[Grace Cummins]

Teaching critical thinking and digital literacy is vital in the times we live so that children can make informed judgements on what they are reading online as there are many very badly informed social media posts around the issue of refugees and asylum seekers.

[Grace Cummins]

There are lots of ways schools can welcome and support refugee children into the wider school community. This is an excellent opportunity for our  student’s councils to develop their leadership skills and student voice as they can represent the feelings and ideas of the general student body. These pupils could help refugee children to settle into their new environment by buddying up with them for yard time etc and explaining daily school procedures. My school has help multi cultural days in the past as we have a very diverse student population and this helps increase the children’s understanding of and compassion for people from different backgrounds.  As teachers we can use opportunities presented to us in SPHE lessons to cater for the wellbeing of these children. As my school doesn’t yet have any refugee children enrolled I feel that now would be a good time to being the SSE process to ensure that we would have a workable plan in place should the occasion arise.

[Grace Cummins]

Science Projects
Project Ideas:

Weather Tracking:

Equip students with tools to measure rainfall, temperature, and wind speed.
Use online databases and apps to gather historical weather data.
Create graphs and charts to visualize changes and patterns over time.
Discuss the implications of these patterns on agriculture and daily life.
Impact Studies:

Assign small groups to investigate how specific weather events have impacted local areas.
Include interviews with local farmers, community leaders, and residents.
Document their findings in reports or presentations.
Resources Needed:

Weather tracking equipment (rain gauges, thermometers, anemometers).
Access to historical weather data (online databases, local weather stations).
Presentation materials (poster boards, software for digital presentations).

Actions to Combat Climate Change
In-Class Initiatives:

Reducing Energy Consumption:

Conduct an energy audit of the school.
Implement simple changes like switching off lights, using energy-efficient bulbs, and promoting natural lighting.
Create awareness campaigns within the school to encourage energy-saving habits.
Sustainable Transportation: Organize a “Bike to School” day.
Set up a carpooling system or promote the use of public transportation among students and staff.
Create educational materials about the benefits of walking and biking.
Waste Reduction: Set up recycling bins around the school and educate students on proper sorting.
Start a composting program for food waste from the cafeteria.
Launch a campaign to reduce single-use plastics, such as encouraging the use of reusable water bottles and lunch containers.

[Grace Cummins]

Traffic is a huge problem where my school is too and it is hard to get decent numbers taking part in the walking bus initiative.

[Grace Cummins]

Hi Conor, I agree that encouraging children to become global citizens is key. For too long countries and governments just focussed on issues pertaining just to them and neglected to address how we are all connected on a global level and one countries actions can have a massive impact elsewhere.

[Grace Cummins]

Educating children about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is essential for fostering a generation committed to creating a better future. To achieve this, we can can integrate SDG concepts into the curriculum through engaging and age-appropriate activities. Storytelling, hands-on projects, and interactive lessons can make complex topics like climate action, quality education, and reduced inequalities more accessible and relatable. Encouraging children to participate in community service and environmental conservation projects can provide practical experience and a sense of responsibility. Digital platforms and educational games can also enhance learning by making it fun and interactive. Allowing classroom discussions about global issues  classrooms can help children develop a global perspective and empathy. By creating a supportive learning environment, we can inspire children to become proactive in addressing the challenges outlined by the SDGs and contribute to sustainable development.

[Grace Cummins]

It is a tough one Janet but I too am reluctant to stop the children playing with their chosen toys regardless of those toys being viewed as gender stereotypical.

[Grace Cummins]

I have moved from teaching in an all boys school where the boys held very rigid views about the differences between them and girls to a mixed senior school where the same stereotypes seem to apply. The boys prefer to spend break times playing ball games while the girls prefer to chat and read books. This is despite efforts to widen their horizons and encourage them to play together but the girls can’t get their heads around the boys’ obsession with playing football. I am undecided as to whether these differences are as a result of biological differences or the stereotypical roles that society assigns to boys ad girls almost as soon as they are born.

[Grace Cummins]

We are a large senior school and have a very diverse population, the children love taking part in  multi cultural days and learning about each other’s cultures.

[Grace Cummins]

Development Education addresses the global challenges and problems we face today, helping us understand and respond to these issues. As global citizens, our actions and words have a worldwide impact. This education is crucial as it equips students with the knowledge and skills to address problems like poverty, inequality, and climate change on an individual level, within the school community, and as global citizens. Developing critical thinking and empathy in students is essential.

Subjects such as SPHE, circle time, and SESE are ideal for fostering global citizenship. Additionally, professional development for staff and whole school initiatives can raise awareness of global issues and enhance critical thinking skills. Celebrating and recognizing differences within the school community is also important and serves as a great starting point for younger children. In my infant school, Green School projects have been excellent for encouraging school-wide participation. This year, we focused on waste and sustainability, and even very young children learned about recycling, energy conservation, and sustainability through fun and engaging activities.

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