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I whole heartedly agree with you Susan, drawing on their experiences and observations of the world around them is far more beneficial than bombarding them with facts. It makes it far more meaningful and have a much greater impact on them. Great idea to discuss this current heat wave with the children as a starting point!
Climate change is no longer a distant global issue; it is something that is increasingly visible within our own local community. As an urban school, we have observed changes such as more frequent heavy rainfall, periods of unusually warm weather, and an increased awareness of the importance of protecting biodiversity and using resources sustainably. Although our school has very little green space, these challenges have encouraged us to think creatively about how we can make a positive contribution to our local environment.
One initiative that we as a school area particularly proud of is the small green area beside our car park, where we have planted trees as our contribution to tackling climate change. While it is only a modest space, it demonstrates to pupils that every action, no matter how small, can make a difference. Watching the trees grow over the years provides a tangible reminder of our commitment to creating a more sustainable future and reinforces the importance of caring for our environment.
Our school has achieved six Green Flags through the Green-Schools programme, recognising our work in the areas of Litter and Waste, Biodiversity, Energy, Water, Travel, and Global Citizenship. These achievements reflect a whole-school commitment to sustainability rather than isolated projects. They have been made possible through the enthusiasm and dedication of our very active Green School Committee, whose members play a key role in leading initiatives, promoting environmental awareness, and encouraging the wider school community to adopt more sustainable practices. Their leadership empowers pupils to see themselves as active participants in protecting the environment rather than passive learners.
Reflecting on my own practice, I believe that engaging pupils with climate change is most effective when learning is relevant, practical, and connected to their own experiences. Rather than focusing solely on the challenges associated with climate change, I encourage pupils to explore positive actions that they can take within their school and local community. This helps to develop a sense of agency and hope, ensuring that pupils feel empowered rather than overwhelmed. One way in which I do this is through the Picker Pals Programme. The children thoroughly enjoy taking the Picker Pals kit home, involving their families in litter-picking activities, and helping to keep their local communities clean. The programme not only reinforces the importance of caring for the environment but also strengthens the connection between school, home, and community. Seeing pupils take pride in making a visible difference in their own neighbourhoods is incredibly rewarding and demonstrates how environmental responsibility can extend beyond the classroom. Through initiatives such as Picker Pals, our Green School Committee, and our ongoing sustainability projects, pupils develop a strong sense of environmental stewardship while recognising that even small individual actions can collectively have a significant impact.
I had not come across World Refugee Day either Amy and I too feel this is definitely something worth exploring.
I am not currently aware of any organisations working directly with refugees in our local community. Through my own research, I came across Crosscare, which provides a range of supports for migrants and refugees. While I am aware of the services they offer, I am not familiar with their work in practice. In our school, we strive to create a warm, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all refugee children and their families. We recognise that starting in a new school and adapting to a new country can be a challenging experience, so we aim to make every child feel safe, valued, and respected from the outset.
class.Where possible, if there is a child in the class who speaks the same language as a newly arrived pupil, we seat them together to provide comfort and support during the transition. If there is no child in the class from the same linguistic or cultural background, we introduce the pupil to children in other classes who share their language or nationality and provide opportunities for them to spend time together. These simple but meaningful connections help foster a sense of belonging and can make the transition into school life much less daunting for both the child and their family
We also celebrate and embrace the diverse cultures represented within our school community. Each year, we hold an Intercultural Week, during which every class chooses a country represented by one of the pupils in their class. Throughout the week, children learn about that country’s culture, traditions, food, music, language,
This provides an opportunity for all pupils to develop a greater appreciation of different cultures while allowing children to share and celebrate their own heritage with pride.
To further support inclusion, we have created welcome packs that include greetings in all the languages spoken by children in our school. These greetings are displayed throughout the school and help ensure that every child and family feels acknowledged, welcomed, and valued from the moment they enter our school community. We believe that celebrating diversity in these ways helps to create a culture of respect, belonging, and inclusion for everyone.That is an excellent and very relevant topic to choose in relation to area 5 as it makes it more meaningful to the children and integrates well with subjects like SPHE, Geography and Wellbeing
One Sustainable Development Goal that is particularly relevant in my school community is SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities. This goal focuses on ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, nationality or circumstances, has equal opportunities to participate fully in society. It also links closely with SDG 4 (Quality Education), as all children have the right to inclusive, equitable education, and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies.
Local Context
In my school, we have children from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Some children and their families are currently living in emergency accommodation or hotels, having arrived in Ireland seeking safety from conflict, poverty or persecution. These include families from countries in Africa, Syria and Ukraine.
Many of these children have experienced disruption to their education, language barriers, trauma and the challenges of adapting to a new country. They may feel isolated or different from their peers. As teachers, it is essential that we create an inclusive environment where every child feels welcomed, valued and respected. Supporting these children also provides valuable opportunities for all pupils to develop empathy, respect for diversity and an understanding of global citizenship.
In line with ESD to 2030 Priority Action Area 5 – Accelerating Local Level Action, we as a school already encourage our students to become active participants in creating a welcoming and inclusive school community. We have designed multilingual welcome posters and information booklets in languages represented within our school community, including Ukrainian and Arabic. We also celebrate different cultures through Intercultural Week, where families share food, music, stories and traditions from their home countries.
Other ideas going forward could include:
- Establishing a Buddy System to help new pupils settle into school and build friendships.
- Reading stories from different cultures and discussing themes of belonging, kindness and inclusion.
- Inviting parents and community members to share aspects of their culture, languages and traditions, helping all children recognise diversity as a strength.
Our theme for the fortnight was ‘People Who Help Us’. So for role play activities I had toy tools, construction hats, dolls, and medical kits on a table. Several boys immediately picked up the tools, while many girls chose the dolls. That in itself showed me how already at that young age boys and girls are being veered towards certain types of toys. Then when one of the girls reached for a construction hat, a classmate said, “Girls can’t be builders.” I briefly dealt with the situation and told the child that she of course can be a builder but then left it at that.
After completing this module and reflecting on it I can see how we as teachers can challenge biased comments in a supportive way, provide non-stereotypical learning materials, and create opportunities for all children to participate equally. The sample lessons given in this module are excellent for this and definitely something I will use going forward. This helps foster empathy, confidence, critical thinking, and respect for diversity from an early age.
Development education can combat gender stereotypes by questioning stereotypes and recognising equality, fairness, and respect for everyone. Through inclusive stories, discussions, cooperative play, and exposure to diverse role models, children learn that interests, careers, and abilities are not determined by gender
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I agree. Children do naturally make gender stereotypes and it is important to discuss and gently challenge these. Some of the lessons in the module would be ideal for this.
Development Education is an essential part of modern education because it helps students understand the world around them, develop empathy, think critically, and recognise that they can make a positive difference both locally and globally. It encourages young people to explore issues such as poverty, inequality, climate change, human rights, migration, and social justice, while empowering them to become active, responsible global citizens.
It was mentioned in the module that development education should not be seen as something separate and extra that needs to be covered. This really struck a chord with me due to the ever increasing work load we endeavour to grapple with. It should be viewed as an approach that can be embedded across the curriculum. Opportunities naturally arise in subjects such as Geography, History, English, Science, SPHE, Visual Arts, and even Mathematics. For example, students can investigate climate change in Science, explore migration and diversity in History, examine global statistics in Mathematics, or discuss equality and inclusion through stories in English. Integrating Development Education across subjects enables pupils to make meaningful connections between their learning and the wider world.
I am fortunate to work in a school that has been awarded the Green Flag for Global Citizenship. We are very commited to promoting sustainability, equality, diversity, and responsible global citizenship. Reflecting on this, I realise that the Green Flag should not simply be viewed as an award but as an ongoing commitment to embedding global citizenship throughout school life. It provides a strong foundation upon which teachers can continue to develop meaningful learning experiences that encourage students to think critically about global challenges and recognise their own ability to make a positive impact.