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The three ways in which I would try to encourage children to make the world a better place would be:
1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
I would try to promote a culture of reducing waste, reusing items, and recycling materials. Encourage students and their families to drop bottles to school as part of a fundraiser for the deposit return scheme.
2. Energy Conservation
Advocate for energy-saving practices both at school and at home. Simple actions like turning off lights when not in use, using energy-efficient appliances, and promoting renewable energy sources can make a significant difference. The student council could coordinate this. We previously designed signs for each classroom with tips to save energy and each class appointed an electricity monitor for the term.
3. Support Local Agriculture
Start a school garden where students can learn about farming practices and grow their own food. Grow onion, potatoes, kale, lettuce etc.By integrating these ways into the educational experience, children will not only learn about climate change but also feel compelled to make a positive impact on their local environment and the world.
Also think bringing in local people is a great way to see how climate change is impacting the local area.
Supporting refugees and welcoming them into the community can be a very positive experience for both the refugees and the local population. Our school population is very diverse and we have a large proportion of pupils who have sought international protection.
There are also several local organisations who are involved in supporting refugees in the local community. The local international resource centre, and HSE social inclusion put on a training day for teachers called Understanding the needs of those seeking international Protection in Ireland in the education system which was very helpful and informative. Our HSCL in the school worked with the local international resource centre who researched the needs of migrant families arriving into Tralee. They received funding to employ an education support worker whose job is to link with the main town schools to support those who are arriving into the local area and to make to the transition to the Irish education system a more fluid and positive process.
The Sustainable Development Goal related to Climate Action (13) addresses the need to tackle climate change and the impact of it. Children are vulnerable to the effects of climate change, through the health impact of pollution, extreme weather events, and disruptions to their education and their every day lives.
Encouraging Students to Take Action
I would encourage children to engage with the SDG by Teaching them about the effects of climate change through lessons, and talk and discussion. I would organise projects in conjunction with the green school flag where children can assess their school’s carbon footprint and come up with ways to reduce this. This could include energy-saving measures, reducing waste, and promoting recycling.One very successful fundraiser our school has ran for the last few months is collecting plastic bottles from the children for the deposit return scheme. There are monthly draws for families who bring in their recycling. This has been very effective and is promoting recycling in the school and in the local community.
Yes Tree planting is a lovely thing to be able to do as a school. We did this this year and the children loved it.
Gender stereotyping can have a huge impact on children from a very young age, and can influence their self-esteem, interests, and academic choices. We were doing a Science week project last year where the class were split into different groups- One group was to run the experiments and another was to design posters for Science week. The boys gravitated to the experiments and the girls to the art side of things in some sort of unconscious stereotyping that exists.
Through development Education, children can learn about the diverse roles individuals play in different cultures For example, showcasing female scientists and male nurses can develop a deeper understanding of gender roles. Through the promotion of an inclusive and equal classroom environment through development education, we can teach children about breaking free from gender stereotypes, and to be free from these shackles. This in time will lead to a more just, fair and equitable society.Yes it appears to be the natural order of children playing not all the time but the vast majority of time.
‘The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World’ highlights the importance of Development Education. DE helps children understand global issues, fosters empathy, and develops the child as an active citizen Now more than ever the world is smaller and more accessible than it has ever been and it is essential for children to develop a sense of responsibility and awareness on a global level.
Group projects on poverty, climate change and fair trade can encourage critical thinking and empathy. A project on the the impact of pollution on the seas can be easily linked back to the local community and we organised a clean up day on the local beach off the back off this.
The yellow flag programme which our school engaged with this year promotes cultural diversity and also we are hoping to become a school of sanctuary next year where welcome and inclusion are placed at the heart of the school’s identity. It also teaches both staff and children to learn the whys and hows of giving sanctuary especially to refugees, migrants and other marginalised groups.
We have taken part in the debating before and it is fantastic for children to learn about development education.
This would be lovely to do, I work in a school where this would not be possible but how lovely for children to get the opportunity to hear the stories of old.
Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky? For example: Look up President Michael D Higgins’ “Stardust”
Sky full of stars
Reach for the stars
When you wish upon a star
Moon river
Starman
Space oddity
Fly me to the moon
Dancing in the moonlight
Man on the moon
Moon dance
Moonshadow
Talking to the moon….they would love to learn this one…
Poetry:
The moon by Robert Louis Stephenson
Sonnet 14
Art:
Vincent van gogh- starry night
Non named celetial art…..
You could let the children creatively respond to the theme of dark skies using the resources availbale in your room. Maybe some opposite art with black and white sugar paper, or looking and responding to other online sources of artwork. You could also ask the class to deign posters that could be used in an educational awareness campaign about light pollution and what we need to do to make changes.
You’re lucky to be teaching in an area that provides such an array of possibilities for field studies.
I think we have learned so much about biodiveristy in recent years and the older classes will already have a lot of knowledge banked about the topic. We can continually develop and expand on this each year. This year in my own class I had a guest speaker in talking about biodiviersity in general first and then in particular marine life, it was very interesting. Building on this I brought my class on a sea safari and we studies the biodiveristy of the local coastlife, we completed projects first and then went out on a field trip to the beach with Sea Synergy Ireland and conducted a seashore safari. The kids were fascinated by what they found and it sets the seeds early about protecting their local environment. Building on this next year, we could discuss light pollution to plants and animals in the area. We could list all the areas that are rich in biodiveristy in our locality and how we can utilise better strategies to enable better biodiviersity.
I would try to implement Space Week in the classroom while integrating as many Curricular areas as possible.
Some suggestions of activities that I think would be very effective in the younger classes would be
Having a space area in the room with vocabulary, pictures etc.
If the class use Aistear then you could tie in the theme of Space for the week in the Role play, construction, Art area,
Make a Space Passport- I think this is a lovely idea for the infant classes
Design a 2d shape alien- integration with maths
Drama- Act out a space walk- stimulus watching Neil Armstrong taking the first steps on the moon on You Tube
Visual Arts- Design your own rockets using foam sheets and use paper and tinfoil to make the planets and the stars
English- Read the story “Back to Earth with a bump” and discuss
Music- The planets song- Five little men in a flying saucer
Make Alien Slime using cornflour and conditioner.
