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I chose to focus on SDG 4: Quality Education, as it’s one that really resonates in my own classroom and school context. Teaching in a DEIS Band 1 school in North Dublin, I see first-hand how education can be both a tool for breaking cycles of inequality and also a space where inequality shows up in more subtle ways from access to resources to assumptions about children’s backgrounds. To help students connect with the idea of inequality in education I’d begin by exploring the differences between schools in Ireland and schools in other parts of the world through stories, videos like the “Global Citizen Primary Education” on youtube, and picture books. We’d talk about barriers to education, whether it’s poverty, gender, or war, and draw parallels to challenges children face in our own area, like food insecurity, housing issues or lack of access to support services. For action, I’d encourage the class to design posters or short video clips to promote the right to education for all children. We could create a “Class Charter for Fairness” based on what we’ve learned and display it in the corridor to share with the wider school. It’s important that the action is empowering not just about helping others, but seeing themselves as part of a global effort for change. This module really helped me frame inequality not as something abstract or far away, but as something our students already experience and can reflect on.
Thanks for sharing Aisling. It’s such a strong reminder of how early gender stereotypes take hold, even in simple moments like a lesson on hygiene. It’s great to hear how you responded with open conversations, inclusive stories, and a focus on respect. Those small changes make a big difference in helping children feel safe and accepted for who they are.
I have been teaching at the junior end of our school for the last few years and it was interesting to hear that children start to form gender stereotypes between the ages of 4 and 7, this makes our role as teachers all the more important in these early years. In my junior infants class, the line leader of the day wears a high-vis vest and it happens to be bright pink. Early in the year one boy refused to wear it because it was “for girls.” This reaction really struck me. The next day, I wore pink socks and made a point of showing them to the class. It was a simple gesture, their male teacher wearing pink, but it opened up a conversation about colour and preference that helped challenge that fixed thinking. We also have a box of Barbies in the classroom, and they sit alongside the Lego and sand toys all part of play, not gendered in any way. From this module, I’ve seen how important it is to question those early ideas about what’s “for boys” or “for girls.” The Plan International resources and lessons offer really approachable ways to explore this, such as discussing likes and dislikes, using music and ICT like in the Spice Girls example, or doing paired conversations. In a boys’ school, these kinds of activities can go a long way toward normalising empathy, sensitivity, and self-expression, without it being seen as “girly.” Development education allows us to open up space for critical thinking, even at a very young age. It gives students tools to question the world, not just accept what they’ve been told. That’s what really stood out to me, the idea that teaching about gender shouldn’t just be about facts, but about creating the conditions where children can challenge bias themselves.
Hi Maura, I really enjoyed reading your post. I think your idea of using project-based learning around the SDGs is so practical and engaging, especially for 6th class. Giving pupils ownership of a goal and encouraging them to take small actions really captures the spirit of active citizenship that Ehigie highlights. I also love the idea of an “International Week”, sounds like a brilliant way to make development education visible across the school and to get everyone involved, not just in isolated lessons but as a whole-school approach.
Reading Eric Ehigie’s article really made me stop and think about what it means to be a global citizen and how that idea can be encouraged in my own classroom. It was eye openeing as he opened the piece by sharing his own context and the struggles and challenegs he experienced growing up in Ireland. I found his emphasis on shared humanity very powerful, the idea that we can’t look at issues like poverty, racism or inequality as things happening to “others”. These are global challenges and we all have a responsibility to care and respond. What also struck me was his point about moving away from seeing global issues as abstract or far removed. He talks about the importance of developing empathy and awareness, not just through facts but by encouraging critical reflection and real engagement. That fits closely with how I see Development Education as something that helps children and teachers make connections between their own lives and the world around them. In my school context, a DEIS Band 1 in North Dublin, these ideas feel especially relevant. Our pupils are already tuned into fairness and justice, and Ehigie’s article reminds me that helping them to explore these values in a global context is not only possible but necessary. He challenges us as educators to go beyond surface-level conversations and help students develop a deeper sense of purpose and responsibility. This reading has encouraged me to think more intentionally about how I can create space in my teaching for that kind of reflection. Not just teaching about the world, but helping children see their place in it and their power to shape it.
