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We do a whole school beach clean each year and it is a wonderful day for all involved. I would highly recommend it.
Climate change is already impacting our local area through increased rainfall, more frequent flooding, and noticeable changes in local biodiversity. Trees are flowering earlier, and pollinator numbers are declining. These subtle but significant changes provide real, tangible learning opportunities for pupils. In my classroom, I would begin with a nature walk around the school to observe local environmental changes, followed by discussions using images, data, and news articles. Pupils would record their observations in climate journals and explore the science behind what they see.
To inspire action, I would involve them in three key projects:
Creating a school biodiversity garden to support local wildlife.
Reducing energy use by leading a “Switch It Off” campaign.
Writing letters to local representatives asking for more climate-friendly policies.
These activities empower children to be part of the solution while developing critical thinking, empathy, and agency.
Development Education & SSE:
Development Education supports SSE by embedding global citizenship, critical reflection, and student voice into teaching and learning—promoting whole-school improvement through meaningful, values-based actiI fully agree with your comment that we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. There are amazing initiatives going on in many schools all around the country, and like you say theses are not just beneficial to the refugee children but all children regardless of nationality.
In our community, a direct provision centre houses around 90 asylum seekers, while approximately 200 Ukrainians and potentially hundreds more pass through or settle in the community as we are a ferry port location.
Local volunteer groups like “Rosslare Harbour Friends of Ukraine”, Wexford Volunteer Centre, and Rotary Wexford have coordinated food, clothing, language tuition, and integration supports
Amid community debates about service capacity,our school serves as a “School of Sanctuary”, welcoming students from 17 nationalities and running refugee integration programmes.
Our school can support refugees by:
Partnering with local organisations, such as Wexford Volunteer Centre or Rosslare Friends of Ukraine, coordinating donation drives or language support for asylum-seeking families.
Implementing a “School of Sanctuary” framework, training staff and students in refugee-inclusive practices and anti-bias education.
Engaging parents and the wider community through open events showcasing students’ refugee-support work, encouraging dialogue, and inviting local media to highlight these positive initiatives.
Through such actions, students learn active citizenship, empathy, and community solidarity, contributing meaningfully to both local integration and global justice.
Your post highlights the importance of empowering children without overwhelming them—balancing action with understanding. I love the idea of student-led initiatives and connecting with the wider community to amplify impact.
One Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that deeply affects children both locally and globally is SDG 13: Climate Action. Children are increasingly experiencing the effects of climate change—be it extreme weather events, pollution, or eco-anxiety. Locally in Ireland, many children are witnessing flooding, changes in biodiversity, and rising energy costs affecting their families. Globally, children in the Global South face food insecurity, water shortages, and displacement due to environmental disasters.
To support Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to 2030 Priority Action Area 5, I would empower students to take action at the local level by creating a “Climate Action in Our School” project. This would include activities like energy-saving initiatives, biodiversity planting, and lobbying the school for greener policies. I would also use stories and case studies of children in other parts of the world, encouraging empathy and a sense of shared responsibility. Through student-led campaigns and reflection, children can see their power as change-makers in their community and beyond.
Thank you for sharing such a powerful and heartfelt reflection. Your example really captures both the deep-rooted nature of gender stereotypes and the positive impact that a safe, inclusive classroom environment can have on children’s confidence and identity. I love how you actively challenge stereotypes with your Senior Infants and empower them to see these ideas as “utter NONSENSE!”—that phrase alone shows how deeply your students are absorbing and internalizing those lessons.
The story about the child wearing the skirt and denim jacket is incredibly moving and shows how critical early intervention through Development Education can be. It’s also a strong reminder of the importance of whole-school approaches. As you highlighted, while your class responded with acceptance, the lack of similar engagement in another group led to harm. Embedding Development Education and gender equality into School Self-Evaluation (SSE) could help ensure that such values are shared and practiced across the entire school community.
Gender stereotypes begin influencing children from an early age and often shape their self-perceptions, career aspirations, and behavior in the classroom. I recall a scenario in a junior classroom where a group activity involved building a simple structure with blocks. A boy quickly took on the leadership role, directing others, while the girls were more hesitant and often deferred to him. When I later asked why, one girl replied, “He’s better at building because boys do that.” This moment highlighted how deeply embedded gender assumptions can be, even in early education.
Development Education methodologies—such as critical questioning, cooperative learning, and global citizenship themes—can challenge these assumptions. By exposing students to diverse role models and encouraging reflection on fairness, rights, and equality, we can foster more inclusive attitudes. Integrating this into SSE allows us to evaluate how our teaching practices either reinforce or dismantle stereotypes, and adapt to promote equality and student voice.
Love this idea of a Global Day. We as a School pof Scanctury always have an international Day each year which the pupils love. So linking these two together would be fantastic.
Ehigie (2021) emphasizes the crucial role of global citizenship in addressing global inequalities and promoting sustainable development. The paper highlights how we as educators must prepare students to think critically about justice, equality, and interconnectedness. Development Education is central to this aim, encouraging learners to understand global issues and empowering them to act responsibly. In my own teaching, I would aim to include Development Education by linking curriculum topics to real-world contexts—for example, integrating climate change discussions into science or using global trade in geography. Activities like debates, project-based learning, and partnerships with schools abroad can bring global issues to life. Promoting a whole-school ethos of global awareness can enrich the learning experience, helping students develop empathy, critical thinking, and agency.
Development Education supports School Self-Evaluation (SSE) by promoting active, reflective learning and global awareness. It enhances key areas like student engagement, inclusion, and wellbeing—fostering a school culture focused on values, participation, and continuous improvement in a changing world.
This is a great research plan and one we can all adapt in our locality. It is also particularly good now with all the electric and hybrid vehicles and this would really grasp the pupils’ interest and make it a real-life investigation.
Research Question (using the ESERO Climate Detectives Planner):
“How has the number of local extreme weather events (such as floods or heatwaves) changed in our area over the last 10 years, and what could this tell us about climate change?”
To inspire pupil participation in this Climate Detectives project, I would begin by connecting the topic to their real-world experiences. For example, I might ask if they remember storms that closed schools or heatwaves that made learning uncomfortable. By anchoring the discussion in their lived reality, I can help them see climate change not as a distant problem but as something affecting their own communities.
Next, I would introduce the research question using images, news headlines, and weather data from local sources (such as Met Éireann and local newpaper). This would foster curiosity and a sense of relevance. I’d then guide pupils in designing investigations—such as comparing data, interviewing local residents, or mapping flood-prone areas—giving them real responsibility and voice.
Throughout, I would encourage creativity in presenting findings: posters, mindmaps, graphs and photos. Most importantly, I’d frame them as “climate detectives,” empowering them to explore, question, and suggest solutions that matter.
Satellites-
1. International Space Station (ISS)
A crewed research outpost orbiting ~420 km above Earth. Conducts microgravity experiments, Earth observations, and public education outreach.2. Starlink Constellation Satellites
SpaceX’s LEO internet satellites provide global broadband services. Newly launched batches appear as floating “trains” of lights before dispersing into their operational orbital shell.3. Landsat 9 (Re‑entry Debris)
Launched in 2021, Landsat 9 observes Earth’s land cover and resource changes. Recently, its path overlapped with Ireland’s skies—but more notably, its eventual re‑entry created a brief spectacular light as space debris4. EIRSAT‑1 (Educational Irish Research Satellite‑1)
Ireland’s first CubeSat, launched on December 1, 2023. Its mission: test gamma‑ray detection (GMOD), surface coatings (EMOD), and wave‑based attitude control (WBC).5. Argos IoT Constellation (Kinéis Satellites)
Launched in June/September 2024 to revive the Argos environmental data system. These CubeSats relay tracking data from wildlife tags, buoys, and remote sensors worldwide.
