[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Kate,

Welcome to the course and thank you for your contribution here. You have offered many practical and useful examples of how AI can enhance our teaching and reduce our workload as educators. While many are worried about AI being used to plagiarize, you have shared how it can actually be used to check and guard against this (particularly relevant at second level).

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Orla,

Thank you for your contribution here and you are very welcome to the course. It is absolutely true to point out the changes that have occurred in Irish society and Irish education over the past 40 years. Development education can provide a pathway to children becoming more informed about local and global issues, and the plight of people in other countries. The new draft Wellbeing & SEE curricula may be a useful reference point for you to consider as you progress through the course.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Sarah,

Thank you for your post. I am sure that it is the experience of many. This video where Douglas Clements shared his views on play in mathematics (https://vimeo.com/167398222) may be of interest. Here he explains how gender stereotyping can have a significant impact on the ability of boys and girls in mathematics, particularly Shape and Space. Such attainment differences can have an impact on the choice of subjects at second level and on career choices.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Laura,

Thanks for your post. I fully agree that children come to school with gender stereotypes firmly ingrained in so many cases. Experiences will differ, and I actually spoke to someone today who had the opposite experience – she said she found girls were more reluctant to get involved in construction play. Regardless of this, its so important that we provide children with the opportunities to challenge these stereotypes and ask themselves ‘why’ they think or feel like this.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Rachel,

Thank you for your post here. Personally, I couldn’t recommend Immersive Reader enough for use in the classroom. I have seen transformative effects for children on the back of its use. For those with only Google devices, a variety of Chrome add-ons can be used as a substitute, such as HelperBird.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Emer,

Thanks for your post. I love how you have used such a topical and relevant example to demonstrate how it is possible for females to break into traditionally male-dominated fields, such as jockeying. Sports stories have been to the fore recently – the Irish women’s team at the World Cup are a perfect example of this. The more examples we have of gender stereotypes being broken down, the more we will be able to challenge them from all perspectives.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Emma,

Welcome to the course and thank you for your post here. It is amazing that you have said that you only expect to have 3 Irish pupils in your class next year. Whilst development education is important in all classrooms, I can see your point around how you will prioritize this area in particular within SESE. Subsequent modules of global development issues and migration should prove helpful for you.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Anna Lucia,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for your post here, and your clear overview of the importance and relevance of development education. You have touched upon a number of key themes, which will be discussed in greater detail later in the course, such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Green Schools programme, within the context of climate change.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Catherine,

While many schools have welcomed children from different countries in recent years, it is astounding that as many as 40 nationalities are present in your school. It truly is a sign of the welcoming nature of the Irish people and local communities across the country. It is wonderful to hear about all of the great work that is being done in your school, and across Longford, to help welcome these new families. I really like the cultural days you have mentioned – these sound like they would bring great fun and colour to the whole school, whilst also serving a very important purpose.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Enda,

I think many of us here can relate to what you are saying about how we can see the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on our local communities in recent years. Children are also experiencing this, and unfortunately know no different. You have provided some very useful suggestions for getting the school community on board. If space was there, I love your tree-planting idea. Each tree could be planted for a particular purpose and children would always be aware of that, both in school and the local community.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Seán,

Schools and community organisations have been able to provide so many additional supports to migrant and refugee children in recent years. It has showcased so much of what is good about local areas. I really like your suggestion around the implementation of school-wide practices to education children about the plight of refugees – very often children already enrolled in our schools have no idea about what life was like for the migrant children that have joined us here. Highlighting this is so important for all involved.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Emer,

Welcome to the course and thank you for your post here. You are correct in pointing out that this area, like so many others, requires education for us all. I love how you have been able to relate something that exists in many schools (Green Schools) and have tied it in with the themes of development education. This model and approach is one which we could take and apply to other themes within this area.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Barbara,

Many thanks for your post here. It really is interesting to think that the pre-conceived stereotyping children come to primary school with can have such an impact on their future subject choice/career. Research would point to a significantly lower proportion of female students sitting chemistry, physics and other similar Leaving Cert subjects. Young children can often view things as a ‘girls’ or ‘boys’ activity, and like you have said it is very important to provide opportunities for children themselves to challenge these in a safe and supportive environment.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Seán,

You have highlighted some of the key themes and sub-themes that can be addressed through development education, such as critical thinking and empathy. These make up central themes of the key competencies located in the Primary Curriculum Framework, and will be key to future curriculum rollouts, particularly in Wellbeing and STE. As you have pointed out within your post, the organisation of simple things like intercultural days can also be transformative for progressing these themes.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Catherine,

It is certainly fair to say that Ireland has changed so much over the past 40 years, and we are now a truly multicultural society. This has heightened the need and importance of development education and global development themes in our schools. I like the way you have highlighted the importance of collaboration in terms of developing this, and you have provided some excellent concrete examples of projects they could become involved in.

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