to be well structured. One of the points that stood out to me was that young people carry a new, more positive attitude towards racism and inequality. This struck me as I believe as educators we have the responsibility of providing the younger generation with the knowledge and confidence that they can make a positive change to the world.
This article made it clear that every individual can have a role to play in creating a better society in which to live and that this change can begin in the local community. Development education is vital in the classroom to ensure that young people are familiar with the Sustainable Developmental Goals and how it impacts their lives. In doing this young people would feel empowered. I also think it important that teachers are very familiar with the goals and their relevance to the local community so that they can incorporate global citizenship to the school community and into daily school lives.
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‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ by Ehigie (2021) offers a comprehensive analysis of global citizenship and its significance in addressing global challenges. While the paper presents a strong argument and provides practical recommendations, it could have been further improved by addressing counterarguments, incorporating empirical evidence, and including diverse perspectives. Overall, the paper contributes to the understanding of global citizenship and encourages individuals to take an active role in creating a more just and sustainable world.
Development education is important because it promotes global awareness, empathy, critical thinking, active citizenship, sustainable development, cultural understanding, and education for all. It equips individuals with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to address global challenges and work towards a more equitable and sustainable world.To include development education in my teaching and encourage my colleagues to plan development education activities in my school, I could:
Collaborate with colleagues: Share my knowledge and enthusiasm for development education with my colleagues. Organize workshops or professional development sessions to introduce them to the concept and its benefits. Collaborate with colleagues from different subjects to plan interdisciplinary projects or activities that incorporate development education themes.
Create a Development Education Committee: I could establish a development education committee within my school to promote and coordinate development education activities. This committee could consist of teachers and students who are passionate about global issues. Together, we could plan events, workshops, and campaigns that raise awareness and engage the school community.Engage Students in Action Projects: Encourage students to take action on global issues through projects and initiatives. For example, they could organize fundraisers for a local or international charity, participate in community service activities, or create awareness campaigns on social justice issues.
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Hi Louise,
I think your idea of collaborating with colleagues and the creation of a DE Committee to enhance and develop the delivery of Development Education on a whole-school basis is an excellent plan. Anecdotally from my experience there is a lack of joined up thinking around Development Education in primary schools instead we have an ad-hoc class by class approach dependent on a teacher’s own interests and knowledge. Your suggestions here will certainly address these issues in your school. However, I think we need to go further and what’s needed is practical whole-school CPD in the area to help teachers integrate important topics like poverty, inequality, injustice, migration, and climate change into teaching, learning and assessment.
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I completely concur with Ambar (2012) that the world that exists today has been built on an unfair and unequal premise and a better world must be built. In order to do this, we must inform, inspire and educate the next generation to care about the world they live in I completely concur with Ambar (2012) that the world that exists today has been built on an unfair and unequal premise and a better world must be built. In order to do this, we must inform, inspire and educate the next generation to care about the world they live in, and protect and promote human rights and equality. I teach in the senior end of the school (6th class), which gives me the opportunity to really dig into some of the issues prevalent in our society such as gender equality, racial bias and climate change. Something that struck me in the article was the idea that mass demonstrations and protests are bringing social change from within the population. I feel that this is an area where development education can grow in schools, by teachers encouraging students to engage in social change through social media, posters on school windows, hosting community awareness days, and educating their own parents and grandparents. These are all activities I feel could work in my school to tackle issues faced in the community, and empower our students to feel like they are involved. The article elaborates on this idea that change does not necessarily come from the government, but can come from the reformation of mindsets and thoughts within society. Schools have always, and continue to play a huge role in this, and with the help of teachers who care about development education can work to educate tomorrows leaders about social justice and morality.
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Hi Joanna,
I think developing understanding and awareness of the key issues in Development Education requires students to be active and getting your class to engage in social change as you’ve outlined is empowering and you are guaranteed buy-in from a sixth class. As you’ve mooted teaching at the senior end enables you to drill down deep into topics and explore DE themes like equality, racism, and climate change as you listed. Students need to be given ample opportunities to discuss issues, formulate solutions, develop the necessary language and practice using their voice. Getting them to understand that they can voice their opinions and act and influence the world around them is fundamental in Development Education.
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I think that development education is important as the article points out that while progress has been made, many social issues still exist and this needs to be acknowledged and addressed. I think that teachers are well placed to make a difference by bringing attention to these issues in our schools and fostering environments where the pillars of equality, justice and humanity are upheld and valued by all. I thought that the Aurelius quote, ‘we are made for cooperation, like feet, like hands, like eyelids, like the rows of the upper and lower teeth’ was a good way of describing how we as global citizens are all interconnected and must work as a cooperative unit and help those most in need. It is important to realise that it is not something that is simply taught as a couple of stand-alone lessons or as a tick box activity, but rather something that must be taught every day and reflected in our actions, be a life-long endeavour and evolve in line with change. I think it is very important to incorporate this into my teaching and that of my colleagues as children need to be shown that they can make a difference and that change is possible.
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I really enjoyed reading the article The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World. As teachers, we have a responsibility to include development education at both classroom and school level. The Irish primary school has become a diverse setting even in comparison to when I was in school twenty years ago. Today, a third of my class have heritage outside of Ireland. They bring such a variety of culture and experience to our school, however I know they have experienced the inequalities that the article outlines. As a teacher, I think it is so important for me to be tuned in to this experience. I look forward to working on this topic more in the coming year. I would probably follow the advice in the article in terms of starting students with looking at a more local level rather than jumping into the more complex global level at the beginning.
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Hi Ellen,
I agree, the typical Irish primary classroom has become a significantly more diverse setting in recent years and this reality is something to be celebrated. The fact that circa one third of your class ‘have heritage outside of Ireland’ demonstrates this shift and this diversity make the classroom for all richer. As you’ve mooted many of these children (And their families) have first-hand experience of things like discrimination, inequality, poverty, displacement and more so as teachers we need to be cognisant of this, particularly when exploring DE themes that students may have personal experience of.
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Having read ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’, Ehigie gives us a broad perspective on what it is and how to be a global citizen. We must see all people as one and challenges that face different people are challenges that face us all. Decisions made on a local scale can impact on a much larger scale, change must start somewhere. We have a role as educators to teach children from a young age how to think for themselves, to form their own opinions and to open their mind to the wider world and what is happening in it.I have always taught Development Education in my class, I am currently teaching in the senior end of a large school. While I have always had a particular interest in Development Education, I have seen in different schools that it is based usually on the interest of the class teacher, and if Development Education is not taught in the Junior Classes, it is a missed opportunity for children to begin their role as being Global Citizens. In my opinion, the earlier children are taught to be Global Citizens, the better for the local community, and shows that we are united in diversity. I think schools & the local and wider community would benefit greatly if schools could develop a whole school plan from Junior Infants to 6th class on Development Education/Global Citizenship.
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Hi Dara,
I am in full agreement and have already referenced the issue you have raised here with the provision of Development Education being at best hit and miss in most schools. And as you reference, opportunities are missed because of the pervading ad-hoc approach. That’s why as mooted previously here, more joined-up thinking is required to support the delivery of DE at school level to ensure opportunities are not missed. Maybe, a Development Education Team akin to the Digital Learning Team advocated for DL planning. This team could formulate a whole-school plan for DE, investigate and centralise resources and encourage teachers to collaborate and support each other in its delivery.
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I found the piece, ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World,’very interesting and gave a great perspective on some of the challenges people have in their lives. The author referenced that progress has been made but many social issues still exist and this needs to be acknowledged and addressed. I think as educators, we are well placed to make a difference by bringing attention to these issues. As teachers, we have a responsibility to include development education at both classroom and school level.
The school I am working in this year would be considered to be in quite a privileged area. I feel that we could give back to others less well off in many ways, such as fund raising, cake sales, Christmas boxes, etc. I think the whole school would enjoy those sort of activities and would be rewarding for all involved, in addition to helping those that need it. I am looking forward to learning a lot more on this course. -
This article was one which I found to be extremely interesting, there are elements which I will be hoping to bring into my own classroom in the coming year. The article has made excellent points which need to be addressed in our ever-changing classroom environment. Technology has become one of the biggest additions to our classrooms however it can also be looked upon as an element which is hampering education also. I believe that by using technology a correct manner in the classroom it would most definitely aid teachers as they work within the classroom as the aim to create a more prosperous learning environment which caters for the needs of the global citizen. Differentiation and linkage throughout subjects I feel would prove to be hugely beneficial as it would allow concepts and ideologies to be introduced on a small scale rather than overwhelming students with global issues and concerns all at once. Inviting members of the community or getting in contact with guest speakers may also be an approach which could be taken when planning developmental education activities within a school.
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Hi John,
Interesting that you reference the importance of digital tools and there use in the classroom. Digital technologies have certainly improved communication of Development Education issues, students today are much more aware of global issues due to better access and exposure to information. However, highlighting what is accurate versus the spurious sources is key. With Development Education much more pervasive in todays connected classrooms and as you mooted technology can help with differentiation and cross-curricular linkages. I agree also the themes of DE need to be introduced gradually to avoid overwhelming your students.
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This was a really thought provoking article and it was great to get the personal insight into someone’s experience of change and how we have moved on in society.
I really believe that Development Education is one that is becoming more and more important to how we educate children. Firstly because Irish society is so much more diverse than it was 20 even 10 years ago and we all need to see ourselves represented and reflected in the society we live in.
Society has evolved to become more tolerant of different nationalities, cultures, religions etc but it has also become more aware of inequalities and injustices that are happening worldwide and through social media and mainstream media. The world has become a smaller place and access to information as well as advocates and activists is much more accessible.
As we can see the topic can be easily integrated into curricular subjects such as SPHE, SESE, Maths (problem solving) English, the Arts etc and it is a topic that the children certainly want to engage in. There are so many resources available to teachers from PLAN Ireland, An Taisce, Amnesty etc that teachers can find many ways to access the material at an age appropriate level.
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<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>Review the paper: ‘</span>The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”> (Ehigie, 2021) and consider why Development Education is important and how you would try to include it in your own teaching and encourage colleagues to plan development education activities throughout your school</span>
I found this article very interesting and thought provoking. I made me look at my own attitudes and how I can impact the children that I am teaching each year. I feel that as teachers we are role models for the children that we teach and that we must always approach our classes with open arms and if children see this then they will mirror this in their own behaviour.
In the article I found the words in the conclusion very powerful yet simple. For example” <span style=”color: #444444; font-family: times, ‘Merriweather Sans’, sans-serif; text-align: justify;”>To be a global citizen, is to care. It is to empathise.” </span>
If we approach our classes with this attitude we will have a classroom where children should feel safe, valued and understood. As a teacher in a rural school we have great changes in recent years and our school is much more diverse in cultures than in the past and as a school we need to take a whole school approach to provide a welcoming place for all families.
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I found the piece, ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World,’ a very good read and explained clearly some of the challenges people have in their lives. It is such an important topic to integrate into school life.
Last year the school wide community looked at Global goals as part of our Green School Initiative. Being part of this committee allowed me to encourage other staff members to highlight these issues within their own classes. I did this by making presentations at staff meetings, getting the children who were on the committee to talk about it at assembly etc.
There are so many global issues that can be trashed out and discussed in our classrooms – war, gender, hunger, racism inequality, political instability. Our world is rapidly changing. We, as a people, need to accept and adapt to these changes. Children need to be aware of their role as global citizens and how they can play an important part in moving our world forward for the better. I’m teaching 6th class this year which gives me the opportunity to really dig into some of the issues discussed above.
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Hi Eleanor,
Welcome to the course. Ehigie’s article is certainly one which all teachers could benefit from engaging with. There are so many little nuggets hat can be taken from it. A review of the responses in the forum is a testament to this, with many people pointing out things I had overlooked from a first reading. You have mentioned the rapidly changing world we live in, and children should be made aware of the speed of these changes and how single events can have huge repercussions around the world. Ehigie’s point about citizenship being both local and global is particularly relevant for us to bring back to our classrooms.
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I found this module and the paper ‘the role of Global Citizens in today’s world’ very informative and interesting to read. As an educator in a multi cultural primary school, I strongly believe in the importance of teaching children about Global Citizenship, the many injustices in the world and the appreciation and understanding of the various cultures in our society. I found the sample lesson plans and games provided in this module very beneficial to use in my own classroom. I think it is important that children are aware of current domestic and international events. I would regularly watch RTE news2day with my students, which gives them an insight into current affairs happening in Ireland and around the world. I also believe a whole school approach is important in planning development education activities throughout the school. Every year, we hold an international week in school where students from all cultures and backgrounds are provided with different opportunities to show how their home life and culture may differ from ours. It gives all students and teachers an insight into different cultures through various activities happening throughout the week, eg, international food tasting day, dressing up in clothes from their specific country, etc
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Review of the paper’ The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’
This article presents us with information on the importance of working together as global citizens in modern day society. It highlights the need for others to inspire people to act as a global citizen and to educate themselves on past and current global world issues.
I personally feel that development education is an important topic that all children should be made aware of and educated on. It is important that children understand the importance of their role in the world and that they have an ability to make changes and challenge ideas from a young age thus contributing to sustainable development. This paper highlights that as global citizens, we possess the awareness and critical thinking skills needed to address issues such as inequality. Therefore, I think it is important to encourage and provoke inquiry and critical thinking stills throughout all aspects of the primary curriculum.
How I would apply the context of this paper to my classroom: Within my classroom, I would introduce the concept of development education and provide examples of how students and their families can be global citizens. I think the curricular areas of geography and history lessons particularly lend themselves to this topic. Through the use of through provoking discussions and project work within these subject areas I would bring this topic to life and give it relevance to my students. I think it could be a very hands on fun concept to teach and I feel the children I teach would really enjoy learning about this. Additionally I would inspire my colleagues to get involved by team planning and teaching and by showcasing any work my class have done in order to give colleagues insight and lesson inspiration. -
Consider why Development Education is important and how you would try to include it in your own teaching and encourage colleagues to plan development education activities throughout your school.
The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World by Eric Ehigie is a very personal, well written and heartfelt piece that highlights the importance of development education and the importance of shaping global citizens with empathy and understanding who can foster change; however small, in a world filled with challenges. The author’s passion and compassion drives the recognition of our responsibility to strive to make the world a better place.
To promote and plan development education activities throughout my school, I would liaise and collaborate with my colleagues and share the resources and information provided in this course with the aim of a whole school approach to Sustainability and Development education to be put in place with different events and campaigns running throughout the year. This could be run alongside our student council/sustainability/green school committee, giving our students greater autonomy. The exploration of developmental education is rooted in many subject areas and there is a clear scope for integration, critical thinking, and child lead inquiry/project based learning.
The points of mutual respect, global citizenship, diversity,global challenges, and cultural awareness discussed in the author’s paper provide so much scope for discussion and the focus on change, however small, is an inspiration for the children to take action/responsibility. The development goals also provide a starting point for discussion and are displayed in each classroom in our school. We have a lot to learn and there are organisations there to extend our knowledge, share experience to aid teaching and learning. Irish Aid also has resource packs available for the exploration of these goals which I am lucky enough to have used in the past. Collaboration with these organisations and fostering an environment of discussion and empathy is crucial.-
Hi Dervilla,
Welcome to the course. Ehigie’s article is certainly thought provoking and you have offered us some valuable insights here. I am drawn to the word ‘responsibility’, and this is something that the author certainly feels passionate about. It is this ‘responsibility’ that we seek to empower our students with, in terms of taking action against inequalities, discrimination and climate change. Mutual respect for each other, and a recognition of our responsibilities to one another as global citizens has a key role to play in developing the ‘interconnectedness’ spoken about in the article.
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The article is very thought provoking piece that highlighted for me the importance of Development Education in the primary school curriculum. Development education nurtures children;s understanding of the world beyond their immediate surroundings. It cultivates global awareness, empathy and critical thinking skills among students. It is important for children to develop a sense of the interconnectedness and complexities of our world. Educating our children to hold values of social justice, equality and sustainability are critical to positive change and enabling all of us to engage with complex global challenges in order to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.
In order to encourage my colleagues to engage in development education activities in my school I would firstly highlight the importance of doing so. This is the first step in achieving buy in. Equipping the teachers with the resources available, supports them to engage. The resources highlighted so far are excellent and I can see how teachers would be grateful for such well thought out lesson plans and activities.
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This paper highlights the way in which the youth of the modern world are now provided with an opportunity to recognise their role as global citizens as well as an opportunity to play an important role in positively contributing towards the development of the world.
As highlighted by the author, a greater sense of intolerance towards social injustice, such as racism, exists amongst the Irish youth of today. As a young, newly qualified teacher who has witnessed the way in which Irish society has developed in recent times, I feel as though I have inherited an element of responsibility in ensuring that the children I teach are exposed to development education.
I acknowledge the fact that colleagues in my school may not have had the chance to engage with development education in their career thus far. I will therefore communicate ideas regarding development education activities which could be used to inform children’s understanding of global injustice and inequality with my school community.
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Hi Keelan, I agree fully with you when you say “I have inherited an element of responsibility in ensuring that the children I teach are exposed to Development Education”. I would take it a step further and say that not only are we responsible for exposing them to it, we must immerse them in it and equip them with skills and knowledge to make change.
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<p class=”MsoNormal”>Development Education is extremely important in today’s world. Our global population is constantly on the move. We voluntarily visit other lands for many reasons including economic, educational, pleasure & health. Others less fortunate are cast out from their own lands due to natural disasters, war & political injustice. We all live on the same planet & even if we can decide that travel internationally is not for us, events worldwide have an effect on us regardless generally in the form of economics or weather.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>Development Education can be integrated easily into our curriculum. I would focus primarily on S.E.S.E., S.P.H.E. English & History. I would place a lesser focus through Maths (problem solving) Art & Music & Drama.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>The role of the global citizen is to care about our common humanity, about the poverty of our fellow humans, inequality, political instability & I would through lessons in the subject areas of focus help to develop as ‘system of self’ in the children. Often children can feel helpless in the grand scheme of things but fostering the belief that it starts with the individual is in my opinion vitally important.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>I would display project /art work in communal areas as this would help start a conversation amongst my colleagues & other pupils & I would point them in the direction of resources from PLAN Ireland, Amnesty, Trócaire & An Taisce</p>
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Hi Marie,
Welcome to the course. Your post really highlights how broad the topic of development education is, and how easily it can be integrated with subject areas of the curriculum. When you think of English, Geography, Science, History and S.P.H.E, we are talking about over half of our weekly instruction. The impact of global events in other countries can certainly be felt here in Ireland. It is important that students have that awareness that we are part of a global community, and development education has a key role to play in this.
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“The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World” was a very interesting and thought provoking read. It’s evident that developmental education is extremely important in todays society as it allows children to gain an understanding and awareness of the ever changing world they live in. It provides them with an opportunity to develop their own opinions an views towards global concerns. Exposure to this information means children can explore their own actions and see how they can affect other people.
I would include developmental education in my own teaching as it would give many educational benefits for the children. It would be easily integrated into many subject areas and it would develop many different skills. Our school has a very diverse community and we are lucky to have so many resources available to us teachers to help find an appropriate way of teaching to children of different age groups. It is the role of the staff and individual teachers to encourage children to get involved and make a difference in todays world.-
Hi Danielle,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Ehigie’s article. The ever-changing nature of the world and the impact of global events locally and nationally points to the importance of development education and children recognising the interconnectedness of the world, and their role as global citizens. The diversity of your school community is something that could be used to your advantage when designing a development education programme.
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Development education is the process of raising awareness and understanding of global issues. It is important to teach development education in the classroom because it can help students to develop a global perspective, understand the interconnectedness of the world, and become more engaged citizens.
There are many ways to use development education in the classroom. You can use books, articles, videos, and websites to teach students about global issues. You can also bring in guest speakers from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or community organizations. Another way to use development education in the classroom is to have students participate in service-learning projects. Here are some specific examples of how you can use development education in the classroom:
Teach a unit on poverty and hunger.
Teach a unit on climate change.
Have students participate in a service-learning project that addresses a global issue.
Development education is an important part of a well-rounded education. It can help students to become more informed citizens and to make a difference in the world.
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I am of the opinion that development education has a role to play in the curriculum of schools in Ireland. The schools which we work in and the communities in which we were reared have changed majorly over recent years. In my opinion this change is positive, the students enrolled in our schools come from all over the globe, they all bring their own cultures and traditions and most schools endeavour to include these cultural differences in their school ethos. It should be noted that this has not yet been reflected in our staff rooms although hopefully that will change in the next decade. The most recent statistics for my own school in the midlands have our E.A.L. rate at approximately 70%, this is surely reflective of our ever changing society.
Incorporating development education into our fortnightly plans may not be as difficult as one may think, something so simple as writing to a penpal in the global south could be a straightforward and engaging way to create awareness for the children about the trials and tribulations of those children in schools in the global south. Children in our schools should be taught about the important roles which N.G.O.’s like Concern play in raising awareness of those less well off.
Once off weeks e.g. “Development Awareness Week” could have a positive role to play, although it would be critical to not have this as a stand alone isolated event as unfortunately it could be easily soon forgotten.
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Hi Barry,
Thanks for your post. The rate of change across the world in so many areas only seems to be accelerating. This places a greater focus on the need to expose children to the development education themes and to help them develop a greater awareness of global citizenship. Ehigie’s article really points to the interconnected nature of the local and the global, and how events across the world can impact us all on a local level also. The idea of giving development education is own ‘week’ is a great idea, as it allows the whole school create awareness around the topics without the ‘competition’ of other areas.
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Without a doubt, Development Education needs to play a fundamental role in the everyday curriculum of our schools. Development Education is not a single, entity or subject that can be taught in a 40 minute slot to tick a box! Development Education involves a multi-faceted, cross curricular approcah that begins from the very moment that a child enters the education system. Now more so that ever our school communities reflect the diversity of our wider communities. It is our role as educators to highlight how we have far more in common than different.
Development Education is crucial for a number of reasons. It makes one aware of what Ehigie describes as the “realisation of our deep, symbiotic connection with all humans within the global family”. Children need to be made aware of the fact that as humans we are part of a wider global family. We do not survive as a single entity or as a single community or as a single country. We are all connected.
Similarly, Development Education transcends humans. It takes into account the fact that our environment is something that we all share and highlights how our actions affects the environment not just for us but for others. As Ehigie states we have “all-encompassing link we share with all humans, and life forms, on the planet.”Development Education is not about making children feeling sorry for the less fortunate or undertake charity work to ‘save’ them. Rather Development Education helps children grow into ‘global citizens’. Ehigie refers to the the role of a global citizen as “to care. it is to emphasize”. As well as that Ehigie says that a global citizen works to “find their place in today’s world, and see where they can use their unique abilities to improve it for those who are less fortunate.”
Above all, we as educators need to recognise the power of education in making improvements. Education is one of the most powerful forces for change in inequality and injustice. Ehigie refers to education as a means to” offer insights on the common humanity we share with those around us, and the work we can do to impact members of our community in positive ways.” What a world it would be if we as educators could achieve this through Development Education.
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Hi Frances,
Thank you for your comprehensive post, where you have demonstrated considerable engagement with Ehigie’s article. The multi-faceted, integrated nature of development education is undeniable, and it certainly doesn’t fit neatly in a box under one curricular area. You have correctly pointed out the fact the the interconnectedness mentioned in the article goes beyond human life, and takes nature and the natural environment into account. It is through education that all major global changes and improvements originate – educating pupils about their place in the world and highlighting inequalities and injustices is a key part of this.
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Development Education is fundamental in preparing children for the world we live in together as global citizens. It helps to open our minds, to look beyond ourselves and understand the interconnectedness of us all living on this planet.
The role of global citizens in today’s world is as important as ever. We continue to live in a world that is dealing with many social issues such as poverty, hunger, inequality and political instability. As citizens of this world, we must believe that we all have a role to play to improve our reality and for the global community. Common humanity connects and unites us all and we each have a role to play in addressing the causes of social injustice locally and globally.
It is important that we recognise the problems of our neighbours as our problems also. We are a global family, ‘within the human house’.
Change is the mantra of global citizenship and belief in the power of change is fundamental to this.
As a starting point, we must focus on the immediate task of improving ourselves and acting in accordance with the aspirations we have for our local community and the global community. Trying to be the change we see in our world is both accessible and powerful no matter how big or small one feels their contribution is.
A key element of being effective global citizens is appreciating our place and the place of others. This calls on us to extend our solidarity to others and do as much as we can to uplift those around us.
Education has a significant role to play in global citizenship. We are all created the same and are interconnected. To be a global citizen, we must care and empathise. We must honestly acknowledge privalege and disadvantage in our own lives and learn how we can work cohesively with our neighbour to offset disadvantage and establish more indicators for happiness for everyone.
I work in a DEIS band 1 school which is located in an area designated as ‘disadvantaged’. This article reminds us that we should all acknowledge the complex mixture of privalege and disadvantage with which we personally struggle. It emphasises people coming together, working together to offset disadvantage and establish more indicators for happiness for everyone. Our school provides many programmes for children to offset disadvantage in a range of areas. Parents are supported in their own personal development and also in their children’s education.
It is important that we teach development education in schools to provide the children with the opportunity to critically analyse information they receive and to feel that they can make a difference in the world.
A lesson outlined in this module outlines discussing with the children the difference between wants and needs. Asking the children, are wants the same as needs and why not? Then discussing what human rights are – every person to be treated the same, to be looked after, protected and to have basic needs met. To Help the children the concept of basic needs met, the teacher can ask, does every child have the right to sleep, to play etc. I think teachers would have to be sensitive to the children’s own situations and handle this lesson carefully especially as there may be children in the class, in cases where their basic needs are not met in some way, I do feel it still is important for them to understand that every has the right to have these but it might not always be the case for lots of different reasons.
Making a poster about a particular human right would be a nice activity for the children in groups or as a class.-
Hi Caroline,
Welcome to the course and thank you for our detailed post here. The content of your post really echoes the tone of Ehigie’s piece, referring to the global family and how problems in one part of the world can have knock-on effects in other parts. In terms of challenging educational disadvantage, the importance of ‘coming together and working together’ cannot be overstated. It is essential that everyone, including policymakers and public representatives, are rowing in the same direction. Involving the children in a discussion and study around wants and needs is a very effective tool to highlight privilege and disadvantage to them, and it would be hope that this might trigger something in them to speak out against it as they mature.
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“The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World” really sells the idea of the importance of development education in fostering global citizenship. As a teacher I feel that it is so important to be able to encourage students to engage with global issues through educating them in the best and most appropriate way possible. Through lessons I would aim to incorporate these global issues across subjects such as SESE, SPHE and English in particular encouraging open discussion. Within these subjects case studies could be studied and discussed whilst encouraging empathy and reflect on global change that is occurring in areas on a global scale.
To encourage fellow teachers to engage in development education activities, I would share my knowledge about what I have learnt and the importance of this topic informally through oral discussions as well as formally though workshops showing Power Points and case studies to emphasize the importance of being a global citizen. I would also emphasize integrating global perspectives into the curriculum and aid in designing engaging and child friendly activities in order to make the lessons interesting and engaging for students.-
Hi Shona,
Welcome to the course! In terms of educating children about development education, I am drawn to the term ‘the most appropriate way possible’. I feel this is really important. Development education can be taught at all stages of the primary school, but must be tailored to the age of the pupils in question. In the senior classes, we can delve into the themes in greater depth, but they can be introduced and discussed from infants. The integrated approach is so effective, and you have outlined 4/5 subjects that closely align with development education, making it easy to ‘map’ to the curriculum for planning.
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I found the article, The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World very interesting. As teachers we hold a responsibility to model correct behaviours. We must look at ourselves and our behaviour as we introduce children to topics such as global citizenship. Development Education is extremely important as it allows the children to develop their awareness and understanding of the unequal society that we live in. it allows children to explore local and global problems and therefore gives them the opportunity to explore justice and equality. I would include it in my own teaching by using suitable resources and activities that allow the children to work together to develop their critical thinking and learn the importance of equality and respect. During my teaching experience I have taught children from many countries, I have always encouraged them to share their experience and incorporate their cultures into our classroom.
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Development Education is important within our primary school’s curriculum as it aids in questioning why our world is currently the way it is and looking at ways how we can improve it. It also helps to develop critical skills such as information processing, critical thinking skills, and communication. it looks at raising awareness and understanding of inequality from a local, national, and international level such as gender, poverty, injustices, and unsustainable practices. it also fosters in young children empathy for others and cares for the environment and world that we live in.
In Educate Together schools we have Learn Together curriculum that is implemented with each class. through the monthly themes, we can delve into development education from a democratic viewpoint. concepts such as justice, fairness, friendships are aspects that we look at and the teacher can adapt it to suit the level of children and the areas within development education to provide children with learning opportunities. Teachers get together to plan from a class level but also on a school level.
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Hi Cristina,
You have described developed education in a succinct, powerful and comprehensive manner in this post. The content covered and skills developed are cross-disciplinary and are so important in the context of a child’s overall learning experience. Exposing children to concepts such as justice and fairness is crucial, and it is really important that children have some lived experience of these. The creation of student councils in most schools in recent years is a great example of this – the student body could be entrusted with taking on some initiatives that tackle some of the main development education themes.
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1) The article ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ (Ehigie, 2021) was very well written and as practitioners in todays schools and society it is important now, more than ever, to reflect on our own subconscious perspectives and potential biases and reflect on how we can improve ourselves and therefore the education of those we teach. Development Education is a brilliant way to start this process.
The lessons and activities provided within the PowerPoint had some excellent ideas for engaging children and sparking discussions within the classrooms around the topics within Development Education. I believe for something to become effective it needs to be embedded within the school day and ethos which takes time and consistent reflection and reviews. I would plan to implement some of the lessons and ideas myself before bringing them to a whole staff meeting with an aim of giving staff time to implement them and then meet again to review. In time, this could then hopefully become an embedded part of the curriculum across the school.
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Hi Anderley,
It is essential that we all reflect on our own practice and our own pre-conceived thoughts on certain topics and themes. Like we have seen with gender stereotyping, it is quite often unconscious societal norms that are creating these issues. Studies by the IPPN have shown that it takes 6 years for an initiative to become fully embedded in a school (2 years to pilot, 2 years to implement and a further 2 years to embed). This highlights the importance of tackling the development education themes as part of a whole-school approach – ensuring continuity and progress between each class level.
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I really enjoyed reading this piece on the role of global citizens in todays world and I feel it is extremely relevant in modern life, especially for educators in Ireland, as we are seeing and increasingly diverse Ireland in recent years. From working in a DEIS 1 Community National School in Dublin, I myself have experienced the need to include Development Education in my teaching and I’m sure my colleagues would also agree. From my time in this school, I have had classes with children from a wide range of backgrounds. In order to to make each child in the school feel included and welcome in the community, we have ‘Intercultural Day’ in our school each year. For this day, each class creates a project based on a country where a student in the class has come from or where their parents may have came from. On the day we also have a table dedicated to the various countries that the pupils in the school are from and their relatives have the opportunity to bring in traditional foods from the country, as well as wearing traditional clothing from their country. We also have a multi beliefs programme in the school called ‘Goodness Me Goodness You’ (GMGY) which enables the children to learn about all the different religions of the world and encourages them to celebrate each others differences.
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Hi Andy,
Welcome to the course. From your teaching setting, it is fantastic that you have seen the need for, and benefits that can be brought about through, a development education programme. The experiences you have to offer will be of great value to other participants on the course. The ‘Intercultural Day’ you speak of is something that some other participants have also referenced – the slightly different takes each school has on this has been quite interesting. I like the idea of dedicating a table to the native countries of all pupils in the school.
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<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>This article was a very interesting read. The importance of Development Education has never been more evident, considering the current international news and its relevance in Ireland and globally. As an educator in I believe it is crucial to teach children about global citizenship and create an inclusive environment for non-Irish students. Appreciating diverse cultures and embracing differences should be emphasized. The concept of shared humanity, proposed in the article, serves as a valuable foundation for provoking discussions and debates in the classroom. Introducing the recommended games and resources from the module would greatly enhance development education activities in our school.</span>
<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>The lessons and activities provided within the PowerPoint had some excellent ideas for engaging children and sparking discussions within the classrooms around the topics within Development Education.</span><span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>I personally feel that development education is an important topic that all children should be made aware of and educated on. It is important that children understand the importance of their role in the world and that they have an ability to make changes and challenge ideas from a young age thus contributing to sustainable development. </span><span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>I would include it Development Education in my teaching and</span><span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>encourage colleagues to do the same as it teaches important skills to children such as critical thinking, leadership, exploring, debating skills, etc. </span>
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Hi Bríd,
The current international news cycle and events globally point to an increasing need for exposure to the main development education themes. The ‘shared humanity’ and interconnectedness referred to in the article is central to the concept of us being global citizens. Being aware of the inequalities that exist around the world, and the profound impacts these can have locally, is so important. The integrated nature of development education makes it very easy to ‘map’ to our existing curriculum – there is so much scope to delve into it as part of the English, Geography, Science and SPHE curricula.
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‘The Role of Global Citizens in Todays world’
I found this article both inciteful and interesting. I certainly agree with the fact that a large amount of time, effort and focus should be put into this developmental education. Young children are sponges for information and I believe it is the lack of information, misinformation and bad attitudes of those educating them that has had bad effects in the past.
As a teacher, I want to ensure that everyone in my class is included, valued and respected and to do this all children have to respect and value each other. This comes back to the ‘link’ that we have to each other as humans and I think that this link is particularly visible and prominent in young children. It is our job to promote these links. It is also our job as educators to promote human rights and activism effectively and to do this we must target those around us who are doing good in our world. With social media and technology children are exposed to so much negative media and I think us as educators have a job of such utmost importance to alleviate these misunderstandings and consistent parts of misinformation. -
This article was quite thought-provoking and insightful to read. I really liked how the writer gave their own personal experience growing up in Ireland. It is worthwhile to look at the generational differences experienced by both writer and parent while also acknowledging the fact that there is still a long way to go.
Developmental Education is vital to ensure that our modern society continues to grow and gain awareness of the diverse communities who live together in Ireland. It is important that children are given the learning opportunities to practice empathy and kindness, to stand up for injustices and inequity.
This year, I taught a rural 6th class, majority of which were boys. They lived for the World Cup. We explored the differences between girls and boys in sports, soccer in particular. It was a very interesting conversation in that boys believed that they were better at soccer than the girls due to more mens soccer being televised, bigger sponsorship deals and a higher audience at games. We explored how the media can interfere with facts and how we perceive certain things. We also realised that even Google is biased in its results when we searched for highest scoring soccer player. It was an amazing conversation and a huge eye-opener for the children. It undoubtedly challenged them to be more aware of what the media is feeding us.
I think integrating this type of education with real-life scenarios as they happen is very effective. Across the school, it would be great to incorporate events that are of interest to the children and delve into the way in which we can be active global citizens to make our world a more just and equal place. Fairtrade is a great example which is easily incorporated across the school during healthy eating weeks and Food Dudes initiatives too.
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Hi Michelle,
The personal experiences offered by the author allows for a greater level of authenticity in the argument. The idea of us as global citizens is central to development education, as it is so important to demonstrate the interconnectedness of people around the world. I am sure that the children in your 6th class would have been so invested in the ‘gender’ project, as it centred around the World Cup. Sport is an excellent medium through which important themes can be discussed and explored. Teasing out the inequalities that exist between male and female sports (none more so than in Ireland with the LGFA and Camogie Association) is so valuable, and allows children to think about gender stereotyping on a wider basis.
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I enjoyed reading the article ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’. I felt that this article is very topical at present and that many of the issues presented in the article are current and applicable to today’s children. The article was written in a manner that was straightforward and presented complex issues in an understandable way. I believe that at present, with the many and varied issues in the world, development education is more important than ever. Children today are aware of many global issues through social media and so on, that in the past they were unaware of and they are also exposed to a lot more though television and other media also. As a result of this, development education can play a fundamental role in assisting children in identifying fact from fiction. The Development Education Teacher Handbook would certainly be a useful tool for exploring development education in the classroom. I was unaware of this resource before now. News programmes and current affairs shows that are aimed at children can also play in role in presenting complex global issues in an age appropriate way.
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Hi Éadaoin,
Welcome to the course! The article is extremely interesting and one which is certainly very relevant to today’s society. Global issues in 2023 certainly point to an increased importance in educating children around the key themes of development education. While children may be aware of certain issues through social media, it is important that we encourage them to become more critical consumers of content, and analyse what they are reading for bias, etc. As you have said, development education can have an important role to play in assisting children to separate between fact and fiction.
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I really enjoyed reading ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ and I related to a lot of the content. I personally believe the teaching I experienced is very different to teaching I provide now. I believe this is because I was taught in a very small country school with all Irish children. I now work in a very diverse school community in Dublin with children, staff and parents coming from many different countries around the world. It is important that me as a teacher is aware of the areas these children have come from and what difficulties or challenges they may have faced in their childhood so far or the difficulties their parents may have been faced with.
I will definitely include development education in my teacher and encourage children to talk and discuss in group or pair work. This way children will develop a better understanding of their world and realise the similarities and differences that they have with other children from a different country/background or religion. I think that it would be very important for staff to model this. Ask children questions about their background and show respect and empathy.
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Hi Aoife,
Welcome to the course! The article really is a powerful read that should form the basis of much of our instruction in schools. The experience you have had of education yourself as a pupil and now as a teacher will provide you with a key perspective on key development themes. Having an awareness of what is needed to ensure the school community is a welcoming and inclusive environment is a very important skill to have. Getting staff to model the importance of development education, and best practice in this regard is so important.
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This was a powerful read! As many have mentioned above, the article is most definitely relevant to today’s society. I found the author came across on such a personal and professional level, targeting a range of audience. The author mentions ‘The key element of being an effective global citizen is appreciating our place, and the place of others’. I found this could be a positive approach to Development Education. The author also mentions the hidden potential in education. It is important that teachers are educated and enabled to teach adequately. There are so many different events shaping and changing our society it is important we, as educators take an informative approach. Development Education can be integrated across the curriculum; through SPHE, Visual Arts, and Mathematics. History, Geography to name a few. One skill mentioned in the article was empathy, this is a skill, which can be learnt by practice, which lead me to think; development education does not have to be a lesson taught in solidarity. There are endless opportunities to include development education in our daily teaching. I am looking forward to the rest of this course and I plan to share information gathered with my colleagues.
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Hi Ann Marie,
Welcome to the course and thank you for your contribution here. It is great that you have been able to relate much of the content of the article to today’s society. That line about ‘our place and the place of others’ really is a central one – we must acknowledge the role we have as global citizens and the place that other people and other life forms have in this also. When we step back and think about it, there are so many ways in which we can integrate development education into our teaching every day – the list of curricular areas which it can integrate with is just a quick snapshot on how this can be achieved.
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I really enjoyed reading the paper ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ by Ehigie (2021). The reading highlights the key role and the importance of which development education in our world today. Development education is a critical component of contemporary education systems. It aims to increase awareness and understanding of global issues, inequalities and interdependence among nations. Development education provides students with the skills and values to live and participate in a interconnected world.
As a teacher, I believe it is very important to include Development Education in my teaching and encourage and support colleagues to plan such activities. This can be done in many ways including integrating global issues into existing subjects, use real world examples to illustrate concepts and use multimedia resources (films, documentaries, videos) to expose students to diverse perspectives and global issues.
I believe the key to successful Development Education is making global issues relevant and relatable to students’ lives. When we work together as teachers we can inspire the next generation to become successful global citizens whom contribute positively to our ever changing society.
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I found the paper “The Role of Global Citizen’s in Today’s World” (Ehigie, 2021) to be enlightening.
It reminds us all to reflect on the state of the world around us. It highlights how far we have come and the progress made,
but also shows us the challenges that we face. It is a paper that is relevant to all humankind; teachers in particular are
well placed to address the issues raised. In today’s classrooms development education and global citizenship should be
central to all of our teaching and learning on some level. It is a key part of our duties as educators to highlight the
challenges and inequalities that exist in our world and to empower our student to understand and tackle them.
Development Education and Global Citizenship should be embedded in school culture- for example through taking part in
initiatives like the Irish Aid Awards, or celebrating diversity throughout the school year, or highlighting issues
at the weekly assembly, or exploring one Global Goal every fortnight, or setting up a student council to promote student
voice. It is hugely important to have ‘buy-in’ from all staff therefore school leadership and a culture of collaboration
collegiality is key. Having a dedicated noticeboard and keeping it on the staff meeting agenda would be useful here.
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Hi Deirdre,
Welcome to the course. Thank you for your post and sharing your thoughts of Ehigie’s article. You have identified many interesting elements of his article, and demonstrated how these can be linked to development education. One of the key words I have noted in your post is ’empower’, and how we need to undertake work on development education to empower children (tomorrow’s adults) to call out the inequalities that exist and to call for reform in this regard. I love the idea of keeping this at the forefront of school culture and school priorities through the highlighting of issues / distribution of awards or merits at weekly assemblies.
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Development Education is extremely important as it increases awareness and understanding of the world we live in. Development Education reminds us of the Global Family and the importance of unity. It brings to our attention the impact our actions have on other people and places and also the links and similarities we share. The article states “to be a global citizen, is to care”, this message is echoed in other areas of our curriculum in particular SPHE, RE and the hidden curriculum and therefore allowing Development Education to easily integrate into our teaching and learning. I really liked how the article supports teachers in bringing this complex area to their classrooms.It suggests breaking it down to small manageable topics and activities. This will prevent teachers from becoming overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. It also facilitates meaningful learning and empowers students to make small efforts and recognise the importance and value of their own contributions. This is key to effective teaching and learning of Development Education. As previously stated, Development Education can be integrated easily in the SPHE and SESE curriculum. Choosing lessons and activities that promote and highlight critical thinking and group work and allow space fro respectful discussions will support Development Education to be brought to schools in a holistic way, bringing positive teaching and learning to the school community. I am really looking forward to learning more about this topic and having ideas and resources to bring back to my school.
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Hi Sarah,
Welcome to this course on development education. The message of ‘care’ is certainly one that is echoed in our current curriculum and in the Wellbeing Framework issued by the DES. I am in full agreement in regards to praising the author for breaking complex topics down into small manageable units. It is certain that if this information was presented in an alternative way that it could be quite overwhelming. As it stands, there are instant messages that can be taken and applied to our practice in classrooms. The subsequent modules will look at each of these central themes in more detail.
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I really enjoyed the thought-provoking article ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’. The author gives us a broad perspective on what it is and how to be a global citizen.
I think Development Education is crucial and should be incorporated and integrated into every classroom. Development Education assists learners to “analyse, reflect on and challenge” the causes and effects of global hunger, poverty, injustice, inequality and climate change. Development Education is an “active and creative educational process to increase awareness and understanding of the world we live in” by challenging “perceptions and stereotypes and encouraging optimism, participation and action” (Trócaire, 2018). Examining global injustice issues by using a human rights lens empowers pupils to create a just and dignified world for everyone.
Development Education can be employed in many ways in Irish schools. Currently, some primary schools are engaging in the Global Citizenship School Project, in which the INTO supports schools in taking a rights-based approach to education (INTO, 2021). Global Citizenship is featured in two of the Green-Schools Flag Awards ‘Global Citizenship, Litter & Waste’ and ‘Global Citizenship & Marine’. There are seven phases of the programme including: forming a Green-Schools Committee, completing an environmental review, creating an action plan, monitoring progress, linking the theme to curriculum work, spreading the message throughout the school and wider community, and finally forming a school Green Code.
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Hi Anna,
Welcome to the course and thank you for your post. I am delighted that you enjoyed Ehigie’s article and found it thought-provoking. The potential for integrating development education into our existing practices and curriculum is endless. The Global Citizenship Initiative and Green Flag Initiative are just two ‘extra-curricular’ areas that can be pursued. The central themes of development education can also be developed through the subject areas of language, science, geography and SPHE. As Trocáire have put it, a key role needs to be placed on challenging stereotypes and inequalities that exist globally. Education is an important first step on that journey.
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I enjoyed reading this paper particularly as the author has first hand experience of racial discrimination and racism, and we see this from both his and his mother’s perspective. I like how the author says ‘We are living in A global village that we all have a stake in’ As educators, it is so important to address the issues raised in this paper, the difficulties that people encounter in their everyday lives due to ignorance, inequality and lack of education. We have the ability to implement global development throughout our curriculum, creating a better understanding of global issues whilst creating a classroom of learners who are understanding and accepting of diversity. As a teacher I would love to implement the Global Citizen Initiative throughout our school and I think it would be a great start after completing this course.
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Until recently, we have taught about racism, famine and wars as historical stories that we discuss and write about and the historical figures (as mentioned in the article) as heroes, but do we really internalise. We see refugees from wars and the news about governments supporting both sides in a war on the news, but more often than not it was from a viewer’s perspective, that is forgotten when we change the channel. We are educating the mind but do we feel the need to emulate the heroes or take any action?
Development Education promotes the ideals of educating through the head, heart and hand. Learn about it , emotionally connect with it and take action to right wrongs. This type of education begins at a young age, bringing inequalities and unfairness to their level, affecting them emotionally has a bigger impact on internalising the education and then facilitating them taking actions, even the smallest of steps to make change one step at a time. We can also promote working as a partnership in a class or a school for a greater good and encourage them to believe that it is not futile to try and take action for change and that we should model that change in our lives, our families lives and the broader community.
We are an Educate Together school and the lesson plans and Teacher Guidelines are an excellent resource for educating “mind, heart and hand” philosophy, which also fits well in our Ethical Education Curriculum and I will be sharing these resources in my school and promoting their use at staff meetings
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Hi Lorraine,
Welcome to the course and thank you for your contribution here.
Development education is essential in today’s interconnected world as it helps students develop a deeper understanding of global issues, cultural diversity, and their own role as global citizens. It goes beyond traditional academic subjects and aims to cultivate students’ critical thinking skills, empathy, and sense of social responsibility. By learning about global challenges, such as poverty, inequality, environmental sustainability, and human rights, students become more informed and empowered to take action and contribute to positive change.
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Just to clarify. I totally agree with your statement above.
When I read back on my sentences “<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>We are an Educate Together school and the lesson plans and Teacher Guidelines are an excellent resource for educating “mind, heart and hand” philosophy! </span>I may have mislead you as I meant that the lesson plans and Teacher guidelines I have downloaded from this course fall inline and expand upon what I have been learning through Ethical Education Curriculum. And will therefore be a huge benefit to me in teaching these areas in school.
I wanted to clarify in case you thought I was suggesting the Ethical Curriculum already covered it. It doesn’t as yet. Badly worded by me. Apologies!
When I read back on my post, I wasn’t referring to the lesson plans and teacher guidelines of the Ethical Curriculum
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The necessity of Development Education in the curriculum for primary schools was brought to my attention by this article.This was a really thought provoking article and it was great to get the personal insight into someone’s experience of change and how we have moved on in society. I really believe that Development Education is one that is becoming more and more important in how we educate children. Firstly, because Irish society is so much more diverse than it was 20 even 10 years ago and we all need to see ourselves represented and reflected in the society we live in. Children’s comprehension of the world outside their immediate surroundings is fostered via development education. It develops in students a sense of global awareness, empathy, and critical thinking. It’s crucial that kids learn about the complexity and interdependence of our environment. Society has evolved to become more tolerant of different nationalities, cultures, religions etc but it has also become more aware of inequalities and injustices that are happening worldwide through social media and mainstream media.In order to effect positive change and empower all of us to take on challenging global issues, we must educate our children to hold principles of social justice, equality, and sustainability.
I like to create an inclusive classroom environment that encourages critical thinking and empathy. I make an effort to work with colleagues on workshops and professional development to share strategies and resources.
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