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Hi Ciara, I think its really important children have a good knowledge of Climate Change and its effects. I think making it relatable for children by investigating the effects of climate change in their own areas is a really valid point.
Hi Aisling, think you made some really valid points! Crazy how something as small as hair can determine gender to young kids
I really liked your idea of the suggestion boxes around the school to give a voice to the children, especially those who may not feel ready to be vocal about their ideas yet.
I really liked how you included inquiry based learning through real world links as I think it is crucial that children can relate to their learning.
Its crazy to see how these gender stereotypes have impacted children as young as infants. Hopefully through DE we can change the norm !!
Hi Nicole,
I appreciate your ideas on how we can individually help the decline of Climate Change as they are accessible for people and while they are small steps, through cooperation we can all make a difference
Hi Orla,
Some really great ideas. I like the idea of upcycling and possibly even doing a ‘junk couture’ event to promote reusing and recycling. Kids would also find this fun and engaging !
I have noticed the impact of Climate Change to Ireland as a whole. Firstly, we are experiencing rising temperatures and random heatwaves. While this was enjoyable at the beginning, not it is merely a sign that we are going in the wrong direction. On the other side of this, we have also experienced intense rainfall and more frequent storms then ever before. These storms have caused immense damage to peoples homes and livelihoods as well as even ending in death. People living in the countryside are more at risk as they can be isolated from others and harder to reach in cases of emergency. The seasons seem to have lost their pattern as we have experienced some of our hottest weather in September and our worst storms in March/April. It is quite clear that climate change waits for no-one and action must be taken now.
Children are the future and it is important that they are involved in change. Encouraging different initiatives to help combat climate change will facilitate children to step up and take action.
1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – irradicating single use plastic and the dumping of endless plastics would really benefit with how much waste we have to tackle. Using reusable bottles and discarding of rubbish appropriately are accessible ways people can help
2.Stop the fuel – Having whole school initiatives such as ‘Walk on Wednesday’ or ‘Bike to School’ might encourage those who can to leave their cars at home and walk/cycle/scooter etc. This of course depends on the families situation which is why it is important to approach it in a sensitive manner
3. Energy conservation – Having light monitors and water watchers in the school can prevent lights and computers being left on or taps running out.
As for SSE, schools need to evaluate what they are doing to help stop this climate crisis and encourage different initiatives throughout the school. It is also their priority to ensure that children are being taught about this pressing issue and encouraged to make change.
The story of the pupil is touching and I’m glad to hear he was welcomed with open arms. It sounds as though he has made great progress and I hope he continues to do so in the future.
The Crosscare Migrant Project are Dublin based and provide information, advocacy, and guidance to migrants, including refugees, non-EEA nationals, and individuals with non-EEA family members. They help people to navigate Ireland’s immigration, asylum, and integration systems.
They help give people guidance about welfare, social protection and housing, family reunification and cultural integration. They are available through phone, email or in-person appointments. They are co-funded by the EU Asylum Migration & Integration Fund and supported by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth as well as the HSE, Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission, and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
It is important that children are aware of and are sensitive to this topic. Many children in Ireland are going through immigration and seeking asylum right now so it is critical that they feel welcomed and supported. This can be done through incorporating stories of refugees during class lessons such as SPHE and SESE as well as through the Literacy curriculum. Creating a ‘buddy’ system for children who join the school can make them feel at ease when starting this new period in their lives. Encouraging multicultural events can also highlight the welcoming nature of the school.
Allowing the children to research local organisations that help refugees and make contact with them would also be a benficial initiative that encourages childrens learning and can allow educators to reflect on their approaches to this topic which will encourage SSE
Hi Orla,
you have come up with some really great ideas on how to promote and encourage children to take action against different global issues
Climate Change has been a topic that has been prevalent since I myself was in Primary School. It has been widely talked about on the news, through social media outlets as well as from activists such as Greta Thunberg. However, it has not only been spoken about, its effects have also been seen nationwide and globally through extreme weather conditions such as storms and excessive heat as well as the rapid decline and extinction of many animals. I have seen first hand children becoming increasingly weary about excessive rainfall and their families being effected by flooding and storms.
Climate change is a pressing issue and it is important that children understand there is a way that we can help combat this problem. Gaining an understanding is key to giving children the tools they need to become active citizens. Once they understand the effects of climate change, they can begin to understand why and how they can take action.
Through projects, children can research the causes and effects of climate change such as excessive consumption and overuse of fuels. Using a whole school approach and encouraging SSE, children could create posters and signs for the community to encourage others to take action. More initiatives could include encouraging others to ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ and energy conservation through light monitors etc.
Allowing the children to have ownership of such projects will give them a sense of independence and encourage them to form their own opinions and ideas. This way teachers can monitor if they are supporting the children correctly on their learning journey. From there, both teachers and children can progress with heir learning of other Sustainable Development goals.
Hi Colm,
It is no surprise to me how gender stereotypes have already impacted many childrens views of themselves and others. I liked how you mentioned the use of role-play and drama to allow children to view themselves in different roles that go against ‘tradition’. I think this is a great idea and can easily be incorporated into the classroom as a fun and engaging lesson.
From my teaching experience, I have seen already the impact gender stereotypes has on children. Children are led to believe from a very young age that liking certain toys or colors or games depends on whether you are a boy or a girl. I have seen first hand how gender stereotypes have already impacted certain children. While practicing for our Easter play, I noticed many of the boys would not sing the Taylor Swift song as opposed to all the girls who screamed the lyrics. One child openly said that he did not want to sing it because of his gender. Sadly, I was not surprised by this response from the boys as society has evoked a sense of fear of being picked on or bullied for liking certain things.
Developmental Education focuses on breaking gender stereotypes through interactive and child led lessons which I think will greatly benefit students. It is important to gain an understanding as to what children believe ‘gender’ is and their opinions of what are considered ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ things. Through DE, it is my hope that children will begin to understand that they can do anything they wish to do and it is not defined by their gender. In turn this will promote and encourage children’s aspirations and prevent children from limiting themselves. It is important that children see themselves represented through different stories/discussion that engage the children and actively involve them.
DE can also feed into SSE by promoting its themes including inclusion, collaboration, kindness, acceptance and openness. Encouraging this within the classroom and the wider school community will foster a welcoming and accepting environment. Here children will learn that society should not and will not limit them from being who they want to be.
Hi Colm,
I liked how you have come up with ways in which you would incorporate DE into your own classroom and how you emphasized that it should be ‘student-led’. I think it is really important to allow students to feel a sense of pride and ownership of their work, especially when it comes to the topics raised in the article.