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I agree Patrick that the effects of Climate change are becoming more evident in the garden. It feels as though the seasons are changing and plants are growing much earlier or later than they used to. Unpredictable weather patterns are having a real effect on biodiversity
The effects of climate change are having a direct impact on my local area. We have seen a major increases in storms and extreme weather conditions. Only a few months, storm Éowyn caused significant damage in the Phoenix Park. Fallen trees were a major issue and one tree in particular fell through the wall and into my neighbour’s garden. It was very fortunate that no one was injured.
As was mentioned in Module 5 pupils are coming to school and most already have a certain amount of knowledge about climate change. As teachers it can be a daunting topic to address for fear of causing anxiety. I have seen children suffering from anxiety really struggle with this topic. However, as mentioned by the teacher in the ‘Climate change – a worldwide view’ video, it is important to look as this topic using high quality material. Therefore, I would engage my pupils using the viewpoint that we can make a difference and we can be proactive about climate change.
Below are three actions we can take to make the world a better place and slow down climate change:
1. Reduce Waste – minimise waste by reducing consumption, recycling and shopping responsibly. Planning meals can be a very effective way to reduce food waste. Fast fashion is having a devastating effect on our world so it is important to support ethical brands and extend the life of clothing through care and repair.
2. Transportation – by choosing to cycle, walk or use public transport we can help to slow down climate change. Car pooling is also a great option if its suitable.
3. Demand Action – advocate for change from our local elected officials. We need to make our voice heard and support local organisations fighting for change.
SSE:
The School Self Evaluation process looks at what is best practice and motivates us to take action in our own schools on areas that need improvement. In my opinion, Development Education feeds directly into this process. By using SMART goals we can use a structured framework for achieving our objectives. As mentioned in Module 5 Development Education is cross curricular and embraces the voice of the pupil. It aims to raise awareness and deepen understanding of global issues. In today’s world, it is essential to inspire and empower our pupils to take meaningful action.
Wow Orla what an incredible story ! Your past pupil sounds so brave and resilient. It is clear that he had so much potential which was nurtured by an extremely caring community around him. Thank you so much for sharing , very inspirational !
There are several agencies in our area which work to support refugees. Spirasi the National Center for Supporting Victims of Torture is located on the North Circular Road. Crosscare also has a presence in our area in Dublin city, offering support services through its In-Reach and Refugee Services.
When thinking about how my school can take action to support and welcome refugees in our are several opportunities come to mind. Firstly the word welcome is so important. In order to ensure we make refugees feel welcome in our country and our school we need to raise awareness about how and why people become refugees. We can create a welcoming environment for all of our pupils by exploring different cultures and traditions. In our School we use pride month to celebrate diversity in all its forms. We use story books such as ‘Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine’ to open discussions about different heritages. Fundraisers are also a great way to take action. If working with senior classes children could write to their local elected officials to advocate for better rights for refugees. Helping our pupils to empathise with and care for each other is vital in their development as global citizens.
I really like the idea of asking students to investigate local businesses and assessing the sustainability of their practices. This would be a great way to promote critical and independent thinking skills. It also highlights the collective responsibility we all have to take action. Thanks for sharing Claire.
I would begin by looking at the topic of poverty and I would examine Sustainable Development Goal 1 – to end poverty in all it’s forms everywhere. This is an issue that affects children globally and is becoming ever more evident at a local level also.
To begin, I would introduce the topic of Inequality and examine what it means and why it is so important. The video ‘100 people in the world’ is a good resource to help children make sense of global inequality. Children have an innate sense of fairness and from a very young age, they recognise when something feels unjust or unequal. To motivate the class to take action and think about what we can do I would start with brainstorming ideas and class discussion. Project work would be very effective in this situation. Facilitating debates would be another powerful method for involving pupils in critical thinking around this sustainable development goal.
It is important to encourage the children to take action and to remind them that we all have a stake in this world. Every action no matter how small can make a difference.
I agree with Colm about how stereotypical assumptions can limit children. My own daughter used to tell me that girls couldn’t be funny or cool only boys could. We know that these gender stereotypes have a direct impact on the future of many children. It is vital that we continue to debunk these traditional views through inclusive learning.
Although I have been teaching in an all boys school it is still fascinating to observe the gender stereo types that exist even at a young age. On regular occasions I have come across pupils telling each other to ‘man up’ or use the phrase ‘boys don’t cry’. If throw away statements like these are left unchallenged they become embedded in young minds and mistaken for truth.
In September our school will become co educational and I am excited about the change that lies ahead. I am also acutely aware of the importance to acknowledge that gender stereotypes exist and to enable our pupils to become critical thinkers and dismantle these stereotypical notions. This is where development education methodologies can help. Creating an environment that is learner centered and process centered gives the pupils the space to explore and confront stereotypes.
Challenging gender stereotypes feeds directly into SSE. When looking to make improvements in pupils learning and deciding what is best practice for our schools we must base our decisions on inclusivity and ensure that we are effectively promoting equality for all.
Thanks for the examples of activities Orla. I used to do a lot of debating when I thought fifth and sixth class in particular and I agree that it is a very effective way to help pupils develop their critical thinking skills . Debating can provide ample opportunities for pupils to analyse and discuss global issues and identify how complex they are.
I found Eric Ehigie’s paper extremely thought provoking and insightful. He speaks of an innate common humanity and how we can easily ‘become distracted from the fact that we are living in a global village that we all have a stake in’. Development Education is important for so many reasons. We are living in very uncertain times and can often feel helpless to make a difference. By encouraging independent and critical thinking we can help our pupils to develop their system of self that Ehigie talks about. This is vital in order to continue to motivate our pupils to take social action no matter how small.
This year I took part in a ‘Nature Explorer’ program. We explored our school garden and our local environment. I found this a great starting point for the younger classes to begin to develop a sense of global citizenship. The key three rules were to look after yourself, nature and each other. I believe these tie in well with the ethos of Development Education.
Encouraging colleagues to plan development activities throughout our schools can be a challenge. Teachers are under huge pressure with overloaded curriculum’s and packed timetables. I think that Croke park hours can be a great time to start the conversation around global citizenship. It can seem like a very daunting topic but it is important to start small and then build on the progress. Highlighting to teachers that Development Education focuses on process rather than progress is very important.
In our school, we hold two knowledge-sharing weeks a year where we demonstrate and observe each other’s lessons. These sessions not only inspire and motivate teachers, but also highlight practical ways to embed Development Education into the existing curriculum.
Development Education feeds naturally into SSE. It is a great opportunity to allow the student voice to be heard. SSE focuses on how to improve learning environments and uses a collaborative approach to achieve this. By helping our pupils to develop their independent and critical thinking skills we are actively contributing to this improvement .
I found Eric Ehigie’s paper extremely thought provoking and insightful. He speaks of an innate common humanity and how we can easily ‘become distracted from the fact that we are living in a global village that we all have a stake in’. Development Education is important for so many reasons. We are living in very uncertain times and can often feel helpless to make a difference. By encouraging independent and critical thinking we can help our pupils to develop their system of self that Ehigie talks about. This is vital in order to continue to motivate our pupils to take social action no matter how small.
This year I took part in a ‘Nature Explorer’ programme. We explored our school garden and our local environment. I found this a great starting point for the younger classes to begin to develop a sense of global citizenship. The key three rules were to look after yourself, nature and each other. I believe these tie in well with the ethos of Development Education.
Encouraging colleagues to plan development activities throughout our schools can be a challenge. Teachers are under huge pressure with overloaded curriculum’s and packed timetables. I think that croke park hours can be a great time to start the conversation around global citizenship. It can seem like a very daunting topic but it is important to start small and then build on the progress. Highlighting to teachers that Development Education focuses on process rather than progress is very important.
In our school, we hold two knowledge-sharing weeks a year where we demonstrate and observe each other’s lessons. These sessions not only inspire and motivate teachers, but also highlight practical ways to embed Development Education into the existing curriculum.
Development Education feeds naturally into SSE. It is a great opportunity to allow the student voice to be heard. SSE focuses on how to improve learning environments and uses a collaborative approach to achieve this. By helping our pupils to develop their independent and critical thinking skills we are actively contributing to this improvement .