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ASSIGNMENT
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.
Think about School Self-Evaluation (SSE) and how Development Education can feed into SSE.
Please also comment on at least one other participant’s post.
Use of AI Tools: Our facilitators occasionally observe that course reflections may be generated with the assistance of AI tools. While AI can be a helpful support for drafting ideas or exploring different ways to express your thinking, it is essential that your forum posts reflect your own understanding and engagement with the course content. This is in line with the Department of Education and Youth’s Summer Course guidelines.
Before posting to the forum, we encourage you to take a moment to review your contributions and, if necessary, revise them to ensure they are appropriate and authentically your own. -
Ehigie’s (2021) piece on global citizenship really strikes a chord with me, especially around the idea that we are all interconnected. It’s easy for students to live in a local bubble, but Development Education (DE) breaks that open. For me, DE isn’t just an extra subject to shoehorn into an already packed day—it’s a mindset. It’s crucial because it builds empathy, helping students see how a choice made here ripples across the globe, whether that’s regarding climate change or social justice.
In my own classroom, I try to weave this in naturally rather than saving it for a specific “global issues” unit. If we are reading a text or looking at a geography case study, I love asking, *”Whose voice is missing here?”* or *”How does this connect to our lives?”* It’s about building critical thinking rather than just giving them facts.
To get colleagues on board across the school, I think the trick is keeping it collaborative and low-pressure. I’d love to start a shared digital resource bank where we can swap quick, 5-minute global citizenship warm-ups. Organising a cross-curricular “Global Goals Week” would also be a great way to show how math, science, and art can all tackle the same big world issues together.
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I really enjoyed reading your post, Jonathan. Your point about Development Education being a mindset rather than an add-on subject really resonates with me. I think that’s key to making it meaningful and sustainable in a busy classroom. The idea of asking questions like “Whose voice is missing?” is such a powerful way to develop critical thinking and encourage pupils to look beyond their immediate perspective.
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This idea of Development Education being a mindset is a key change that we all need to make in our thinking. This is something that we can educators can tackle in a cross curricular setting to ensure its not an add on that we include at the end of the month but that is explored meaningfully through many subject areas throughout every week in the year.
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Integrating Development Education across the Primary Curriculum is a must in today’s world. Children need to be taught about the wider world around them and how we all have a role to play in promoting equality and fairness in the world we live in. Development Education can be incorporated in the day-to-day running of the classroom. A lot of classrooms today are multicultural and provide endless opportunities to teach the themes underpinning development education and to promote the work of Irish Aid.
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I agree, Eimear. Development Education does feel more urgent now, particularly when children are already meeting so many different cultures and backgrounds in their own classroom. And it doesn’t have to be a standalone lesson either a lot of it comes through in how we talk about fairness, respect and looking out for one another. Your point about multicultural classrooms giving us real opportunities is one I’d agree with. There’s a lot children can learn from each other once there’s space for different stories, languages and traditions to come out. One small idea: rather than setting Irish Aid themes aside as their own thing, they can often be tied into something already happening a story you’re reading, a geography lesson, or even a class discussion that’s gone somewhere interesting.
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This is so true Eimear, it is a must in this ever changing society. The majority of our classrooms are all multi-cultural and the curriculum needs to reflect this. Although I agree with it needing to be incorporating into the day, the curriculum is already packed without adding to it, but in some ways we are teaching/ promoting parts of this in SPHE, Geography etc,
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I really liked your suggestion of creating a shared digital resource bank. It’s a practical and manageable way to encourage colleagues to incorporate Development Education without adding too much to their workload. I also think a cross-curricular Global Goals Week would be a great way to show how Development Education can be embedded across a range of subjects rather than being taught in isolation.
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Yes creating a shared drive where resources and lessons can be shared and accessed easily is very important to making any new initative seem manageable and not another added burden in an over busy curriculum
Teachers through collaborating and sharing lessons and knowledge are showing example of the collaboration sought by the ESD
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I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I particularly liked your point that Development Education is a mindset rather than an extra subject, as I think that is key to making it sustainable in a busy school day. Your questions, “Whose voice is missing?” and “How does this connect to our lives?” are excellent prompts for encouraging critical thinking. I also think your idea of a shared digital resource bank and a whole-school Global Goals Week would be a practical and engaging way to encourage staff collaboration.
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After reading the paper on the role of global citizens in today’s world it has made me reflect on the importance of development education and its place within schools. It has strengthened my understanding of why development education is essential in helping pupils become informed, responsible, and compassionate global citizens who can think critically about global issues. As a teacher, I want to incorporate development education into my own practice by embedding global perspectives across the curriculum and creating opportunities for pupils to explore real-world challenges. I also hope to encourage my colleagues to plan and implement development education activities throughout the school so that it becomes a shared commitment, fostering a whole-school approach to global citizenship and preparing our pupils to contribute positively to an increasingly interconnected world.
To evaluate how well development education is working, the school could gather evidence by observing lessons, listening to pupils’ ideas and opinions, looking at examples of their work, reflecting on teaching practices, and seeking feedback from parents and the wider school community. This information can help identify what is working well and where improvements can be made. The school can then set realistic goals, provide teachers with opportunities to develop their skills, create more opportunities for learning across different subjects, and build links with local and global organisations to enrich pupils’ learning experiences. As part of this whole-school approach, the school could introduce an annual Global Awareness Week, where pupils explore global issues through a range of cross-curricular activities. Another initiative could be to focus on a different country each year, allowing pupils to learn about its culture, traditions, geography, and contemporary challenges while making meaningful connections with their own lives. These initiatives would help make development education visible across the school, encourage collaboration among staff, and provide engaging, real-world learning experiences for pupils.
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I love the idea of a global awareness week and also choosing a different focus country each year. These would be great initiatives for a school. Also these initiatives a would be so great for student involvement. Building links with local organisations is also a wonderful way to incorporate community involvement and initiatives.
I think involving parents and getting feedback from parents is also invaluable so these initiatives continue into the home community. -
I really like your ideas about how to create Global awareness in the school. An annual Global Awareness week would be a lovely way to celebrate Global awareness. Also the idea of concentrating on a different country each year. The school my children go to have a week where each class has the theme of a different country, they all learn about that country and do many activities relating to it. On the Friday they dress in the countries colours. It creates huge awareness about other countries and is a great success.
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I agree that Development Education is most effective when it becomes part of a whole-school approach rather than being taught as a standalone topic. I liked your suggestions of a Global Awareness Week and focusing on a different country each year, as these are practical ways to engage pupils and promote cross-curricular learning.
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Hi Deborah, thank you for engaging in Module 1 Intro to Development Education.
I could not agree more with your commitment to embedding global perspectives across the curriculum. Doing so will undoubtedly foster compassionate, critical thinkers.
The “Global Awareness Week” initiative you proposed and a country-of-the-year focus—are brilliant ways to make Development Education highly visible and collaborative across the whole school. -
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Reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021) reinforced for me the importance of Development Education in helping children understand the world around them and recognise that their actions can have both local and global impacts. It encourages pupils to think critically about issues such as equality, sustainability, human rights and social justice, while also developing empathy, respect and a sense of responsibility.
In my own teaching, I would aim to embed Development Education across the curriculum rather than treating it as a standalone topic. For example, I could use stories from different cultures in English, explore global environmental issues in Science and Geography, and encourage pupils to participate in projects linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. Classroom discussions and collaborative activities would help pupils consider different perspectives and develop informed opinions.
To encourage colleagues, I would share practical resources, lesson ideas and examples of successful activities during staff meetings. Planning whole-school events, such as Fairtrade initiatives, environmental awareness weeks or cultural celebrations, would provide opportunities for all classes to engage with Development Education. By working together, we can create a school culture that values inclusion, global awareness and active citizenship, helping pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to contribute positively to an increasingly interconnected world.
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Hi Marina,
Some great ideas here,I agree with your suggestion of “embedding” development education across all subject areas and not teaching it as a stand alone topic. The whole school events you suggested such as Fairtrade initiatives, cultural celebrations, lending to perhaps a multicultural week, would foster a school community of inclusion where children of all nationalities are respected and celebrated. Educating children in this area, develops active global citizens where they learn their actions however small can make a difference in our world.
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Hi Johnathan, thank you for engaging in Module 1 of this course.
This is a highly reflective post. I particularly like your framing of Development Education as a mindset rather than an extra subject to shoehorn into a busy day.
Asking questions like “whose voice is missing” is a fantastic way to develop authentic critical thinking in your classroom. Your collaborative approach to getting colleagues on board through a shared digital resource bank and a cross-curricular Global Goals week is excellent for low-pressure staff engagement.
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<div class=”” data-turn-id-container=”2bd2e69e-50bd-4b2c-ab56-34f9d106b4a8″ data-is-intersecting=”true”>I often wondered what difference one person like me can really make when so many problems in society feel much bigger than anything I can change. Ehigie’s paper made me think differently about this. Her idea of the “system of self” suggests that change can begin with examining our own attitudes, choices and actions, while also joining with others who share the same values.This is why Development Education is important. It can help children understand that they are connected to other people and that issues such as poverty, racism and inequality are not completely separate from their own lives. In my classroom, I would use stories, discussion and age-appropriate real-life issues to encourage empathy, questioning and small meaningful actions.I would also encourage colleagues to plan activities together so that this becomes part of school life rather than a once-off lesson. Through SSE, we could look honestly at our resources, pupil voice and whole-school practices, then choose one realistic area to improve. That feels more manageable and meaningful than trying to solve everything at once.</div>
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Hi Jonathon,
I agree with your observation that development education is more a mindset than an extra subject. As our classrooms become more diverse in terms of cultural backgrounds, it is vital that we, as educators, create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive. This does not happen in a stand-alone lesson here and there; it is a way of being, a way of communicating, a way of sharing, a way of appreciating and celebrating.
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I really like your point that Development Education is a mindset rather than another subject to fit into a busy timetable. I also agree that asking questions like “Whose voice is missing?” encourages pupils to think more deeply instead of simply accepting information. Your idea of a shared digital resource bank is a great one because it would make it much easier for teachers to include Development Education in small, manageable ways. I also think a whole-school Global Goals Week would be a fantastic opportunity for pupils to see how these issues connect across different subjects. Working together as a staff would help ensure that Development Education becomes part of everyday teaching rather than a one-off event.
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In my opinion, Development Education is essential because it helps students understand the world around them and encourages them to think critically about global issues such as equality, sustainability, and human rights. After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), I realised that teaching students to become responsible global citizens is just as important as teaching academic subjects.
In my own teaching, I would include Development Education through class discussions, project work, and activities linked to real-world issues. I would also encourage my colleagues to work together on whole-school initiatives, such as celebrating global awareness days and creating cross-curricular projects.
I think Development Education fits well into School Self-Evaluation (SSE) because it promotes inclusion, student voice, and active learning. Including it in the SSE process would help schools reflect on how well they are preparing students to become informed, responsible, and caring global citizens.
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I agree with the other participants who have commented on your post. I really like your comment on how Developmental Education is a mindset. Yes our days are jam packed so it’s important to make things easy to implement into the classroom and also encourage staff to engage with Developmental Education too.
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Hi Jonathan, thank you for sharing your reflection; it made me aware that Development Education doesn’t have to be a separate lesson and can be integrated into everyday teaching. Working in an infant school, I can help children develop empathy, respect and an awareness of others through simple activities and discussions. As someone still learning about DE, it has encouraged me to think more about how small classroom experiences can help children become caring and responsible global citizens.
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I found Eric Ehigie’s article on “The Role of Global Citizens in todays world” very interesting. Our classrooms have become more diverse, children are coming from different backgrounds and have different life experiences. We have a chance in the classroom to highlight issues of social injustice in our locality and globally in our world. Children are exposed to more content on the news, on social media so it is important to highlight these in an age appropriate way in our schools. Ehigie says” to be a global citizen, is to care”. That resonates with me as educators we have the chance bring global citizenship in to our classrooms and schools and to show we care at a local/ national and international level. We can start by caring.
I think in our school to help with our SSE, we could set up some resources in our school drive that all staff could access to promote Global development and citizenship. We could use some time at staff meeting to share learning from CPD courses.
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That’s a good idea to share all of these resources on the drive. At least everything is in the one place then so it is easy for all . There are loads of good tips on the Plan International site . Nice ideas with how to incorporate and differentiate these lessons to our own classes .
It might even be a good idea to have a global citizenship awareness day/week at some stage during every school year too . At least then this very important topic doesn’t get left behind .
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I think having a shared drive for all teachers to access development education resources is an excellent idea. Having everything in one central place would make it much easier for staff to find quality resources, share ideas, and collaborate when planning lessons.
I also really like the idea of introducing a Global Awareness Week each year. I feel this is a very achievable initiative, particularly as our school already celebrates it for events such as Wellbeing Week, Active Week, Science Week, Seachtain na Gaeilge, and Maths Week. Adding a Global Awareness Week would fit naturally alongside these existing initiatives.
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I enjoyed reading the paper ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ (Ehigie,2021) and found it both interesting and relevant to today’s classroom. Our classrooms have now become diverse in different cultures and backgrounds with now being the optimum time for highlighting the issues of social injustice and equality both in our communities and globally around the world.
In my own classroom, I would teach Development Education across the curriculum by using real-life examples, discussions and debates (for the older classes) and the promotion of global issues and how we can make a positive difference.
Development Education links closely with the SSE School Self Evaluation particularly in areas such as well being, inclusion and learner outcomes. Global citizenship themes can be used as SSE targets to encourage critical, higher order thinking skills, empathy and understanding as key learning goals.
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Yvonne, you clearly connected Ehigie’s (2021) paper to your practice. Leveraging real-world examples and debates is a brilliant way to address social injustice in today’s diverse classrooms. Your insight into linking global citizenship themes with School Self-Evaluation targets perfectly bridges wellbeing and critical, higher-order thinking. Thanks for sharing!
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I really liked your point about embedding Development Education across the curriculum rather than treating it as a separate topic. I also agree that using the SSE process can help make it a consistent part of school life. Your ideas about collaborative planning and whole-school initiatives show how Development Education can have a wider impact on both students and staff.
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Hi Yvonne, many thanks for engaging with this module.
You have rightly highlighted how our growing, diverse classrooms present the perfect opportunity to address social injustice and global equality.Looking to embed Development Education across the curriculum via debates, discussions and real-life examples is excellent for fostering critical thinking.
Your connection to the school self-evaluation (SSE) process is spot on; using global citizenship themes as explicit SSE targets for empathy, wellbeing and higher-order thinking creates a very clear pathway for measurable whole-school improvement.
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Hi Fiona, I really like your idea of sharing resources on the school drive. It would make it easier for all teachers to access materials and incorporate Development Education into their classrooms. I also think it would help create a more inclusive environment where all children feel represented and welcome.
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Hi Fiona, thank you for your engagement in Module 1.
Your focus on how our increasingly diverse classrooms provide a natural opportunity to address social injustice is spot on and quoting Ehigie (2021) on how global citizenship starts with caring sets the tone in your response brilliantly. Your practical ideas for SSE for example creating a shared digital resource drive for staff and using staff meeting time to cascade CPD learning demonstrate fantastic leadership and a clear commitment to fostering a sustainable, whole-school approach. All very achieve bale actions!
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A shared drive with resources is a great idea Fiona. As teachers we all have different styles and methods, and allowing teachers to go through the resources themselves and choose what is most age and stage appropriate for their class is an inclusive way of bringing development education and global citizenship in our classrooms. For example, I really liked the DevelopmentEducation.ie resources, as they break it down into Educator Roles or Resource type based on topic, format, SDG, country/region of focus and by intended audience. I would include a list of these resources in a Word document on our shared drive in the school to signpost teachers to the wealth of resources available. This would hopefully give my colleagues confidence in teaching these topics without feeling like they need to re-invent the wheel or come up with their own activities and lesson plans.
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Reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021) highlighted the importance of preparing students to become informed, empathetic, and responsible global citizens. Development Education encourages students to think critically about issues such as equality, sustainability, diversity, and human rights while recognising the connections between local and global communities.
In my own teaching, I would embed Development Education across the curriculum by using real-life examples, promoting discussion, and encouraging students to reflect on global issues and how they can make a positive difference. Small activities linked to the curriculum can help students develop empathy, respect, and critical thinking skills.
I would also encourage colleagues to include Development Education through shared resources, collaborative planning, and whole-school initiatives such as themed weeks or cross-curricular projects.
Development Education links closely with the School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process by supporting priorities such as inclusion, student wellbeing, and active citizenship. Using SSE to review these areas can help ensure that Development Education becomes part of everyday teaching and contributes to a positive, inclusive school culture.
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Hi Sinead,
Welcome to the course. Agreed, Development Education helps students make sense of the world around them while developing empathy, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility. I particularly like your point about using real-life examples and discussion, as these are often the most effective ways to help children connect global issues to their own lives. It’s ineffective when in the abtract.
On SSE, . embedding DE within priorities such as inclusion, wellbeing, and active citizenship can help ensure it becomes a more meaningful part of everyday teaching and as you alluded to, collaboration among colleagues and whole-school initiatives can play an important role in making this happen.
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I really enjoyed reading this article by Ehigine on The Role of Global Citizenship in Today’s World . I found it very interesting and insightful . It is no harm for us to be reminded that we are all part of one global community and that our actions no matter how big or small can affect people and the environment around the world. In today’s world we have many issues such as war, poverty , gender inequality , racism , migration , poor or inadequate education that is just to name a few. We cannot solve these issues alone it requires cooperation and a shared responsibility . I learned that today in one of the slides that it is important to remind the children that the little difference they make won’t change the world but it will make a difference . I think the term used was “it’s the process not the project”.
I also learned today exactly what a global citizen is . And I took from it that a global citizen respects diversity, values human rights , and promotes equality and inclusion . As educators it is important that we are teaching our children about global issues. This will enable them to make more responsible choices in their daily lives, such as reducing waste, supporting fair trade, and respecting different cultures and beliefs .
I found a few good lesson ideas that I hope to incorporate into my class in September .
1. Connecting head, heart and hand . This idea encourages the children to think, feel and act in response to the issues that they study . Hopefully helping the children to think critically , care deeply and act responsibly .
I will share this idea with my work colleagues when I return .
2. The many videos and resources on Irish Aid . These are all very informative and I think most children will be interested to learn about the real life issues/challenges that are affecting so many people across the globe.
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I like Fiona’s lesson recommendation of using the lessons on return to school in September – Connecting head, heart and hand. I think this is really an engaging way to help children understand and develop their Global citizenship journey.
As Sinead said having a themed week where all the school participates together and an awareness of Global Citizenship.
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Hi Fiona, thanks for this reply. The “head, heart and hand” approach is fantastic for helping children to think critically, care deeply and act responsibly regarding global issues. You have truly captured the core of global citizenship by highlighting that even small, responsible choices make a meaningful difference.
Sharing the Irish Aid videos and resources with your colleagues is an excellent way to encourage school-wide collaborative planning.
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I enjoyed reading this. I really liked the reminder that it’s the process, not the project. Sometimes the everyday conversations and small actions are what have the biggest impact. I’ll definitely have a look at some of the Irish Aid resources too, as they sound like a great way to get children thinking and talking about global issues.
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The paper “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World” (Ehigie, 2021) highlights how global challenges such as poverty, inequality and injustice require individuals to think beyond their local context and act with a sense of shared humanity. It emphasises that we are all interconnected and have a responsibility to contribute to a more just and sustainable world. This strongly reinforces the importance of Development Education in schools, as it helps children understand global issues and their role within them.
Development Education is essential because it equips pupils with the knowledge, values and skills needed to understand global challenges and work collaboratively towards solutions. It promotes awareness of human rights, sustainability and cultural diversity, encouraging students to think critically and act responsibly. In my own teaching, I would integrate Development Education through cross-curricular approaches such as exploring global themes in Geography, using stories from different cultures in English, and discussing fairness and inclusion in SPHE. Project-based learning and discussion-based activities would help pupils engage meaningfully with real-world issues.
To encourage colleagues, I would suggest whole-school initiatives such as Green Schools, Fairtrade projects or themed weeks focusing on global issues. Sharing resources and planning collaboratively could support the integration of Development Education across all class levels.
Development Education links closely with School Self-Evaluation (SSE), particularly in areas such as wellbeing, inclusion and learner outcomes. By embedding global citizenship themes into SSE targets, schools can promote critical thinking, empathy and active citizenship as key learning goals. Overall, Development Education is vital in preparing students to become informed, responsible and active global citizens.
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Hi Marian,
Welcome to the course. Absolutely, Development Education gives children the knowledge, skills and values needed to better understand the world around them and their place within it. I particularly like your focus on cross-curricular learning, as this helps make global issues more relevant and meaningful. Also, this is a key message to get across to colleagues who may see DE as an additional area to cover, they just need to be mindful of where it can fit.
The examples you’ve listed , such as Green Schools, Fairtrade initiatives and themed weeks, are great ways of bringing DE to life across the school community. A joined up, whole-school approach is mission critical I believe.
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One of the biggest things I took away from this course is that Development Education doesn’t have to be taught as a separate subject. Instead, it can be naturally included across lots of different areas of the curriculum. Reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021) really highlighted the importance of helping children develop empathy, think critically and become more aware of global issues. It reminded me that schools have an important role in preparing pupils to become responsible and active global citizens.
In my own classroom, I’d like to include more discussions about real-world issues and make links to the Sustainable Development Goals where appropriate. I can see opportunities to do this in subjects like Geography, SPHE, English and Visual Arts. I also plan to share some of the ideas and resources from this course with colleagues and encourage whole-school activities such as cultural awareness events.
I also think Development Education fits really well with our School SelfEvaluation process, especially around wellbeing, inclusion and pupil engagement. Overall, this course has given me lots of practical ideas and has made me more confident about bringing global citizenship into my everyday teaching.
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Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your engagement in Module 1.
Your takeaway that Development Education can and should be woven naturally across subjects like Geography, SPHE, English and Visual Arts rather than taught in isolation is a great one.Linking your lessons to the SDGs will give pupils an excellent framework for critical thinking and empathy.
This cross-curricular approach fits perfectly with the SSE process by providing rich evidence of how your school actively advances inclusion, wellbeing and purposeful pupil engagement.
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<div class=”” data-turn-id-container=”9a084009-bceb-42a3-9611-70145ca66e3f” data-is-intersecting=”true”>I agree that one of the strengths of Development Education is that it can be embedded across many areas of the curriculum rather than taught in isolation. I also like your point about linking learning to real-world issues, as this helps children see why their learning matters. Whole-school approaches, such as cultural awareness events and embedding Development Education within SSE, are a great way to ensure these values become part of the everyday culture of the school rather than one-off activities</div>
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Reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World by Eric Ehigie (2021) highlights that global citizenship is about recognising our shared humanity and understanding that we all have a role in creating a fairer and more just world. The article highlights the importance of empathy, critical thinking and taking action, no matter how small.
To echo what has been said already in some of the forum posts, our classrooms have become increasingly diverse, with children coming from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences. This provides valuable opportunities to explore issues of social justice, equality and inclusion, both within our local community and on a global scale.
As the teacher coordinator of our Student Council, I see this as an important way of promoting active citizenship. It gives pupils a genuine voice, encourages collaboration and helps them understand that they can make a positive difference in their school community. I would also try to incorporate Development Education through discussions, children’s literature and activities linked to the Sustainable Development Goals.
To encourage colleagues, I would share resources and ideas for integrating Development Education across the curriculum and promote whole-school initiatives through groups such as the Student Council and Green Schools Committee.
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Hi Aisling, thank you for your engagement with Module 1 – Introduction to Development Education.
As Student Council Coordinator, you have a unique and real perspective on active citizenship and pupil voice and championing the same.
Existing school structures like the Student Council and Green-Schools Committee is a highly effective way to collaborate with colleagues and drive whole-school Development Education initiatives. This will foster empathy and critical thinking.
This work aligns perfectly with SSE by providing rich evidence of how your school actively promotes inclusion, empowerment and global citizenship. -
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Development Education is important because it helps children understand that they are part of a wider global community and that their actions can have an impact on others. In The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World, Eric Ehigie highlights that education is essential in helping young people become informed, compassionate and active global citizens who are willing to contribute positively to society.
As a teacher, I would embed Development Education across the curriculum rather than treating it as a separate topic. Through subjects such as SPHE, Geography, History and English, I would encourage pupils to explore issues including diversity, fairness, sustainability and human rights using age-appropriate discussions, stories, project work and cooperative learning activities. I would also create opportunities for children to take meaningful action within the school and local community, helping them see that even small actions can make a difference.
I would encourage my colleagues to include Development Education in their planning by sharing useful resources on the school drive and working together to implement whole-school initiatives. Last year we celebrated multi cultural day, which could be linked to developlent education. Working together would help create a school culture where global citizenship is valued and where pupils are encouraged to think critically, show empathy and become active participants in creating a more just and sustainable world.
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As a teacher, I would make children aware of other cultures within the school, and how each diverse culture should be valued and respected. As Emily mentioned, a multi cultural day is a great way to experience the way others live, and to show that we can all live in harmony together.
I would prepare and teach lessons based on Global Citizenship Awareness first, so that children have some knowledge and understanding in advance.Our Student Council could compile suggestions from students regarding how to develop and encourage inclusion and diversity in our school.
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Hi Emily, thank you for your engagement in Module 1.
You are completely correct, integrating Development Education across SPHE, Geography, History and English is exactly how global citizenship becomes meaningful for young learners.
Age-appropriate discussions, stories and cooperative project work work to develop critical thinking and empathy.
It makes total sense to build upon last year’s successful multicultural day and the sharing of these excellent resources on your school drive is a wonderful way to support colleagues while working to meet a SSE focus on inclusion, cultural diversity and active global citizenship.
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As children nowaday are exposed to a constant stream of news, much of which is related to the global issues of climate change, immigration and mass movement of people, it is important that they have the tools to understand and to critically analyse this information. As educators we need to empower them so that they feel they can make a difference in the world, whether locally or in relation to the bigger picture of global issues.
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Hi Marie, I really agree with your point about children being exposed to a constant flow of information through the news and social media. It is essential that we equip them with the skills to question, analyse, and understand what they see and hear rather than simply accepting it at face value. I also like your emphasis on empowering children to believe that their actions matter. Even small initiatives, such as reducing waste, supporting local community projects, or learning about different cultures, can help pupils realise they can make a positive impact. As teachers, we have an important role in creating a classroom environment where pupils feel informed, confident, and motivated to become active, responsible global citizens who contribute positively to society.
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Reading *The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World* by Ehigie (2021) reinforced for me that being a global citizen is about more than simply learning about other countries. It involves developing empathy, critical thinking, respect for diversity, and a sense of responsibility for creating a more just and sustainable world. In today’s interconnected society, young people need opportunities to understand global issues such as inequality, climate change, migration, human rights, and sustainable development, while recognising how their own actions can make a positive difference. Development Education is therefore an essential part of teaching because it helps students become informed, active, and responsible citizens. Rather than treating it as a standalone topic, I would aim to integrate Development Education across the curriculum. For example, I could use real-world issues in Geography, discuss fairness and equality in SPHE, explore diverse perspectives through English, and incorporate the UN Sustainable Development Goals into project-based learning. Encouraging student voice through debates, fundraising initiatives, environmental projects, and community partnerships would also help make learning meaningful and action-oriented. I would encourage colleagues to embed Development Education by sharing practical teaching resources, collaborating on cross-curricular projects, and celebrating global awareness through whole-school events such as Fairtrade initiatives, intercultural celebrations, or Green Schools activities. Small, manageable changes across different subject areas can collectively have a significant impact on students’ understanding of global citizenship. Development Education also aligns closely with the School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process. It supports school improvement by promoting inclusive teaching practices, student wellbeing, active learning, and pupil engagement. Through SSE, schools can reflect on how effectively they foster respect, inclusion, and global awareness, gather feedback from students and staff, and identify areas for further development. Embedding Development Education within SSE ensures that it becomes part of a school’s long-term culture rather than a one-off initiative, helping to create a learning environment where students are empowered to think critically, value diversity, and contribute positively to both their local and global communities.
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Hi Colette! Thanks for your engagement in Module 1.
This is a well thought out and comprehensive response. Your point that global citizenship is about developing deep empathy and responsibility rather than just learning facts about other countries is spot on and makes it relevant for learning opportunities. Integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into project-based learning across geography, SPHE and English is a fantastic way to keep these themes authentic. The Concern Debates often centre around these and are a fantastic way to open the floor to students to understand them more. Thank you.
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This paper really outlined the importance of moving global citizenship education away from superficial awareness to more meaningful engagement and critical thinking among learners. It highlighted the interconnectedness of all humans and how through Development education we can empower our students to challenge systemic inequalities.
As I teach in an Educate Together school, our Learn together curriculum highlights and explores many of the themes of Developmental awareness already. The lesson plans and resources highlighted in this module will definitely integrate easily into themes I have already explored with classes. I find collaborative and enquiry based projects work really well and helps the pupils to see themselves as active changemakers- every small change can make a difference. Seeing their outrage and disbelief when we explore themes means that this becomes hot topics at home with parents and siblings.
I feel picking a school wide topic where every class explores the same theme could work really well and classes could present their findings to the whole school at our assemblies.
For our SSE we could gather evidence of our current practice and set practical and meaningful targets for Development education to ensure that global citizenship becomes a core part of our teaching and learning.
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Hi Avril,
I enjoyed reading your post through the lens of an Educate Together school. Identifying how the development education lessons can integrate to broaden the curriculum through active work such as enquiry is also a great idea. Hearing what the child has prior knowledge of / wants to know helps to build a valuable lesson for all.
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Hi Avril, thank you for engaging in Module 1.
It is great to see how seamlessly these Development Education resources will integrate into your existing Learn Together curriculum. The use of collaborative, enquiry-based projects is hands on tool for empowering pupils to see themselves as active changemakers.
A school-wide themed assembly, with presentations, is a brilliant way to build a shared community focus.
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Development Education is essential in helping pupils understand the interconnected nature of our world and their role as responsible global citizens. In The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), the importance of developing empathy, critical thinking, respect for diversity, and a commitment to social justice is highlighted. These values encourage young people to recognise global challenges such as inequality, climate change, and human rights, while empowering them to take positive action.
In my own teaching, I would try to integrate Development Education across the curriculum through inquiry-based learning, discussion, and collaborative projects. Using real-world issues in subjects such as Geography, English, SPHE, and Science would help pupils make meaningful connections between local and global communities. I would encourage active participation through debates, fundraising initiatives, environmental projects, and partnerships with local organisations.
To promote a whole-school approach, It would be important to collaborate with colleagues to plan themed events, share teaching resources, and incorporate Development Education into school policies and annual plans. By working together, we can foster informed, compassionate, and active global citizens who are prepared to contribute positively to society.
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I completely agree and think it is a great way of describing teaching Development Education as empowering the students to take positive action. I really like the idea of partnerships with local organisations. This would have a huge impact on the children in relation to learning about how to make a difference while making connections with the locality.
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Hi Mark, thank you for your engagement in Module 1.
You have truly captured Ehigie’s focus on empowering pupils to turn empathy and critical thinking into positive real-world action. Your plan to use inquiry-based learning across geography, SPHE and science is an excellent way to help children discover those local-to-global connections for themselves. Don’t forget these also time seamlessly into our PLC.
I especially like your emphasis on whole-school collaboration and embedding these themes directly into school policies and annual plans to ensure sustainability.
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I think development education is important because it helps children make sense of the world around them. It gives them opportunities to learn about issues that affect people’s lives and encourages them to think about how their own choices can have an impact. I enjoy teaching lessons where children are encouraged to ask questions, listen to different opinions and think critically.
In my own classroom, I would use development education through novels, current events and group discussions that link to topics we are already exploring. I would also look for opportunities to make links across subjects so that these conversations happen naturally throughout the year. In particular, I think the Learn Together curriculum links nicely to this. To encourage colleagues, I would share ideas that have worked well in my classroom and suggest simple activities or resources that can easily be adapted, especially within the Learn Together curriculum.
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Hi Aoife,
Welcome to the course and many thanks for your engagement in this first Module.I wholeheartedly agree, helping children make sense of the world through open questioning, critical thinking and diverse perspectives is central to great teaching.
Weaving Development Education naturally into novels, current events and group discussions is a fantastic approach and it is also great that it seamlessly aligns with the <i data-path-to-node=”1,0″ data-index-in-node=”372″>Learn Together</i> curriculum.
Sharing these successful, adaptable ideas with your colleagues is a wonderful way to foster collaborative planning.
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After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), I was reminded that Development Education is about helping children understand the wider world, recognise inequality and injustice, and appreciate that their actions can make a positive difference. It encourages pupils to think critically, respect diversity, and become active, responsible citizens. These are important life skills that support not only academic learning but also pupils’ social and emotional development.
As a SET teacher, I believe Development Education can be incorporated into everyday teaching through age-appropriate discussions, stories, collaborative activities and digital resources. I would encourage pupils to explore topics such as sustainability, fairness, inclusion, human rights and global citizenship through literacy, geography, SPHE and project work. Using digital technologies to connect with global themes, research different cultures and create presentations would also help pupils engage with these topics in meaningful ways while developing their digital skills.
I would also encourage colleagues to include Development Education across the school by sharing useful resources, suggesting cross-curricular activities and promoting whole-school initiatives linked to events such as World Environment Day, Fairtrade Fortnight or Earth Day. Working together would help ensure that pupils experience these themes consistently throughout their time in school.
Development Education links closely with our School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process, particularly in the areas of wellbeing, inclusion, pupil voice and active learning. By embedding global citizenship into teaching and learning, schools can support the development of respectful, informed and responsible learners while continually improving educational experiences for all pupils.
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Hi Clodagh, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging in Module 1!
It is fantastic to get an SET perspective on this topic and your focus on how development education supports social and emotional development alongside academic learning is spot on.
Using digital technologies to research cultures and create presentations is an excellent way to blend global themes with digital literacy skills as well as employing the UDL. Your collaborative ideas for Earth Day or Fairtrade Fortnight are brilliant whole-school hooks for colleagues.Finally, your alignment of global citizenship with SSE targets like pupil voice and wellbeing is a perfect roadmap for long-term school improvement and align with the enactment of the new PCF.
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After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), I recognise that Development Education is important because it emphasises our responsibility as a global citizen and how interconnected our world is.
In terms of how it can be taught in the classroom, I believe linking different cultures, climates and parts of the world through lessons, such as Geography or Religion, helps to promote a more global point of view for the children. Thus, promoting critical thinking and acknowledgment of the world.
Furthermore, Whole school initiatives such as a global/ culture day, green day and lesson resource packs would be made to encourage other staff members to take part in development education. A School Self Evaluation would be important before planning to see where we are already successful in providing development education, whilst also identifying which areas we could improve in, such as more whole school events or lesson focus points.
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Hi Laura, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging with Module 1.
I couldn’t agree more with your reply and critique. You have highlighted the core value of development education, which is moving children towards critical thinking and a deeper acknowledgment of the wider world.
Integrating these global themes directly into daily lessons keeps the learning authentic.
Your suggestions for whole-school initiatives are brilliant for building a shared school culture and the idea of creating shared resource packs will definitely help organise and motivate other staff members. Linking this to an initial SSE audit is the perfect way to ensure your school improvement actions are strategic and impactful.
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Development education is important as it helps children appreciate their place and role on both the local but also the global stage. There is so much misinformation and disinformation out there now and a definite rise of the far right that we need to teach children to become empathetic to those less well off than us and to work towards appreciating the role they can play in improving the situation for ourselves and our global community. It is all about appealing to the common humanity that we all share in regard to dealing with the world’s most pressing issues. By educating and informing young citizens we have a chance to affect change in our world .
I am an SET teacher but I could facilitate project work with some of the older children on my caseload based on one of the 17 SD goals . I think giving children choice is important. I would familiarise them with the 17 goals and ask them to chose 4 and then narrow this down to one goal which they could research with my help and guidance and create a presentation that they could then deliver to their peers in the classroom. This would link to History and Geography too.
A s part of the school leadership team I could ensure Global Citizenship and development education could be considered as an addition to our School Self Improvement Plan and this would link to our Well Being initiatives too.
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Hi Noreen, thank you for your engagement in Module 1 of this course.
Your emphasis on using development education to counter misinformation and foster empathy addresses a critical modern need and shows deep reflection in this area.
The project work you have created for your older SET students on the SDGs, which allows them autonomy to select and research a goal promotes pupil ownership and peer leadership.
As a school leader, your plan to embed Global Citizenship into your SSE is a brilliant cross-curricular approach which will enrich your wellbeing initiatives and push meaningful whole-school change.
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Eghies paper on global development really struck me as a powerful informative paper. It really strikes me that we can really help children make changes throughout the world on a global level and not just locally. It really empowers children’s actions to become responsible critical thinkers and make responsible decisions and actions both locally and globally and appreciate diversity.
I really feel we can make a change within the curriculum as a whole throughout the school and not just within one stand alone subject. This can be incorporated within a lot of subjects for example; English through worldwide stories, SESE through fairtrade and world issues, SPHE through decision making.
I feel I can inform my colleagues and share resources throughout the school. We can have an assigned notice board for all information.It can be made a whole school and community initiative through world celebrations, fairtrade initiatives within the school community etc.
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I totally agree that there is so much misinformation out there especially on recent years and this is such a powerful tool to try and help combat that. We as teachers have such an important role to do this and we can hopefully help shape the future of children’s thoughts and actions thorough this.
I agree that SET is a wonderful fun way to incorporate project work which all children really enjoy and become practically involved in.
Involving this through the whole school development plan is also a great initiative as it becomes a whole school plan and involves all members of staff instead of it being left to one or two people. -
Hi Ciara, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging with Module 1!
This is a very uplifting response. You have captured how Development Education empowers children to become critical thinkers whose decisions can have a real global impact. This also links closely to our new PCF and the concept of being an Active Citizen.
Your cross-curricular approach to weaving these themes naturally into English, SESE and SPHE is fantastic for keeping the learning authentic.
I think the practical idea of a dedicated staff noticeboard to share resources, is a great, low-pressure way to get colleagues on board. To build on this excellent idea and in keeping with sustainability, could a digital version of this resource hub be created? It would also support sustainability in teacher workload, once saved on a social bookmarking platform such as Padlet or Wakelet lets say, it is there for future reference!
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I think developing education in the classroom nowadays is of huge importance to upskill our pupils into understanding the many global issues that we encompass in our society. Key issues such as poverty, climate change and human rights come to mind when I think of this. We have the opportunity, as teachers to make pupils aware that prejudice and injustice should not be tolerated in society and that every individual should be treated the same no matter what race or colour you are.
We can teach this in our classrooms through many different subjects including geography (climate change, migration); history (colonisation, resistance movements), languages (read stories from various cultures).
We can look at case studies of current events happening such as the war in Gaza. Debates and role plays could be used to develop their critical thinking.
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Hi Mel, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging with Module 1.
This is a powerful and timely reflection. You have highlighted our vital role as teachers in challenging prejudice and fostering equality in the classroom.
Your practical ideas for integrating migration, colonisation and diverse stories across geography, history and languages are excellent for keeping these global issues authentic. Using current case studies alongside debates and role-plays is a fantastic way to develop deep critical thinking and empathy in our pupils.
This brilliant classroom work could really tie into SSE.
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Hi Mel,
Role plays are a fantastic way to bring these themes to life in a way that children can engage with sensitivity and empathy to how another may feel. I also believe that children enjoy the creative flow of role plays and performing them for their classmates. I think it’s a great idea and can make Development Education more ‘real’ for children of all ages.
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After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World by Ehigie (2021), I think Development Education is really important because it helps children understand the wider world and how their actions can affect others. It encourages empathy, fairness, respect for different cultures, and thinking critically about global issues like poverty, climate change, and equality. Rather than just learning facts, pupils learn to ask questions and think about solutions.
In my own teaching, I would include Development Education through class discussions, stories from different cultures, group projects, and linking global issues to everyday life. I’d also encourage pupils to take part in activities that promote sustainability and active citizenship.
To encourage colleagues, I’d share simple lesson ideas and useful resources, suggest whole-school events such as Fairtrade or sustainability weeks and highlight how Development Education fits naturally across subjects. Working together as a staff would help create a school culture where global citizenship becomes part of everyday learning rather than an occasional topic.
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Hi Niamh, welcome to the course and thanks for your engagement in Module 1.
You have rightly highlighted that development education is about moving beyond static facts to empower pupils to ask questions and seek active solutions, an approach that aligns closely with our new PCF key Competency “Being An Active Citizen”.
Your practical ideas for daily integration through class discussions, diverse stories and sustainability projects are brilliant for keeping global citizenship accessible. I love your focus on a collaborative staff approach to build a long-term school culture rather than treating this as an occasional topic.
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After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021) I now have a deeper understanding of what it means to be a global citizen and the importance of preparing children for this important role. Our schools and classrooms are constantly changing and it is important that we adapt and reimagine our classrooms too. This reading along with the various elements of Module 1 has taught me the importance of teaching Development education in schools to teach children not just about the injustices themselves but about solidarity with others and to show children that small actions can make big differences.
In my classroom, I would try to make the most of opportunities to discuss injustices and inequalities whenever the topics arise naturally as well as through curriculum subject lessons. These conversations emerge through curriculum topics and everyday discussions. Exploring these moments in context helps pupils develop a deeper understanding of the issues and teaches them tools of critical thinking. I would incorporate Development Education through discussions, walking debates and drama activities to allow children to understand the wider world and learn the importance of justice, equality and empathy.
To encourage staff members in my school and in relation to SSE I would share resources I have acquired in relation to this topic and provide lesson ideas to encourage teachers to introduce Development Education into their classrooms. I would suggest whole school events/ weeks to highlight some of the key elements of Development Education. By using a range of resources and simple lesson ideas, I could highlight how Development Education is already woven throughout our curriculum and teaching. Making these connections more intentional in our teaching can have a significant impact on the school as a whole.
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Hi Cliona, welcome to the course and thank you for your engagement in this first Module.
Your insight that development education must move beyond learning about injustices toward fostering active solidarity and critical thinking is forward thinking. Integrating these complex themes naturally into the curriculum through active methodologies like walking debates and drama is a highly effective way to build student empathy.
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Reading Ehigie (2021), The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World, reinforced for me that education is about much more than simply academic achievement. It is also about preparing young people to become informed, empathetic, and responsible global citizens who understand the connected nature of today’s world. Development Education encourages students to think about issues such as inequality, climate change, sustainability, human rights, and social justice while recognising their own ability to make a positive difference.
I would aim to embed Development Education across the curriculum rather than treating it as a stand-alone topic. For example, I could use real-world case studies, encourage inquiry-based learning, facilitate discussions on current global issues, and provide opportunities for students to take meaningful action through projects and community initiatives. Creating an inclusive classroom where different perspectives are respected would also be central to my practice.
I believe collaboration among staff is essential for Development Education to have a lasting impact. Sharing resources, planning cross-curricular activities, and celebrating events such as sustainability weeks or global awareness campaigns can help build a whole-school approach. Encouraging colleagues to work together also ensures that students experience consistent messages across different subject areas.
Development Education aligns strongly with the School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process. It supports schools in evaluating how effectively they promote inclusion, wellbeing, student voice, and active citizenship. By including Development Education within SSE targets, schools can gather evidence of student engagement, reflect on teaching practices, and identify opportunities for improvement. This helps embed global citizenship into school culture rather than viewing it as an additional initiative. Ultimately, Development Education contributes to creating a learning environment where students develop the knowledge, skills, and values needed to participate positively in both their local communities and the wider world.-
Hi Louise, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging in Module 1!
I have to say, your ideas for cross-curricular teaching and running sustainability weeks with colleagues show a fantastic whole-school approach. I especially love how you have linked everything back to SSE. You clearly get how bringing global citizenship into SSE helps track real impact and builds a lasting school culture.
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After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), I realised how important it is for schools to help students understand the wider world, not just focus on academic learning. It reminded me that students need opportunities to think about issues such as climate change, inequality, and human rights, while also recognising that they can make a positive difference in their own communities.
As a teacher, I would try to include Development Education in everyday lessons rather than treating it as a separate topic. Using current events, class discussions, and group projects would encourage students to think critically, consider different viewpoints, and make connections between local and global issues. I think this approach helps make learning more meaningful and relevant.
I would also encourage colleagues to share ideas and resources so that Development Education becomes part of a whole-school approach. Working together on themed weeks or cross-curricular activities could make a real impact. We use Google Drive which would be a useful place to share our resources.
I also think Development Education fits naturally into the School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process. By including goals around global citizenship, inclusion, and student participation, schools can reflect on their progress and ensure these values are embedded in everyday teaching and learning.-
Hi Michelle,
Welcome to the course. As you’ve alluded to here it’s mission critical that children can connect what they learn in school with the wider world around them. and I agree that DE is most meaningful effective when embedded across everyday teaching and learning rather than treated as a separate subject both from a teacher workload perspective and curriculum integration.
Developing, promoting and supporting a whole-school approach to DE through collaboration is also the way to go as consistency across all grades is so important.
A good place to start with that grounds DE in the children’s experience, is to get them to identify local issues (Climate change, gender discrimination, education equity etc.) that they can see around them and exploring how these connect to wider global themes. This can help make learning more meaningful while developing global citizenship and critical thinking skills.
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After reading the paper, It reminded me how important development education is in helping students understand the wider world and their role in it. It encourages empathy, critical thinking and respect for different cultures, which are all qualities we want to develop in our students.
In my school, we already promote many of these values through our wellbeing programmes, green schools and charity events. I think we could build on this by making stronger links to global issues across different subjects and encouraging more student discussion and reflection.
Development education also fits well with our school self evaluation process. It could support areas such as student wellbeing , inclusion and student voice, while helping us reflect on how we prepare students to be active, responsible citizens. Working together as a staff to include development education in our planning and would help make it more consistent part of school life
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I agree with your points about the value of Development Education in helping students understand the wider world and their responsibilities within it. I particularly like your point about building on existing initiatives such as wellbeing programmes, Green Schools, and charity events, as these already provide strong foundations for developing global awareness and active citizenship.
I also think your link between Development Education and School Self-Evaluation is important. By considering areas such as inclusion, student voice, and wellbeing, schools can reflect on how effectively they are preparing students to engage with global challenges. Encouraging staff collaboration and shared planning would help ensure that Development Education is not just an occasional activity but becomes embedded across the curriculum and school culture. Giving students opportunities to discuss issues, share their perspectives, and take meaningful action can make their learning more relevant and impactful.
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Aisling, I really like how you linked Development Education to your existing school initiatives such as wellbeing, Green Schools, and charity work. Your point about embedding it across different subjects and using the SSE process to make it a consistent whole-school approach is particularly important and very practical.
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Hi Aisling, welcome to the course and thank you for your engagement in Module 1!
Evidently your school already has a strong foundation through your wellbeing programmes, green schools and charity events. You have identified what you as a school are currently doing well and your plan to build on this by deepening the links to global issues across the curriculum fits perfectly with the new Primary Curriculum Framework (PCF) especially the core competency of Being an Active Citizen.
Your insight, regarding the SSE process; using it to strengthen student voice, inclusion and wellbeing ensures that development education becomes a consistent and measurable part of your whole-school planning.
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Reading Ehigie’s (2021) paper, The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World, highlights the importance of preparing learners to understand their place in an increasingly interconnected world. Development Education (DE) plays a key role in this process because it encourages students to explore global issues such as inequality, sustainability, human rights, and social justice. It moves learning beyond knowledge acquisition and helps students develop critical thinking, empathy, and a sense of responsibility as global citizens.
In my own teaching, I would aim to embed Development Education across subjects rather than treating it as a separate topic. For example, global perspectives could be included in projects, discussions, research activities, and links to the Sustainable Development Goals. I would encourage colleagues to collaborate and share ideas so that DE becomes part of the wider school culture.
Development Education can also contribute meaningfully to School Self-Evaluation (SSE) by supporting reflection on student experiences, inclusion, wellbeing, and active citizenship. Schools could evaluate how effectively they promote student voice, awareness of global issues, and opportunities for learners to take action. By gathering feedback from students and staff, DE activities can be reviewed and improved as part of the SSE process.
Ultimately, integrating Development Education helps create a school environment where students are encouraged not only to understand the world but also to contribute positively to shaping it.
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Hi Rachel, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging with Module 1.
<div id=”model-response-message-contentr_5a3efe69c8c1aaff” class=”markdown markdown-main-panel md-content enable-luminous-fast-follows enable-updated-hr-color” dir=”ltr” aria-busy=”false” aria-live=”polite”>
<div class=”” dir=””>You have captured the core purpose of Development Education beautifully, moving past simple knowledge delivery to cultivate genuine empathy, agency and critical awareness in your students. This is the true mission!</div>
<div class=”” dir=””>Embedding these themes across the curriculum and building a collaborative staff culture shows a grounded understanding of how lasting school culture is built. Connecting Development Education to SSE is particularly insightful. Helping to capture student voice and track active citizenship ensures that global learning becomes a measurable, living part of your school’s ethos rather than just a surface-level initiative!</div>
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The paper highlighted the importance of Development Education in helping children understand global citizenship, equality, social justice, and our shared responsibility to create a fairer world. It emphasised that education can empower young people to recognise prejudice, appreciate diversity, and take positive action within their communities and beyond. As a teacher in a DEIS Band 1 junior school with a large teaching staff, I believe Development Education is particularly important in promoting inclusion, empathy, and respect for all cultures and backgrounds. I would incorporate it through storybooks, discussions, SPHE, geography, and cross-curricular STEM activities that encourage children to think critically about global issues in an age-appropriate way. I would also encourage colleagues to embed Development Education across the school by sharing resources, planning themed weeks, and collaborating during staff meetings. This links closely with our School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process, particularly in promoting wellbeing, inclusion, pupil voice, and oral language, while supporting whole-school priorities and fostering a positive, respectful school culture for everyone.
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Hi Colin, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging with Module 1.
Looking at this as a teacher in a DEIS Band 1 junior school setting highlights the immense value of using storybooks and discussion to build inclusion, empathy and respect from an early age.
Your plan for cross-curricular STEM and SPHE links fits beautifully into the Being an Active Citizen competency of the new Primary Curriculum Framework (PCF).Your practical approach to collaborating with a large staff during meetings is a sustainable choice. Crucially, aligning this work with your DEIS action plan priorities in oral language and pupil voice is a sure way to elevate learning outcomes while building a deeply respectful whole-school culture.
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Development Education is important because it helps children understand the world around them and their place in it. In The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), the author explains that global citizens should care about fairness, respect, equality and protecting the environment. Development Education encourages pupils to think about how their actions can affect other people and the planet. It also helps them develop empathy, respect for different cultures and the confidence to make positive changes.
In my own teaching, I would include Development Education through class discussions, stories, group work and real-life topics. For example, pupils could learn about different countries, climate change, human rights and sustainable living. I would encourage them to ask questions, think critically and share their opinions respectfully. By linking these topics across different subjects, I hope to help children become caring, informed and responsible citizens who want to make the world a better place.
Collaborative planning would encourage my colleagues to plan development education activities
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Hi Mallorie, I agree that Development Education helps children become informed, empathetic and responsible global citizens. Your idea of using discussions, stories and real-life topics across different subjects is a practical way to make learning meaningful. Collaborative planning would also help ensure that Development Education becomes a consistent, whole-school approach rather than a once-off activity.
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Hi Mallorie, welcome to the course and thank you for your engagement in Module 1!
Your breakdown of Development Education as a tool for empathy, critical thinking and environmental stewardship is spot on, referencing Ehigie (2021) anchors your core ideas brilliantly. Your cross-curricular approach to class discussions and real-life topics offers a fantastic blueprint for classroom practice. Well done on highlighting collaborative planning to build a shared, school-wide vision.
These these collaborative activities could feed into your SSE process to help gather evidence and track progress over time!
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After reading Ehigie’s (2021) paper, I was reminded that Development Education is about more than learning facts about global issues. It encourages pupils to think critically, develop empathy and understand how their actions can make a positive difference. These are valuable life skills for all children.
As I work in a MGLD class, I feel Development Education should be adapted so every pupil can engage meaningfully. I would use stories, visual supports, role play and practical activities to explore themes such as inclusion, sustainability, kindness and respect for diversity. These topics can be linked across SPHE, literacy and the arts.
Development Education should be part of a whole-school approach. Sharing ideas with colleagues and including these themes in school initiatives can strengthen learning. It also supports the School Self-Evaluation process by promoting inclusion, pupil wellbeing, active learning and student voice, helping create a caring and globally aware school community.
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After reading Ehigie’s paper The role of Global Citizens in today’s world it has caused me to think critically and understand how we can all make a difference. where we are born influences our whole life. It determines what we eat, the education we receive and our cultural values. It is a lottery that shapes our lives. The world we live in today is far from equal. Yet this world is smaller than it ever was. With a few clicks we can talk to someone on the other side of the world. We can order clothes from another continent or watch live events happening thousands of miles a way. Air travel has made holidays much easier and we can see parts of the world that we never thought possible. Even though technology has improved not everyone has the same opportunities. While many people enjoy high speed internet, good education, and modern healthcare millions of others still struggle to access clean water or enough food. Climate change is another issue that shows how unequal our world can be. Wealthier countries have often contributed the most to pollution and yet poorer countries are often the ones that suffer the worst effects including floods, droughts and food shortages.
Education is the key and this should begin at a young age. we as primary teachers have a role to ensure this happens. When I try to look up resources i find so much that it is difficult to know where to start and that is why I decided to do this course. I am delighted that I have already picked up some great ideas. I loved the game – build the tallest tower. I can just hear my children’s disgust at how unfair this is. What a great way to introduce a discussion on the fairness in the world in which we live. I look forward to learning more and sharing them with my colleagues when I return to school.
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Hi Rose,
Welcome to the course and thanks for your engagement with Module 1.
Firstly, I’m delighted to hear you have picked up some great ideas already. The Tallest Tower is a great example of how we can very simply show injustice in our classrooms and really enable our students to critically discuss the feelings around it.
The “birth lottery” you describe in paragraph shows the stark realities of the injustices experienced by people all over the world. It perfectly captures how geographical chance dictates basic human opportunities like education and healthcare. You have also highlighted a crucial modern paradox: technology has made our world much smaller yet systemic inequality remains vast.
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Having read”The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’by Ehigie one if the statements that struck me the most was ” to be a global citizen is to care, to empathise”. Development education is important because by educating our children on poverty, hunger inequality and political instability and discovering the roots of these injustices and inequalities they can come up with ways to make a difference, and realise the impact these differences can make. The lessons outlined in the Plan International Ireland Development Education Teacher Education Handbook were simple and practical and ones I could see myself doing with my class. I loved the concept of viewing development education as connecting “head,heart and hands”. The knowledge and education is enpowering, the heart for the empathy for those less fortunate, and the hands for the how can we help, what can we do? The ideas such as Global Awareness week in schools and the sharing of lessons on global development education with colleagues at work on a digital shared resources folder, will encourage colleagues to plan development education activities without the dauting aspect of where do I start?!
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Ehigie argues that global citizenship begins with recognising our shared humanity and understanding that issues such as poverty, racism and inequality affect us all. I found his idea of the “system of self” especially important: change begins when individuals reflect on their own attitudes and choices, then work with others to challenge injustice. He also presents education as essential for developing empathy, awareness and social responsibility.
Development Education is important because it helps pupils question stereotypes, consider different perspectives and understand the connection between local and global issues. It also gives children the confidence to believe that their actions can make a difference.
In my teaching, I would integrate Development Education across subjects. Pupils could explore migration in history and geography, equality in SPHE, climate change in science and global issues through English, art and drama. I would also encourage pupil-led projects based on solidarity rather than charity.
To involve colleagues, I would share resources and suggest whole-school themes. Development Education could support School Self-Evaluation through pupil surveys, teacher reflection and work samples, helping the school set targets for inclusion, pupil voice and global citizenship.-
Hi Colm,
Thanks for this post and welcome to the course. You are correct to point out the links between local and global issues, and development education is a great cross-curricular tool which can be a vehicle for developing these skills in our children. I really like how you have highlighted such a variety of subject areas in which you would integrate development education themes. This is key to its success – it is not something that is necessarily a ‘standalone lesson’, but rather something that permeates so much of what we do and builds in a gradual and incremental fashion.
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I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I like how you highlighted that Development Education is about empowering children to think critically and recognise that their actions can make a difference. Your ideas for embedding it across the curriculum and linking it with SSE are really practical. Thank you
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Having read ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), it has helped me understand the importance of Development Education in our schools especially at primary level. It is important that children are given opportunities to develop a knowledge about our changing, interdependent and unequal world and view all humans as a global family. This is particularly important as our classrooms welcome new students from different parts of the world and children become aware that local and global issues are connected and that their actions have both local and global impacts. It is important that children are exposed to different perspectives. It is important for teachers to provide opportunities for learners to practice empathy and critical thinking skills. Development education fits perfectly with the new primary curriculum and can be used to develop children’s Key Competencies. As a teacher in the end of school I would use picture books and games to teach about issues of fairness and offer the children different perspectives and opportunites to discuss and explore these. I would encourage development education throughout the school using school intiatives that we are already involved in such as Creative Schools or Green schools. For example we could celebrate different cultures in our school through creative activities or learn about how our clothes are made and how to be more sustainable through Green Schools.
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Hi Alison, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging in Module 1!
You have captured the true heart of Development Education by showing how primary pupils can learn to view themselves as part of a connected global family. Your response aligns brilliantly with the module by grounding your thoughts in Ehigie (2021), linking global learning to the new PCF and proposing creative classroom resources like picture books.
Leveraging established initiatives such as Green Schools and Creative Schools is also a fantastic way to build a shared, school-wide approach with colleagues. These could also be linked to SSE.
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On reflection after reading Ehigie’s (2021) paper,I came to the conclusion that Development Education is about more than global issues – It encourages pupils to think critically, share kindness, develop empathy and understand how their actions can make a difference in a positive manner. These are life skills that are an invaluable especially at the times we are living in at present.
I work with younger children – I would use stories, visual supports, role play and practical activities to explore themes such as inclusion, sustainability, kindness and positivity – these can all be linked over the curriculum.
I hope to bring some of the ideas and concepts discussed in the forum to my staff in September to encourage a school wide approach to Development Education. I feel that it isn’t something that would be difficult to implement on a more flexible basis across our school and it’s imperative that we try our best to do same.
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I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I agree that Development Education is about much more than learning about global issues; it helps children develop empathy, kindness, and the confidence to make positive choices in their everyday lives. I think your focus on using stories, role play, and practical activities with younger pupils is particularly effective, as these approaches make complex ideas meaningful and accessible. I also like your intention to share these ideas with colleagues and encourage a whole-school approach. When Development Education is embedded across the curriculum and supported by all staff, it can have a much greater impact on pupils’ learning and attitudes. Your reflection highlights how these themes can become part of everyday teaching rather than an additional subject, helping to create an inclusive and caring school community.
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Ehigie (2021) highlights that global citizens have a responsibility to understand global issues, respect diversity, and take informed action to create a more just and sustainable world. This reinforced my understanding of why Development Education is an essential part of primary education. It helps pupils develop empathy, critical thinking, and an awareness of how their actions can impact others locally and globally. In my own teaching, I would integrate Development Education across the curriculum through topics in SESE, SPHE, English, Art, and Drama, using inquiry-based learning, discussion, and collaborative projects to engage pupils with real-world issues. I would also encourage colleagues to adopt a whole-school approach by sharing resources, planning cross-curricular activities, and linking Development Education to our School Self-Evaluation priorities. Celebrating events such as Global Goals Week or Fairtrade initiatives could further promote active citizenship and create a school culture that values inclusion, sustainability, and global responsibility.
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This paper was particularly interesting and relevant because it was written from the perspective of someone who identifies as Black and Irish. It explored development education in a local, national and global context, making it feel very relatable to the Irish classroom. As Ehigie (2021) highlights, global citizenship begins with developing awareness, empathy and a willingness to take action.
As a teacher in an Educate Together school, development education has particular relevance with the introduction of the revised Learn Together curriculum, which is firmly rooted in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global citizenship education. In Senior Infants, this learning happens in simple, meaningful ways through picture books, Integrated Learning through Play, SPHE and Circle Time. Stories such as The Messy Magpie encourage conversations about fairness, diversity and caring for our environment, while activities like planting, recycling and kindness projects help children see that even small actions can make a difference.
Development Education also links well with School Self-Evaluation. It can support school improvement priorities around wellbeing, pupil voice, inclusion and sustainability, while encouraging a shared whole-school approach. In my leadership post, I have overseen the promotion of Ethical Education and was involved in the revision of our whole-school plan.
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Hi Christine, I really found your post insightful and enjoyed reading about the ways in which the Educate Together school context supports the celebration of diversity and global citizenship education. I appreciate that it is embedded in the Learn Together Curriculum, and that the Sustainable Development Goals are a major reference point.
I also have Senior Infants for the first time in September so I will definitely be trying out The Messy Magpie!
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Hi Christine, welcome to the course.
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<div class=”” dir=””>You have captured the essence of Development Education brilliantly by connecting Ehigie’s (2021) emphasis on empathy and action directly to the unique, diverse context of the Irish classroom. Your response seamlessly links global citizenship and the revised Learn Together curriculum and demonstrates how foundational concepts are brought to life for Senior Infants through play, circle time and stories like <i data-path-to-node=”0″ data-index-in-node=”498″>The Messy Magpie</i>.</div>
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<div class=”” dir=””>Highlighting your leadership post in revising the whole-school plan shows a clear vision for using SSE to embed inclusion, pupil voice and sustainability into school culture.</div>
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Hi Christine, welcome to the course.
<div id=”model-response-message-contentr_95098f9d1dad9047″ class=”markdown markdown-main-panel md-content enable-luminous-fast-follows enable-updated-hr-color” dir=”ltr” aria-busy=”false” aria-live=”polite”>
<div class=”” dir=””>You have captured the essence of Development Education brilliantly by connecting Ehigie’s (2021) emphasis on empathy and action directly to the unique, diverse context of the Irish classroom. Your response seamlessly links global citizenship and the revised Learn Together curriculum and demonstrates how foundational concepts are brought to life for Senior Infants through play, circle time and stories like <i data-path-to-node=”0″ data-index-in-node=”498″>The Messy Magpie</i>.</div>
<div dir=””></div>
<div class=”” dir=””>Highlighting your leadership post in revising the whole-school plan shows a clear vision for using SSE to embed inclusion, pupil voice and sustainability into school culture.</div>
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Development Education is an essential part of modern education because it helps students understand the world around them, develop empathy, think critically, and recognise that they can make a positive difference both locally and globally. It encourages young people to explore issues such as poverty, inequality, climate change, human rights, migration, and social justice, while empowering them to become active, responsible global citizens.
It was mentioned in the module that development education should not be seen as something separate and extra that needs to be covered. This really struck a chord with me due to the ever increasing work load we endeavour to grapple with. It should be viewed as an approach that can be embedded across the curriculum. Opportunities naturally arise in subjects such as Geography, History, English, Science, SPHE, Visual Arts, and even Mathematics. For example, students can investigate climate change in Science, explore migration and diversity in History, examine global statistics in Mathematics, or discuss equality and inclusion through stories in English. Integrating Development Education across subjects enables pupils to make meaningful connections between their learning and the wider world.
I am fortunate to work in a school that has been awarded the Green Flag for Global Citizenship. We are very commited to promoting sustainability, equality, diversity, and responsible global citizenship. Reflecting on this, I realise that the Green Flag should not simply be viewed as an award but as an ongoing commitment to embedding global citizenship throughout school life. It provides a strong foundation upon which teachers can continue to develop meaningful learning experiences that encourage students to think critically about global challenges and recognise their own ability to make a positive impact.
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Hi Aisling, welcome to the course!
You have captured the true purpose of Development Education by showing how it helps young people make sense of an interconnected world through empathy, critical thinking and active citizenship.
Showcasing your Green Flag success illustrates how environmental stewardship is already woven into your school’s daily culture.Exploring how evidence from these Green Flag initiatives and cross-curricular efforts could feed into your SSE process and help track whole-school impact over time.
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Development Education is important because it prepares young people to become informed, responsible and compassionate citizens. Children are growing up in a world where local and global issues are increasingly interconnected. Climate change, migration, conflict, poverty and technological change all influence their lives. Development Education provides opportunities for pupils to explore these complex issues in an age-appropriate way while developing essential skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration and problem-solving.
As a teacher, I would aim to embed Development Education throughout my classroom practice rather than treating it as a separate subject. I would use children’s literature, current events and inquiry-based learning to encourage discussion about fairness, equality and global responsibility. For example, pupils could investigate where everyday products come from, compare the lives of children in different countries and how they live themselves. Completing projects on recycling, how to help the environment would be a good exercise too. These experiences would help pupils understand the connections between their own lives and the wider world while encouraging them to become active participants in creating positive change.
Encouraging colleagues to embrace Development Education requires collaboration and shared leadership. I would begin by sharing research, including the ideas presented by Ehigie, that highlights the educational benefits of global citizenship and critical thinking. I would suggest integrating Development Education into existing curriculum areas rather than viewing it as an additional workload. For example, Geography can explore global inequality and sustainability, English can examine diverse perspectives through literature, Science can investigate climate change, and Art can celebrate different cultures.
We have a Green flag and each year we add on and gain the next flag. This creates a lot of awareness in the school among staff and children. Everyone gets very involved and a huge effort is made. The school are very aware of looking after the environment and global awareness and as a result the children are too.
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I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I agree that Development Education should be embedded across the curriculum rather than taught as a separate subject. I also like the practical examples you gave, especially investigating where everyday products come from and completing environmental projects. It was interesting to read about your school’s Green Flag work. It is clear that the whole-school approach helps children become more aware of caring for the environment and encourages them to take responsibility for making positive changes in their own community.
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I have really understood the importance of development education from reading The role of global citizens in today’s world. It helps children to become informed about the wider world around us and helps them develop critical thinking skills. The start to think about inequalities, human rights, climate changw and social justice. This encourages respect and empathy for diversity and other cultures.
I would include development education in my teaching across the curriculum instead of treating it as a seperate subject. In SPHE I could discuss fairness, inclusion and responsibilities. In Geography, I coud explore the lives of others in different countries and compare them to the lives of the children here. I could luse stdories in Literacy eg Handa’s Surprise, to show different cultures. Project work for Culture Week based on different countries. Children from different countries in the school could do something to represent and celebrate their own culture- dance, sing, poetry etc. The whole school could be involved and this would encourage other colleagues and the school community to be involved.-
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Hi Sandra, thank you for engaging in Module 1!
You have highlighted the true essence of Development Education by showing how it builds critical thinking, empathy and respect for diversity.
The reference to Ehigie anchors your thoughts, while cross-curricular ideas in SPHE, Geography, and Literacy—using stories like <i data-path-to-node=”0″ data-index-in-node=”354″>Handa’s Surprise</i>—offer clear classroom strategies. Your idea for a whole-school Culture Week is a wonderful way to involve colleagues and celebrate pupil identity.
These cultural projects could connect with your SSE process to help gather evidence on inclusion and track progress over time.
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I really enjoyed reading the points raised here about Development Education being embedded throughout school life rather than viewed as an additional subject. I agree that it plays a vital role in helping children develop empathy, critical thinking and an understanding of their place in the world. Like some people stated in the above responses, doing project work, integrating it in discussions and using literature and inquiry based learning shows how easily it can be integrated naturally across the curriculum.
I think its very important to get the whole school involved. Initiatives such as Green Schools and pupil led activities help children see that their actions can make a positive difference both in the local community and globally.
Collaborating with colleagues, sharing resources and highlighting links to existing curriculum areas can make Development Education more managable.
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This module helped me to develop my understanding of Development Education and why it is important in the primary classroom. After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), I learned that Development Education helps children understand issues such as fairness, equality, sustainability and diversity. It also encourages them to think about how their actions can affect other people and the environment.
I think Development Education can be included across many subjects. To teach this topic, I would begin by asking children what they already know about fairness, the environment and different cultures. I would then use stories, discussions and practical activities to help them develop their understanding. I think these activities would help children think critically, listen to different opinions and respect the views of others.
I would also encourage colleagues to include Development Education in whole-school activities. For example, we could take part in environmental projects, celebrate different cultures and mark events that promote global awareness. I think this would help create a positive and inclusive school environment.
Overall, I found this module very informative and practical. Development Education can support our School Self-Evaluation (SSE) by promoting inclusion, pupil voice and active learning. It can also help schools reflect on how well they are preparing children to become responsible and caring members of society.
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Development Education is super important in education and it is imperative that children know what a global citizen is and that they are part of a wider community, and not just their local community. In a modern classroom in Ireland, children see all types of diversity including different cultures and different backgrounds. Development Education helps the children develop empathy and get to see scenarios from a multitude of perspectives. In my teaching, I regularly get the children to think outside the box and ask open ended questions about the topics. We look at stories from all viewpoints and it often leads to great classroom discussions. I would encourage colleagues to share resources with each other in the school. In my school, we have a shared google drive that has different headings of subjects. Using existing lessons and resources is handy as there is no point reinventing the wheel! In my school we had an international day in the last term where each class did a project on the countries and we had a parade with each flag of the countries represented in the school. This was nice for all the children to see all the cultures and backgrounds that exist in our community.
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Hi Kevin, I really enjoyed reading your post. I agree that children need to see themselves as part of a much bigger community, and I think that starts in the classroom. I also like your point about not reinventing the wheel! Having a shared bank of resources makes it so much easier for teachers to include Development Education in their planning. Your International Day sounds like a lovely idea. It must have been great for the children to celebrate the different cultures represented in the school and for families to feel included too.
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Hi Kevin,
Welcome to the course and thank you for this post. I love how you have used the way in which we all look at different stories and situations from different viewpoints as an ideal starting point for delving into development education themes in the classroom, Pictureboks are a particularly effective way of exploring some of these themes around stereotypes and inequalities and allow children to discuss these themes and formulate opinions through a fictional lens, before applying this to issues that exist in the ‘real world’.
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Our classrooms are an ideal place to begin, almost all classrooms in the country have an array of diversity including children from different cultures, backgrounds and ability. Global citizenship and development education must be become a mindset in our schools, not an extra subject to teach, but awareness, consideration and discussion throughout the day. I love the idea of International Day.
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After reading Ehigie’s article, I was reminded that Development Education is about much more than teaching children facts about global issues. It is about helping them to become kind, curious and responsible citizens who understand that their actions can have an impact on others. I think this fits really well with the new Primary Curriculum Framework, where children’s wellbeing, inclusion and active learning are so important.
In my own classroom, I would try to include Development Education through stories, class discussions and activities that encourage children to think about fairness, diversity and caring for the environment. It also links naturally with SPHE, Geography and Green Schools, so it doesn’t have to be an “extra” subject.
I also think Development Education works best when it is part of a whole-school approach. Sharing ideas and resources with colleagues, or planning activities together for events like World Children’s Day or Earth Day, could help make it part of everyday school life.
It also fits well with School Self-Evaluation (SSE). If we are reflecting on how we promote inclusion, pupil voice and active learning, then Development Education should be part of that conversation. It encourages us to look at how we are helping children develop empathy, respect and an understanding of the wider world.
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Reading this article made me think a bit differently about Development Education. I suppose before now I would have thought of it as learning about other countries or world events. After reading it, I realised it’s much broader than that. It’s really about helping children understand different perspectives, fairness and respect, and giving them opportunities to ask questions and think for themselves.
In my own school this feels quite relevant. We have children from lots of different backgrounds and many families have close connections with other parts of the world. Sometimes those experiences naturally come into classroom discussions, so it’s important that children have opportunities to listen to one another and understand that everyone brings something different. I think that’s probably where Development Education fits best for me. Not as another subject, but as something that’s part of everyday teaching.
I could see it linking into SPHE, Geography, literacy and even simple classroom discussions around picture books or current events. Those conversations often lead to the best learning. Children are naturally curious and they ask honest questions if they’re given the chance.
I also think it would be worthwhile for staff to share ideas and resources, so that Development Education becomes something that is woven through the school rather than something that only happens on particular days or weeks. It also fits well with SSE because it encourages an inclusive school culture, active learning and respectful relationships, which are things we’re always trying to develop.-
Hi Susan, after reading your reflection I agree that schools seem to be so much more multicultural now than years ago which naturally leads to curiosity and questions without anything needed to be ‘set up’.
It is quite similar in my school were occasions arise which allow pupils to share their own traditions and beliefs and for others to ask questions about it. We did have the discussion at Christmas that not everyone celebrates the same traditions world wide. Children can be great leaders in these topics and it’s important to learn that things are different around the world.
It fits in well across the curriculum, particularly with the development of the new primary curriculum. Is it nice to see the development and progression of such lessons in Irish schools.
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I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I agree that Development Education is much broader than simply learning about other countries or global issues. Your point about it being embedded in everyday teaching really resonated with me. Children naturally bring their own experiences and perspectives into the classroom, and those everyday conversations provide valuable opportunities to develop empathy, respect and critical thinking. I also liked your suggestion of staff sharing ideas and resources, as this would help ensure a consistent whole-school approach. Linking Development Education to the SSE is a great idea because it supports an inclusive school culture and encourages meaningful learning across the curriculum rather than treating it as a separate initiative.
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Hi Susan, I really enjoyed reading your post and I agree with your perspective. Like you, I initially thought Development Education was mainly about learning about other countries and global issues, but the article highlighted that it is much broader. I agree that it is about helping children develop empathy, respect for others, fairness and the confidence to think critically about the world around them.
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I think development education is important because it helps children understand that they are part of a wider world. It encourages empathy, respect, fairness and an appreciation of different cultures, while also helping them learn about caring for the environment and making positive choices.
In my multigrade classroom, from Junior Infants to Second Class, I can include development education through simple, age-appropriate activities. As I have a large number of pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL), it also gives children opportunities to share their own languages, traditions and experiences. This helps create an inclusive classroom where everyone feels valued and learns from one another.
Some activities I would use include reading stories from different cultures, exploring maps and discussing where our families come from, celebrating cultural events, and using circle time to talk about kindness, fairness and helping others. We could also take part in environmental activities such as recycling or caring for our school garden. These activities work well in a multigrade setting, with older pupils supporting younger children. We ask parents to get involved by showing dishes, crafts, music or clothing from their own cultures.
I would encourage colleagues to include development education across the school by sharing ideas and resources, organising whole-school events such as Culture Day or Earth Day, and displaying pupils’ work celebrating different cultures and global issues. By working together, we can help children develop respect for others and understand that even small actions can make a positive difference in their community and the wider world. -
Gender stereotypes can influence children’s confidence, interests, and interactions from a very young age. In my classroom, I have observed boys naturally taking charge during STEM or construction activities, while girls often chose art, reading, or nurturing role-play. On one occasion, a girl expressed interest in building with blocks, but another child commented, “That’s for boys.” Although the comment seemed harmless, it demonstrated how children can absorb and repeat gender stereotypes they encounter in society.
Development education methodologies can play an important role in addressing these stereotypes. Through discussion, critical thinking, cooperative learning, and the use of inclusive books and resources, children learn to question assumptions about gender roles. Providing diverse role models, ensuring all classroom activities are open to everyone, and using gender-inclusive language helps children recognise that abilities and interests are not determined by gender. Teachers can also challenge stereotypes when they arise by encouraging respectful conversations and celebrating individual strengths rather than reinforcing traditional expectations.
By creating an inclusive classroom environment where all children feel equally valued and encouraged to explore their interests, educators can help reduce the impact of gender stereotypes and promote equality from an early age. -
I change my mind about what development education is over the course of this module, and from reading the article. Before this module I would probably have associated it mainly with learning about other countries that are less developed than Ireland, but it’s really about helping children become curious, ask questions and understand why inequalities exist. I also think it’s important to put emphasis on showing pupils that even small actions can make a positive difference.
In my classroom, I think Development Education could be woven naturally into what we’re already doing rather than taught as a separate topic. There are lots of opportunities through SPHE, SESE and English to discuss current issues, explore different viewpoints and encourage children to think critically about the information they see online. I also like the idea of linking local issues with global ones so children can see that these topics are relevant to their own lives.
I think this also fits well with School Self-Evaluation. If staff shared ideas and resources and included Development Education in whole-school planning, it would become part of everyday teaching rather than an extra initiative. Overall, I think it helps create a school environment where children develop empathy, respect for others and an understanding that they can play a positive role in the wider world.
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Hi Susan,
Thank you for your post here. It is heartening to read that the content of the module prompted you to question your own understanding of the definition of development education. As you have mentioned, its core tenets focus on getting children to be curious about inequalities, stereotypes and global issues, whilst also instilling that sense of moral justice in children to feel like their small actions can make a difference. Seeing the links between the local and the global is so important for developing a sense of interconnectedness which underpins some of the key themes of development education.
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Susan, I also found my definition of Development Education changing throughout my time spent on this module. I think it’s interesting to reframe our definitions of what it is, as we move throughout this course. Like you I am excited to learn more and bring that into my classroom in the coming school year. In particular I hope to help the children to become curious, ask questions and aid them in understanding why inequalities exist as you have mentioned.
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Development Education encourages pupils to become informed, empathetic and active global citizens. After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), I was reminded that being a global citizen is about more than understanding world events. It also involves recognising our shared responsibilities, respecting diversity, challenging injustice and taking action to create a fairer and more sustainable world. These values are particularly important in today’s interconnected society, where local actions can have global consequences.
As a teacher, I would aim to embed Development Education across the curriculum rather than treating it as a stand-alone topic. For example, I could use real-world issues such as climate change, migration, human rights and sustainable development to encourage critical thinking, discussion and problem-solving. Providing opportunities for pupils to explore different perspectives and participate in projects, fundraising initiatives or links with local and global communities would help them develop empathy, collaboration and active citizenship.
I also believe that Development Education should be a whole-school priority. I would encourage colleagues to integrate global citizenship themes into their planning and share resources and successful classroom activities. Events such as Fairtrade Fortnight, World Environment Day or cultural awareness weeks could provide meaningful opportunities for collaborative learning across year groups. Professional conversations and staff meetings could also be used to highlight how Development Education supports the school’s values and curriculum objectives.
Development Education aligns well with the School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process because it promotes continuous reflection and improvement. Schools can use SSE to evaluate how effectively global citizenship, inclusion and sustainability are embedded in teaching and learning. Gathering feedback from pupils, staff and parents can help identify strengths and areas for development, leading to realistic improvement targets. Embedding Development Education within SSE ensures that it becomes part of long-term school planning rather than a once-off initiative, helping to create a school culture that prepares pupils to participate positively and responsibly in an increasingly interconnected world.
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Agree with all your points Claire. In particular about embedding Development awareness across the curriculum allowing students time to critically reflect and come up with solutions to some of the issues that arise in todays world. I feel encouraging and giving students time to look into these real world issues will develop young global citizens who will feel empowered to make a positive impact on the world in the future.
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Eric Ehigie’s article reminds us that to solve big world problems, we have to start by recognizing our shared humanity. This is exactly why Development Education is so important. It moves students away from feeling helpless about global issues like racism and poverty, and instead shows them that they have the power to make a difference. In my own teaching, I want to focus on what Ehigie calls “reforming the system of self”. This means helping students understand how their everyday actions can create positive systemic change. I would bring global issues to life by connecting them to local history—for example, looking at global migration through the lens of Ireland’s own past. This helps students see past differences and understand their role as civic-minded global citizens. To get other teachers on board, I would suggest planning school-wide, cross-curricular projects. Since Ehigie highlights how a lack of awareness can fuel division, a team effort across different subjects is vital. By linking lessons in History, Geography, and English to themes of social justice, we can make global solidarity a core part of our school culture, proving that being a global citizen simply means caring about the people around us.
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After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World by Ehigie (2021), I think Development Education is very important in schools. The article explains that we all share the same world and we should care about people, even if they live in different countries. It also says that real change starts with each person making good choices and treating others with respect.
As a 3rd/4th class teacher in a DEIS Band 1 school, I believe Development Education can help children understand the importance of kindness, respect and inclusion. Many pupils come from different backgrounds and have different life experiences, so it is important that they learn to value and support one another.
I would include Development Education in my everyday teaching instead of only teaching it once or twice a year. For example, I could use stories from different cultures, talk about current events, discuss fairness and equality, and encourage children to work together and respect different opinions. I think these activities help children become kind, caring and responsible people.
I would also encourage other teachers to include Development Education in their classrooms. We could share ideas, plan activities together and organise whole-school events that celebrate different cultures or support local and global charities. This would help make Development Education part of everyday school life.
Development Education also fits well with School Self-Evaluation (SSE). If our school chooses it as an area to improve, teachers can work together to make sure pupils are learning about respect, inclusion and global citizenship. During the SSE process, we can look at what is working well, decide what could be improved and plan new activities for the future. I believe this would help create a welcoming school where every child feels valued and learns that they can make a positive difference in the world.
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<p class=”isselectedend”>Development Education plays an important role in helping children understand the wider world and recognise that they can make a positive difference both locally and globally. After reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), I was reminded that global citizenship is about more than learning about other countries. It involves developing empathy, respect, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility for issues such as equality, sustainability, human rights, and climate action.</p>
<p class=”isselectedend”>In my primary classroom, I would integrate Development Education across the curriculum rather than teaching it as a standalone topic. Subjects such as SPHE, Geography, English, and Visual Arts provide valuable opportunities to explore global issues through stories, discussion, and collaborative learning. Activities linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, Fairtrade, and environmental initiatives can make learning meaningful and relevant for children.</p>
<p class=”isselectedend”>I also believe Development Education should be embedded as a whole-school approach. Working collaboratively with colleagues through shared planning and initiatives such as Green Schools or Global Citizenship Week can help create a consistent culture of global awareness.</p>
Development Education also supports School Self-Evaluation by promoting inclusion, student voice, critical thinking, and active learning. Reflecting on pupils’ understanding of global issues can help schools strengthen practice and nurture informed, compassionate, and responsible global citizens.-
Hi Triona,
Thank you for your post and welcome to the course. You have certainly hit on some huge ‘big ticket’ items around SSE, and have some really good suggestions around how development education themes can be used to underpin this. SSE operates at both a whole-school and classroom level – we are constantly engaging in the cycle of gathering feedback, trying out new approaches and tailoring these based on their impact. Areas such as pupil voice and inclusive learning are ones which can certainly be incorporated into a cross curricular approach to development education.
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“Regressive political populism feeds on the lack of awareness”.
I found this piece of the passage to be brutally true, and can currently see the effects of this in my own school setting; particularly on the subject of race and immigration. One effective way in which my school currently targets this is with Multicultural Week; wherein all the nationalities of the school are celebrated and parents and children are invited to a big festival in the hall to explore each other’s cultures.
However, I would like to add to this.
The author encourages the reader to enable young people to recognise themselves as global citizens; which I found connected perfectly to the series of lesson plans in the Module. Particularly; Lesson 4 and the subject of rights. This is something I would never have thought to explicitly teach to a junior class, but the examples of artwork showed a depth of understanding and celebration of the rights of the child that was so exciting to see, especially as I come from a junior DEIS background.
I think my school could greatly benefit from Lessons such as these being integrated into the school’s yearly plans, ensuring that there is open dialogue around rights, fairness, justice and equality. While these matters do arise in an informal setting, I think it is vital that they are backed up with explicit teaching and learning.
***I’ve just realised I’m referring to the Lessons in Module 2, but will keep this point here as I think it still has relevance!
Regarding SSE, I would take a Human Development questionnaire to a Staff Meeting in order to collect data on what the staff think is currently working in the school regarding Development Eductaion (e.g. Multicultural Week) and seek out suggestions to how we could build upon (e.g. integrating explicit Development Education Lessons).
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I believe development education is important because it helps children understand fairness, diversity, sustainability, and their role in creating a more fair, equitable world. Reading Eric Ehigie’s paper, The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World, reinforced my belief that global citizenship begins with developing empathy, respect, and an awareness of how our actions affect others. As a Senior Infant teacher, I can create opportunities for my students to begin to explore these ideas through stories, play, discussions, and activities that celebrate different cultures, encourage kindness, and promote caring for the environment. I would integrate development education across the curriculum by using picture books, cooperative games, art, and simple environmental projects such as recycling or gardening. I would also encourage my colleagues to plan similar development education activities throughout the school so that pupils experience consistent messages and meaningful opportunities to engage with global issues at an age-appropriate level. Working collaboratively would help foster a whole-school ethos in this respect.
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You’ve made a lovely point Rachel about how development education doesn’t have to be something very complicated, especially with Senior Infants. It can start with very simple things like kindness, sharing, noticing differences, caring for plants, recycling, and thinking about how we treat people around us. I liked how you highlighted stories and play in particular. At that age, children often take so much from a good picture book or from a simple discussion afterwards, sometimes more than we realise. The gardening or recycling ideas would work really well too, as they give the children something practical to do rather than just talk about. Paul
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The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World by Ehigie (2021)
My views of this article are of agreement with the idea that change starts with the ‘system of self’ and being a good global citizen. To change it only requires one person to notices that certain actions don’t align with the morals they have developed internally. Whether it has happened to them or to others it is important that young people develop an awareness of themselves and of the people around them, humanity is something we share and that we must compliment each other and work together.
I try to incorporate Development education into my everyday teaching by demonstrating we are all human, that our actions can impact and to be responsible and empathic towards one another in students everyday interactions. I would also incorporate development education in various lessons (SESE, English, Art etc.) by probing questions about the voices that we don’t hear, feelings felt that may not have been communicated in the story or picture. For whole school planning I feel it is important that students behave in a manner that considers the feelings of others around them. Also that different cultures are celebrated throghout the year.
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What you’ve taken from the article is the part that stood out to me too Patrick: that change can start with how we see ourselves and how we treat the people near us. It brings global citizenship back down to something children can actually get a hold of in their own day. The empathy point is important too. With your class, you are trying to highlight that it’s the small things that matter: how they speak to one another, whether they think to include someone, whether they notice when someone’s been left out.
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Development Education is important in striving to achieve ‘global fairness’ and ‘equality. ‘The classroom today should aim to help develop ‘global citizens’ and ‘solidarity among humans.’ This begins with education from a young age about the importance of working together globally to achieve a more just and fairer world. The ability to ‘care and show empathy’ is at the centre of development education. It can be incorporated in all subjects across the curriculum. Schools can include thIS in SSE also by making development education central in the day-to-day running of the school. The use of the resource pack developed by the UN focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals is a great starting point for schools to begin this process. Schools should be places where children can learn about environments that reach beyond their classrooms and neighbours. They need the skills and knowledge to become ‘global citizens’ in order to play their part in create more fairer planet for all.
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One thing that really stood out for me in Ehigie’s article was that ‘trying to be the change we wish to see in the world is both accessible and powerful, no matter how big or small one feels their contribution is’. I find that many people feel powerless to effect change in the face of so many challenges. As our world, and our children, become ever more influenced by online content, we seem to be bombarded with so much negativity and bigotry. Every time I use social media, I feel I am assaulted by racism, homophobia, sexism etc. It can be difficult at times to remember that there is so much good out there, so many great people doing great things, so much acceptance and celebration of difference. This is why it is so important that development education becomes an integral part of what we do in our classrooms, not only as part of discrete lessons, but also in how we interact with, communicate with, share and celebrate the increasing diversity of our school communities. In this way, we can begin to make small changes. When enough people make small changes, it can build into something much bigger and more effective.
Having some resources close to hand that teachers could easily access is essential to promoting development education in our schools. Dedicating some SSE time to collating and organising resources would be really helpful. Perhaps a folder in our school’s shared drive would be a good place to gather online or other electronic resources (lists of helpful websites, links to videos, PowerPoint presentations etc.), as well as nominating one member of staff to store any physical resources (books, photos, games etc.) which could be borrowed and returned as needed.
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A central theme of the article is common humanity. Ehigie explains that people are interconnected, regardless of nationality or background, and should work together to promote justice and equality. He also draws on the idea of young people taking action and making a difference in the world.
For me this is something we as teachers should incorporate into our daily lessons. Children should have a voice and agency in their own learning and realise age does not always define if we can take action or not. Children should be able to identify what they see wrong and what changes be it big or small they can do to help change what is happening.
For me this article resonated with me in terms of the interconnected theme and how we are all connected as human beings and that factors such as race, gender, geographical location shouldn’t impede us working together it should enable us to use those differences and make them into a superpower of strength, resilience and unity.
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To be a global citizen, is to care. It is to empathise
This quote is taken from the article. I feel this is a very important message to take away from the article. It’s an incredibly important message for us to take into our daily lives and our classrooms.I found this article very interesting and a great start to this course. Being a global citizen is very important and a hugely important topic to teach in the classroom. Instilling the message to younger generations will hopefully have a positive impact on our future.
Working in and Educate Together school, much of this topic goes hand in hand with the Learn Together programme. I feel the Geography, History and SPHE curricula are also great places to go from with this topic.
Development Education and Global citizenship can be included into the School Self Evaluation in many ways. Looking at how the topic is included already in our school is a very important step. I feel our school supports the topic well with curriculum teaching, Green Schools and Student Council initiatives. There is certainly more we can be doing though and I’m looking forward to continuing the course and finding out more information.-
Hi Anna, Really like your point about auditing what’s already happening in your school for SSE. Building on existing strengths like green schools and the student council is such a sustainable way to deepen development education without reinventing the wheel.
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Reading The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021) reinforced my understanding of the importance of Development Education in preparing young people for life in an increasingly interconnected world. The paper highlights that global citizens are individuals who understand global issues, respect diversity, and recognise that their actions can have an impact on others locally and globally. This aligns closely with the aims of Development Education, which encourages learners to think critically, challenge stereotypes, and take informed action on issues such as equality, sustainability, human rights, and social justice.
As a teacher, I believe Development Education should be embedded across the curriculum rather than treated as a one-off topic. I would incorporate it through discussions on current global issues, project-based learning, and activities that encourage empathy, collaboration, and problem-solving. For example, I could use international case studies in geography, explore children’s rights in social studies, or encourage environmental responsibility through sustainability projects.
I would also encourage colleagues to integrate Development Education into their own teaching by sharing useful resources, discussing successful classroom activities, and collaborating on whole-school initiatives. Events such as Fairtrade campaigns, cultural awareness weeks, or sustainability projects can help create a school culture that values global citizenship. Working together as a staff ensures that students receive consistent opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed to contribute positively to society.
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Welcome to the course, Sarah. As you say, Development Education often works best when it isn’t looked on as a separate add-on but is worked into everyday teaching in small, natural ways. The examples you gave are good ones. Geography, children’s rights, sustainability projects and current issues all give children a chance to think past their own classroom. The whole-school side matters too. When staff are sharing resources and planning things like Fairtrade activities or cultural awareness weeks together, the children get a far more consistent message out of it. One simple idea might be to create a shared folder of Development Education resources and lesson ideas that teachers add to as they try things out.
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Reading Ehigie’s paper‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (2021) reinforces the importance Development Education has in helping children understand the wider world and their place in it. It shouldn’t be looked at as stand alone subject, but rather by using an integrated approach through the use of stories, discussions, geography, and SPHE. By integrating it into my teaching through big projects, stories or small discussions, I find that it gives children the chance to think about fairness, diversity, sustainability, and how their actions can make a difference. Classrooms today are a lot more multicultural than they used to be and our teaching needs to reflect that. Having a whole school approach to Development Education and sharing of resources and ideas with colleagues would help to incorporate it into the everyday teaching across the entire school. This could be facilitated through workshops, staff meetings, Croke Park hours and shared drives.
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Why Development Education is important
Children are aware of the many issues in our world today, thanks to the ever increasing access and availability of information to them (Tik Tok, Youtube, Instagram). As educators, it is our duty to teach them and talk to them about what is happening and to ensure that the information the have on global issues are correct.
How to include Development Education in my own teaching and influence colleagues to do the same
I love how Ehigie (2021) acknowledges the importance of bringing action to local level. When teaching about Development Education, it can be easy to feel helpless, when many of the issues are far away or feel ‘too big’ for a classroom to help. When teaching children about DE it is important to make them feel like they can help, and take action as Global Citizens and ‘see where they can use their unique abilities to improve it for those who are less fortunate’ (Ehigie, 2021:4). According to Ehigie, Global Citizenship is to care and it is to empathise. As educators we can facilitate this Global Citizenship in our classrooms
Bringing colleagues and classes together is a great way of addressing DE because it makes children feel like they are part of a bigger group, rather than in isolation trying to take action and make change. Using the video ‘The Hummingbird and the Forest Fire’ is a great way to show them this. By coming together, even small efforts can have an impact, on both the other and the self.
How does Development Education fit into SSE
It supports School Self-Evaluation by promoting critical thinking, global citizenship, inclusion, reflection, and continuous improvement in teaching, learning, and student outcomes.
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After reading Ehigie (2021), it really made me think about what it means to be a global citizen today. I think Development Education is so important because it helps children realise that the world is much bigger than their own community and that they can actually make a difference, even in small ways. It also encourages them to think for themselves, ask questions, and see things from other people’s point of view.
Teaching 6th class, I’ve noticed that the children are really interested in topics like climate change, equality, and current events. They often bring things up that they’ve seen online or heard at home, so it’s nice to be able to use those conversations as learning opportunities. Earlier this year, we were looking at sustainability in Geography, and it led to a really good discussion about fast fashion and waste. The pupils had lots of opinions and even came up with ideas for how our class could reduce waste in school. It was one of those lessons where they were completely engaged because they could relate it to real life.
I also think Development Education links really well with School Self-Evaluation (SSE). If a school is working on wellbeing, student voice, or improving teaching and learning, Development Education fits in naturally. It gives pupils a chance to work together, think critically, and have respectful discussions while making learning more relevant.
I’d love to see more whole-school involvement too. Even small things like linking global themes into different subjects, marking awareness days, or sharing resources at staff meetings could encourage more teachers to include Development Education in their classrooms. I think when it’s built into everyday teaching instead of being treated as an extra topic, it has a much bigger impact on the children.
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Welcome to the course Siofra. 6th class are at a great age for these kinds of discussions because they’re already starting to notice what’s going on in the world, and they usually have plenty to say about it. The fast fashion discussion sounds like a great example. When children can connect a topic like sustainability to their own lives, what they buy, wear, throw away, or see online, the learning becomes much more real for them. I like your point about development education fitting into SSE as well. It links so naturally with pupil voice, well-being, and respectful discussion. It doesn’t have to be a separate initiative or another thing added to the list.
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Hi Siofra,
I enjoyed reading your reflection. I liked how you included a practical example from your own classroom, particularly the discussion around sustainability and fast fashion. It really shows how Development Education can become meaningful when children make connections to their own lives. I have also taught mostly 5th and 6th classes so these discussions come a lot more naturally to this older age group of the school, they are also more inquisitive and initiate and lead these topics themselves. I also agree with your point about linking Development Education with SSE, especially through student voice and wellbeing, as it is a key feature in the new curriculum too. -
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I completely agree with you. I also think 6th class is a great age to explore Development Education because the children are naturally curious and interested in what is happening in the world. I like your example of the discussion around fast fashion and waste, as it shows how a simple topic can lead to meaningful conversations and real ideas for change. I also agree that DE fits really well with SSE, especially around wellbeing and student voice. If we share ideas as colleagues, it can become part of everyday teaching rather than feeling like extra work.
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I have just watched the video The Hummingbird and the Forest Fire, and I am so glad I did. I thought it was a fabulous and simple way of explaining to children that, no matter how small or insignificant we may feel, our actions can create change. There are so many other important messages within the video too, including perseverance, responsibility, compassion and the importance of doing what we can rather than assuming that someone else will make a difference. I think this is a powerful message for children and links very closely with Development Education and the idea of active global citizenship.
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Development Education is important because it helps children understand the world around them and see how their actions can make a difference. In The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World (Ehigie, 2021), the idea of being a global citizen is about caring for others, respecting different cultures, and working towards a fairer and more sustainable world. I think this is something that should be part of everyday learning, not just one subject. In my classroom, I would include Development Education through class discussions, group projects, stories, and activities linked to topics like climate change, equality, and the Sustainable Development Goals. I would also encourage pupils to think about ways they can make a positive difference in their own community. To encourage colleagues, I would share useful resources and ideas, plan whole-school activities together, and show how Development Education can easily be included across different subjects in a meaningful and engaging way.
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<p class=”PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer” data-start=”129″ data-end=”526″>After reading Ehigie (2021), it really made me think about what it means to be a global citizen today. I think Development Education is so important because it helps children realise that the world is much bigger than their own community and that they can make a difference, even in small ways. It also encourages them to think critically, ask questions and see issues from different perspectives.</p>
<p data-start=”531″ data-end=”1253″>Having taught mainly 5th and 6th class over the past seven years, and preparing to teach a mixed 5th/6th class again this year, I have found that older primary pupils are particularly interested in topics such as climate change, equality and gender issues. They often bring discussions from home or things they have seen online into the classroom, and this gives great opportunities to explore these issues in a meaningful way in lessons.</p>
<p data-start=”1258″ data-end=”1919″>Development Education links with School Self-Evaluation (SSE) in schools like the new curriculum focusing on wellbeing and pupil voice. Development Education lets children to collaborate, think critically and develop empathy. It could also become part of a whole-school approach by incorporating global themes across subjects, celebrating awareness days and sharing ideas and resources among staff.</p>-
I like this reflection, Claire. You’ve brought it back to the kind of conversations that genuinely come up in 5th and 6th class, where children are starting to notice things: in the news, online, at home and they want somewhere to talk them out. I’d agree that Development Education helps pupils see beyond their own school or community while still keeping it tied to their own lives. Topics like climate change, equality and gender can lead to some really good discussions with the senior classes, especially once they feel their opinions are actually being listened to.
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Having read the article, I feel that we must embed acceptance and inclusion in terms of global citizenship across all of our teaching. We are guiding our students to become kind and responsible citizens, who understand that people have different cultures, beliefs and experiences.
In my own classroom, I would include Development Education through stories, visuals, videos, etc.I would encourage discussion, looking at things from a different viewpoint. I would encourage active learning and allow students to explore resources digitally on iPads. I would carefully select suitable resources e.g. videos, art, images, etc. and create a learning path on scoilnet for my students to explore. It could include quizzes also. These resources would be presented in carious ways in order to remove any barriers to learning e.g. google translate, text to speech software, closed captions on video, etc. I would do a series of lessons to celebrate the different cultures in our class.
In our SSE, if focusing on pupil voice, inclusion, active learning or digital literacy, this allows for so many opportunities to explore global citizenship, development education, other cultures and differences. By sharing ideas and resources, teachers can work together to make these themes part of everyday school life and help children develop respect, empathy and an understanding of others.-
Hi Elaine and welcome to the course.
Agreed, DE should be embedded across everyday teaching and learning. and as you’ve mooted using a range of resources and approaches, such as stories, videos and discussion can help pupils explore different perspectives.
I particularly like how you’ve considered accessibility from the outset. Using a Scoilnet learning path (I must admit i wasn’t aware you could customise these so note to self on this) Google Translate, text-to-speech and closed captions levels the playing field and ensure all pupils can engage meaningfully with the learning.
One suggestion I would have is to let pupils create their own digital content or artefact, such as a poster, presentation or short video about a culture or issue they have explored. This can help strengthen pupil voice (And agency) while reinforcing the themes of inclusion and global citizenship.
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Development Education is important for empowering pupils to become active, empathetic global citizens in an interconnected world. As Ehigie (2021) shares, global citizenship requires moving beyond passive awareness to critical thinking, empathy, and collective action for positive change. Development truly takes place when there is a shared realisation of the need for change both locally and globally. In my own teaching, I actively embed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by helping pupils explore how global issues connect directly to their everyday lives. A key practice in my classroom is our daily celebration and awareness calendar. By acknowledging special observances, diversity days, and cultural milestones linked to the SDGs, pupils learn to appreciate diverse perspectives, build empathy, and explore how we can celebrate, uplift, and stand in solidarity with others. To encourage colleagues and myself to plan development education activities throughout the school, I believe in stepping out of our comfort zones together. I would share practical, accessible resources, co-plan thematic initiatives (such as Global Goals or Intercultural weeks), and demonstrate how development education easily integrates across SESE, SPHE, and Literacy to build a cohesive, school wide culture of global citizenship.
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After reading this article ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’. I was reminded that education has a critical role in helping our students to become active global citizens as it aids them to see how their actions can make a difference even in small ways. Rather than just providing the children with information around Development Education through direct teaching, we can encourage students to recognise different perspectives, reflect on what they value themselves as citizens and how they can make change for the better in our society. In my teaching I would like to try to integrate Development Education across the curriculum in subjects like SESE and SPHE rather than teach it as a separate topic. By using real-life case studies, project based learning and celebrating international awareness days I believe I could further foster children’s interest in Development Education. To encourage other colleagues to integrate Development Education I could set up a resource sharing file on our school’s Google Drive and collaborate on projects at class levels. Having whole school events around international awareness days could help to encourage colleagues to engage in the topic. This also corresponds with School Self Evaluation as it can help my school and others to identify how effectively they are promoting inclusion, and active citizenship.
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Hi Louise. I like that you’ve picked up on the idea that development education isn’t just about handing children facts but about getting them to think about their own values and the kind of person they want to be. And SESE and SPHE are the natural homes for it, I’d agree. Real-life examples and stories, maybe a bit of project work, can make the ideas far more meaningful for children. The resource-sharing folder on Google Drive is a great idea as well. Teachers are often more than willing to give something a go — it’s just that having a few ready-to-use resources, or an example or two from a colleague, makes it so much easier to get off the ground.
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Hi Louise,
It’s a great idea to integrate Development Education in the subjects of SPHE and SESE. The use of real life events and project work really engage pupils and encourage them to see that they are part of a much larger world. I also like your idea of a resource -sharing drive. Working together and sharing resources helps teachers bring Development Education into classrooms across the school.
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Hi Louise,
I think incorporating Development Education into SPHE and SESE is a really effective approach. By using real-world issues and project-based learning, lessons will be more meaningful for pupils and it will help them understand their place within a wider global community. I also think the idea of creating a shared resource drive is very useful and that is something we use in our school aswell. Collaboration between teachers and sharing ideas and materials can make it easier to introduce Development Education into different classrooms and ensure it becomes part of learning across the whole school.
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As a teacher who has taught 6th class a number of years now, one of the topics we have covered every year in our school is Global Aid. We are already focusing on the impact the global north has on the rest of the world, both positively and negatively. It would be easy to explore the role of global citizens in today’s world during this topic but also explore the role on a daily basis also as this would be important. While history lessons look at activism in the past, children are seeing demonstrations in the news today too. They are seeing young people focusing on global issues that affect everyone across the world. The classroom is an important place to ensure children are given opportunities to explore their role as global citizens as it is very much at the forefront of what they are seeing on the news on a daily basis.
Our SSE is, among other things, focusing on literacy and writing genres. The role of global citizenship can be explored in many ways through different writing genres. Narrative – a day in the life
Persuasive – discussions and debates about equality, social change, activism etc.
Reports/explanation – different aid agencies including Irish AidWe are already focusing on global topics, have an annual multicultural day and have a large multicultural student body so it would be easy enough to encourage colleagues to plan development education activities throughout the school as it would be relevant to all in the school.
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I like the line you picked out Fiona: “to be a global citizen is to care”. That’s a simple idea, but it says a lot. For children, global citizenship probably does start with caring about the people around them and then gradually widening that out to the wider world. You’re spot on that classrooms are much more diverse now, and children are hearing and seeing more than ever through news, social media and conversations at home. That gives us a chance to explore these issues carefully and in age-appropriate ways. Its always good to start locally first. Often children understand issues like fairness, inclusion and kindness best when they can see examples in their own school or community first.
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After reading the article I can see that development education is an important part of helping students make sense of the world around them. It encourages them to think about global issues and recognise the role they can play as responsible global citizens. By exploring topics such as poverty, inequality, environmental sustainability, and human rights, students develop critical thinking skills, empathy, and a greater understanding of the challenges facing our world today.
Development education works best when it is woven into everyday teaching and learning across the curriculum. By working together, teachers can create meaningful learning experiences that encourage students to ask questions and make connections between what they learn in school and the wider world. This might include class discussions, debates, real-life case studies, educational visits, guest speakers, or projects that involve the local community.
A whole-school approach helps to make development education a shared experience for everyone. Looking at the diversity within the school community, working with local organisations, and taking part in initiatives such as Green Schools, the Global Citizenship Schools Award, or the Blue Flag programme all help to bring learning to life. They encourage students to become active learners about the world in which they are growing up in.-
Welcome to this course Carole and thank you for engaging in Module 1.
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<div class=”” dir=””>Your points on weaving Development Education naturally across the curriculum and engaging with whole-school initiatives like Green Schools and Global Citizenship Schools show a clear understanding of active, meaningful learning! These insights a</div>
<div class=”” dir=””>An explicit link to the SSE process could be made, exploring how evidence from these initiatives might be gathered to set clear targets and track whole-school impact over time.</div>
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Before reading this article, I understood global citizenship in a general way, but I hadn’t really thought about how much of a role education plays in helping children develop these values from such a young age. The article made me realise that being a global citizen isn’t about making huge changes on your own, but about the small everyday actions that help create a fairer and more caring society.
Working in an infant school, I can see how important those small actions are. The children I work with are just beginning to learn how to share, be kind, respect others and understand that everyone is different. Reading this has made me think more about how these everyday experiences link to Social Studies Education (SSE). Even simple activities like reading stories from different cultures, encouraging teamwork or talking about fairness can help children begin to understand the world around them and the importance of treating others with respect.
The article also made me realise that education has a much bigger role than I had previously considered. It isn’t just about teaching facts; it’s about helping children grow into thoughtful and compassionate people who value equality and inclusion. As someone new to thinking about global citizenship in this way, it has encouraged me to reflect on how the values I promote in the classroom can have a lasting impact on children’s attitudes as they grow.-
Hi Michelle, welcome to this course and thank you for your engagement in Module 1.
I am thrilled to hear that this paper has an impact on your broader understanding of Global Citizenship.
Your insights on how infant classrooms foster early global citizenship through sharing, kindness and respect shows a lovely understanding of foundational values and is just so real. You have captured the essence of Development Education brilliantly by showing how small, everyday classroom interactions help young children grow into compassionate, thoughtful individuals who value equality and inclusion.
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This document highlights the importance of helping children become informed, empathetic, and responsible members of society. The document encourages respect for diversity, sustainability, equality, and active participation in local and global communities.
I would embed these principles across the curriculum through SPHE, Geography, English, and SESE by exploring different cultures, discussing fairness and inclusion, and engaging pupils in environmental initiatives. I would also create an inclusive classroom where every child feels valued and respected through cooperative learning and positive classroom relationships.
To encourage colleagues to use this resource, I would share practical lesson ideas and examples of how global citizenship can be integrated into everyday teaching without adding extra workload. Collaborative planning and sharing resources during staff meetings would help build confidence and ensure that global citizenship becomes a meaningful and consistent part of whole-school practice.
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To be a global citizen, is to care. It is to empathise. This was the opening line of the conclusion in the article. I would foster empathy team building sports and inclusive events in my school. I would encourage debate and discussion among students to ensure they are active participants in their own school and learning. I would say that development education spans many facets of school life and as such should be brought to the forefront of our teaching and learning. I would ask students to prioritise their own goals in terms of equity and fairness in the school and perhaps provide or display thought provoking hardship stories and stories of children from less well off countries to illustrate comparisons in a real and meaningful way. Teaching children about politics and the voting system from a very young age may help with active citizenship and developing an understanding that every voice and every vote counts. I think debate and discussion for older students would be excellent to bring issues to the forefront of their debate.
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Hi Emma, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging in Module 1.
<p data-path-to-node=”0″>Opening with that powerful quote from Ehigie (2021) anchors your response brilliantly in the reading and your ideas for team building, debate and active citizenship show a deep commitment to fostering empathy in pupils. I would highly recommend looking in to the Concern Debates via your local Ed Centre. Well worthwhile to hit all those areas you mentioned.</p>
<p data-path-to-node=”1″>Exploring how pupil voice on equity or student engagement in debate might be gathered as SSE evidence would help demonstrate how whole-school impact can be tracked and evaluated over time. Thank You!</p>
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After reading ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ It has reinforced for me how relevant and important it is to include Development Education in not only my own teaching practice but also in the school as a whole. It is important to emphasise that Development Education is not centered on one particular area but involves children becoming enabled to understand how each of our actions can affect other people, to develop a sense of empathy, to become critical thinkers and above all to understand and respect diversity. These play a key role in educating our children and hoping that they become active citizens. Real life examples would be an excellent way of teaching the children for e.g., around migration and its different forms whether voluntary or involuntary. Similarly current events, stories and projects will help children develop an understanding of areas such as human rights, equality, migration and sustainability. I would also hope to share and extend the learning in my classroom across the school community and include Development Education within the School Self-Evaluation process. This may be done by possibly evaluating how wellbeing, inclusion and sustainability is being promoted and encouraged throughout the school. I think it is important that collaboration in this effort takes place amongst all staff members and ideas and initiatives are embraced by the whole school community.
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I like how you’ve picked up that development education is far broader than any one topic, Michelle. It’s really about helping children understand other people, question a bit of what they see and hear, and cop on to the fact that their own choices can have an impact. Real-life stories and current events will work well for it, especially with topics like migration, equality, and sustainability. They can be big, heavy issues, but a story often brings them down to a level children can relate to and actually talk about. And I’d agree it has to go beyond the one classroom. Looking at inclusion, well-being, and sustainability through the SSE could be a handy way of seeing what the school is already doing well and where there’s room to build on it.
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Development Education is so important now more so than ever. It encourages children to look beyond their own lifestyles and develop an understanding of how other people live. Children like them around the world have to deal with issues such as inequality, poverty, human rights, climate change, diversity and sustainability. It can encourage them to ask questions, consider different perspectives and think about possible solutions. It can help children develop empathy for others, critical thinking and a sense of responsibility. In my own teaching I aim to integrate development education across the curriculum rather than treating it as an occasional additional activity. We could read about different cultures in English, fairtrade in Geography, climate change in Science etc. I would encourage colleagues to incorporate development education throughout the school and to identify global learning opportunities within topics they already teach. A school wide focus would make development education a shared responsibility rather than something dependent on one interested teacher.
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Hi Caitriona, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging in Module 1.
Thank you for a thoughtful reflection! I agree, it is so important for our students to reflect on the world around them and beyond. Your point on integrating Development Education across subjects like English, Geography and Science is a fantastic approach to making global learning a natural part of daily teaching rather than an add-on. Encouraging a shared, school-wide responsibility is also key to sustaining these initiatives. The Concern Debates are also something to look into.
To sharpen your post against the prompt requirements, try referencing a key concept from the Ehigie (2021) paper on global citizenship. Also, consider linking these cross-curricular activities directly to SSE. Outlining how student voice or global learning targets could feed into your SSE plan will help you measure real, whole-school impact over time!
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I agree with Caitríona’s point that Development Education is more important now than ever. All we have to do is switch on the news and we can see examples of injustice, inequality and downright racism going on in our own country. With the influx of refugees and immigration into Ireland, our country has become more and more multicultural and diverse. Whereas this should be embraced and seen as a good thing, unfortunately it can be seen as a bad thing. With an energy crisis and cost of living crisis in the country, it is easy to blame the newcomers for more broader problems. We really need to educate our future leaders about what is actually going on and how we must all work together in order to help one another.
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After beginning the article “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World,” my mind immediately went to Martin Luther King Jr. and his “I Have a Dream” speech. Seeing him referenced later in the article only reinforced how urgently global citizenship is needed today, especially in light of the protests and social movements we’ve witnessed in recent years. The article felt particularly relevant to the multicultural classrooms we all teach in. Our pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, and it is essential that we, as educators, address these issues in an age‑appropriate and meaningful way.
Global citizenship begins within the school environment and extends outward into our local communities. As educators, we play a central role in shaping young people’s understanding of fairness, kindness, and their responsibility to others. I agree that there have been promising developments in tackling racism, as noted by Eric Ehihie, though I feel these changes are most visible among younger, more educated generations — which highlights just how powerful education truly is.
One quote from the article stood out to me:
“Hence, focusing on the more immediate task of improving ourselves incrementally and acting in accordance with the aspirations we have for our local community, and the global community, is the sufficient starting point in embracing our role as global citizens.”
This captures the essence of development education. It reminds us that promoting kindness, empathy, and solidarity begins with small, intentional actions. As part of teaching pupils to be global citizens, we must also help them understand the past — not to instil fear or guilt, but to ensure harmful patterns are not repeated and to promote equality. We need to nurture care and empathy, and help children recognise that everyone has both privileges and disadvantages, but none of these make one person better than another.
Although huge progress has been made, there is still much work to do. In Infant education, we already embed kindness, compassion, and acceptance into daily routines. However, with the increasing inequalities children encounter, it would be valuable to have a bank of resources to support this teaching. Books, in particular, are powerful tools for exploring social issues in an age‑appropriate way. As part of SSE, I would propose compiling a list of high‑quality children’s books that address themes such as diversity, fairness, empathy, and global citizenship.
In my AP2 role, I oversee the Green Schools Committee, and I see a natural link between environmental stewardship and global citizenship. Introducing the concept of global citizens to the Green Team could help promote these values across the school, encouraging pupils to see themselves as active contributors to both their local environment and the wider world.
Development education is not an add‑on — it is central to preparing children to live with empathy, fairness, and responsibility. As educators, we have a powerful opportunity to make the world better for everyone, starting with the pupils in front of us each day.
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In his paper, ‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’, Ehigie explains that Development Education, at it’s core, teaches us that we are “all cut from the same cloth”. It helps us to have a deeper understanding of issues such as racism, poverty, hunger and inequality, and calls us to take action against these social injustices. Having deeper understanding of Global Issues through Development Education, “challenges any attempt to fundamentally distinguish ourselves from those around us, and implicitly calls on us to extend our solidarity to others and do as much as we can to uplift those around us.”
Ehigie acknowledges that looking at these major global issues can lead to exhaustion, demoralisation and melancholy. To this end, when dealing with these issues in the classroom it’s important to take a positive and empowering stand toward change and to focus on all of the fantastic initiatives and work taking place around the world already, so that children can feel empowered to be change makers. Trocaire have a wonderful appeal every year and share teaching resources with schools, which can be shared with colleagues and used as a basis for Development Education. Fair Trade also have fantastic resources for various age groups in primary school which help children understand what life might be like for a banana farmer in South America, for example. Children can have a better understanding and then feel positive about looking for Fair Trade items in the supermarket when shopping. I like to bring in a selection of Fair Trade items for the kids to try, particularly chocolate, to make the lessons more memorable. Having large coloured pictures of the places and people we’re focusing on, and having a range of activities for the children to work on together is very helpful. I like to share these resources with colleagues so we can cut down on printing and discussing activities together with colleagues can lead to more interesting ideas. We had a Fair Trade poster competition among 6th class where all sixth classes got to view the posters designed by other groups and vote for the best one. This piece of work aligned with SSE in terms of active learning, art and literacy e.g. persuasive writing about the benefits of Fair Trade.
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Reading Ehigie’s (2021) paper made me think about how important Development Education is in helping children understand the world around them and their place in it. I liked the idea that being a global citizen is about recognising that we are all connected and that issues affecting people in other parts of the world can also affect us. Development Education can help children understand world issues, question what they see and hear, and recognise that they can make a difference.
As an infant teacher, I think Development Education can be introduced from a young age in simple and age-appropriate ways. In my classroom, I would explore ideas such as fairness, equality, caring for others and respecting different cultures through stories, discussion, play and the arts. I would also make links between the children’s own experiences and wider issues in the world. As the children get older, these ideas can be further developed through subjects such as Geography, History, Science and SPHE. This fits well with the learner-centred and holistic approach discussed in the module.
I would also encourage colleagues to share ideas and resources so Development Education becomes part of the whole school. SSE could help us identify what we are already doing, areas for improvement and goals for future development. Overall, I think Development Education can help children become more aware, respectful and confident in making a positive difference in our world. -
Development education is important to share the interconnectedness of humanity and the environment, and encourage young people to become cognisant of ‘the global village that we all have a stake in’ (Ehigie, 2021). Teaching global citizenship then encourages ways of how we can better our world, both locally and globally through our social and civic responsibilities.
Ehigie (2021) touches on the correlation between underprivileged communities and anti-immigrant, racialised rhetoric. In my school setting I see the difficulties social and economic disadvantage places on our students and their families. One of the reasons I wanted to do this course was to learn how to get students in our school interested in the wider world. To date this has proven difficult as they struggle to be concerned of others outside of their communities when they themselves are trying to survive within their own difficulties of poverty, social justice, and agency.
Taking learnings from this first module, I think I need to approach teaching development education from the Irish Aid’s focus ‘reach the furthest behind first’. Our students (aged 10-16 in a school for students with SEMH difficulties) have a strong sense of fairness. I think appealing to this sense could be a strong pathway in to generating empathy and action. I would offer my students statistics, show them videos, and facilitate group discussions about how underdeveloped (unsure if this is the correct language?) some parts of the world are in terms of education, clean water and sanitation. I would encourage the students to compare themselves to people of a similar age in the Global South in line with some of the SDGs. For most, this sense of fairness could transform into a call for justice and may encourage them to take action.
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I found the article “The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World,” very good as our classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse, with children coming from a range of backgrounds and bringing different experiences and perspectives with them. As teachers, we have an opportunity to explore issues of social injustice, both within our local communities and on a global scale. Children are also exposed to a huge amount of information through the news and social media, so it is important that we address these topics in an age-appropriate and meaningful way within our schools. Ehigie states that “to be a global citizen, is to care,” and this really resonated with me. As teachers, we have the opportunity to promote global citizenship in our classrooms and schools and to demonstrate that we care about issues at a local, national and international level. We can begin by simply showing that we care. I think that, as part of our SSE process, our school could create a shared folder on the school drive containing useful resources on global development and citizenship that all staff could access. We could also use some time during staff meetings to share key learning and ideas from CPD courses, allowing staff to build their knowledge and explore practical ways of incorporating global citizenship into their teaching.
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I found Ehigie’s (2021) article really interesting, especially when thinking about Development Education (DE) in an Irish school context. For me, DE is important because it helps students understand that issues like racism, inequality, poverty, migration and climate change are not just things that happen in other countries. They can affect people in our own communities too. Ehigie’s idea of global citizenship is about recognising our connection with other people and thinking about what we can do, even in small ways, to make things better.
In an Irish classroom, I think DE could be included quite naturally across different subjects rather than being treated as an extra thing to squeeze in. For example, students could look at Ireland’s history of emigration and immigration, explore racism and diversity in Irish society, or discuss how our everyday choices can have an impact on people and the environment around the world. It could also link into projects, debates, group work and school initiatives.
I would encourage colleagues to include DE in their planning by sharing simple ideas and resources and showing that it doesn’t have to mean creating loads of extra work. Even small activities can get students thinking about their responsibilities to others. Overall, I think DE can help young people become more open-minded, empathetic and willing to take action in their own communities. This links closely with Ehigie’s view that education can help us recognise our shared humanity and encourage positive social change. -
After reading Ehigie’s (2021) paper, The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World, I was reminded of the important role education plays in helping children understand that they are part of a wider, world. Development Education is important because it encourages pupils to think critically about inequality, migration, climate change, poverty and social justice, while also developing respect for others and it helps them understand how their actions can contribute to positive change.
In my own teaching, I would incorporate Development Education through meaningful, age-appropriate activities across different subjects rather than treating it as an additional area of the curriculum. For example, pupils could explore the Sustainable Development Goals through Geography, Science, SPHE, English and Art. I would use stories, discussion, collaborative projects to encourage children to consider global issues and how they connect to their own lives.
I also think Development Education can contribute significantly to School Self-Evaluation (SSE). It could provide opportunities for the school to evaluate areas such as inclusion, pupil voice, wellbeing, active citizenship and cross-curricular learning. A whole-school approach would be particularly valuable, with teachers sharing resources and planning activities together.
To encourage colleagues, I would start by sharing practical resources and examples of activities that can be used in existing lessons. I would also encourage Development Education to become part of our school planning, with staff reflecting on what we currently do, identifying areas for development and reviewing the impat on pupils. -
Having read “The Role of Citizens in Today’s Global World” by Eric Ehigie it is clear to see how far we have come in becoming a more global society, however one glance at the news or scrolling through your news feed will tell you how much more we have to do in order to help establish a more fair, just, equal and sustainable world. Because of this, it is vitally important that we teach the leaders of tomorrow how to become more responsible, active citizens of today’s world.
It is important to care. To use our heads, hearts and hands and take action when we feel something is not right or unjust. We need to make children appreciate all they have and understand that not everyone in the world is as fortunate as children growing up in Ireland. Because our society has become more and more multicultural it is so important that children understand and empathise with those less fortunate.
I have carried out the school’s Green Flag Programme in our school for many years and will continue to do so this coming year. I think it is important that we look at climate change from the global perspective and understand that our actions affect others and we all have a part to play in ensuring we have a clean, safe and sustainable planet for future generations. Children in our school already have a keen sense of care for the environment and I think this will lead well to them becoming responsible global citizens. It is all connected and many of the natural disasters that cause great struggle and hardship for those in our world are a direct consequence of climate change and global warming. Once children grasp this concept of how we are all connected, I think it will make this topic hit home and encourage children to act with their head, heart and hands.
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Our world is both local and global and for each of us to live and to thrive, we need to work together. Development Education is important as it gives us the tools to enable us to work together effectively.
Each person is part of an enormous community of people and Ehigie tells us that in order for this community to work we each must be “an effective global citizen…[by] appreciating our place, and the place of others, in the interwoven yarn of kinship, that encompasses all people.”
Development Education helps each of us to appreciate our place in the world and to see that we each share more in common than in difference. Ehigie also points out the through education we can identify ways in which we impact our community in positive ways. In this way, Ehigie argues that education can build social cohesion and positive change.
In my teaching, teaching in an inclusive, respectful and empathetic way is a key starting point to building an environment in which issues around Development Education can be discussed and explored. Using resources from Irish Aid and Plan International provide a structured way of planning development education activities in my classroom. Sharing these resources with other teachers will encourage others to also introduce Development Education in their classrooms.
As our school begins to work on the enactment of the Redeveloped Curriculum, we can as a staff consider how best to incorporate this area into our School Plans across all curricular areas but particularly SEE, Wellbeing and Language.
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Having reviewed Ehigie’s (2021) paper, The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World, I have reflected on the importance of Development Education , particularly within my own school context. I am teaching in a multicultural school with children from several different countries, including countries that have been affected by war, poverty and gender inequality. Because of this, I feel Development Education is especially important in my setting. It provides opportunities for children to develop an understanding of different experiences, cultures and perspectives while promoting empathy, respect, equality and a sense of global citizenship.
In my own teaching, I would aim to incorporate Development Education across different subjects and through discussions, projects and activities that explore issues such as human rights, climate change, poverty and equality. I would also encourage colleagues to share ideas and work together to plan development education activities throughout the school, helping to make DE part of our wider school culture.
I have always loved the quote, “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito,” as a reminder that even small actions can create change and that children should feel empowered to make a difference.
I also believe Development Education can feed into School Self-Evaluation (SSE) by encouraging us to reflect on how effectively we promote inclusion, equality, empathy and active citizenship. Through pupil voice, classroom activities and whole-school initiatives, we can identify what we are doing well and areas where DE could be developed further.
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Hi Danielle,
You’ve made a strong link between Development Education and the needs of your school community and your multicultural setting provides many real opportunities for children to learn about different experiences and perspectives.
I also love the mosquito quote, not one I’ve heard of before but so simple and apt. Staying on how small actions can make a difference, small actions can make a difference, as a next step, you could explore a simple pupil-led action project, helping children see how small actions in their school or community can contribute to wider global issues such as equality, sustainability or inclusion.
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