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Hi Patrick, I really like the idea of planting and doing this with your students. In my school this is something we do even with junior infants. We plant trees and plants that promote biodiversity.
West Cork Development Partnership (SICAP) run the Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP). This supports refugees and international protection applicants in the West Cork area. They offer training, education pathways, social integration, and youth-focused inclusion activities.
Using development education as part of curriculum integration to help students understand the journey of refugees and asylum systems. By understanding their background , journey and why they have moved to our country. Using real life scenarios, guest speakers who can enable to students to great understand and relate the journey these people had to face. I always think of Zak Moradi who grew up in a refugee camp in Iraq before coming to Ireland and going on to play county hurling for Leitrim. The power of sports initiatives in schools have a long lasting impact.
Regarding SSE school could outline the lanage, cultural and emotional needs in the school, action plan of hostin integration events or awareness programmes, reflect and measure the impact of these and adapt as required.
Hi Orla, what a moving story. I cannot even imagine the suffering and trauma he has endured. How truly wonderful that he is now in a safe and nurturing environment. It is a credit to your school, his foster family and the relevant services.
A topic to explore is Climate Action (SDG 13), which has immediate and long-term impacts on children both locally in Ireland and globally. This focus aligns with ESD to 2030 Priority Action Area 5: Accelerating Local Level Action, and offers opportunities to link Development Education and School Self-Evaluation (SSE). Local impact of climate change includes more frequent extreme weather, flooding, and rising energy costs. Globally children are affected by drought and famine driven by climate change. Local actions that can be taken include green school climate change council, tree planting, energy audits in school buildings and waste reduction. Such topics can be linked to SESE and across other subjects like art.
By focusing on Climate Action, teachers can connect local and global challenges, meaningful student engagement, and use the SSE framework to embed sustainable development into school life. Development Education becomes links awareness to action and ensures that students are able to make change locally and globally.
Excellent ideas Orla, especially on a local level. Some new ones there that I would not have thought of for example, lunch box diversity and food drive. I also like the idea of class charters and classroom democracy. All great ideas to start on a local and school level that can impact the greater world.
Gender stereotypes can shape children’s views and ambitions from a very young age. I recall a scenario in a junior infant classroom where we were organizing roles for a classroom role play. One boy said It can only be the boys that are the builders, the girls cannot be the builders. Others agreed in the class. classmates. It showed how early societal messages about gender roles are consumed even at a young age. I took this opportunity to pause and explain to the gender that this is not the case we then looked at some stories where women played a role that historically would have been male dominated.
Development Education methodologies offer powerful tools to challenge the above assumptions. By encouraging global citizenship and critical thinking, Development Education encourages students to question and reflect. Examples would be like I said above using books, media, real life stories to challenge the norms. Using enquiry based learning and child led approach through roleplay and play based activities.
Linking gender awareness to School Self-Evaluation (SSE) under wellbeing and inclusion can be of benefit to the whole school community influencing teaching practice and student perspectives.
Hi Colm, this is interesting as I also had a similar experience with junior infants role play. I also had an interesting discussion with the children during a Gaeilge lesson on eadaí where the boys started laughing as a boy was chosen to pick a gúna on an interactive activity. I explained that boys can pick a dress too. i found it very interesting that even at such a young age children can be impacted by society ‘norms’. I too used some picture books to challenge the children’s assumptions.
I found this text very enlightening and it shows the importance of development Education in school and in the wider world. It is not an add-on, it allows for globally aware citizens and students. In the article it says that global citizenship fosters critical thinking, empathy, and a sense of shared responsibility for local and international issues. We want our next generation to grow up with the above skills and mindset. In my own teaching, I would use real-world examples and practice linking them to the curriculum or SESE in particular. I would encourage the students to reflect on their personal responsibilities in the world, local area and school community. To further promote this thinking in schools I would facilitate awareness projects and events on topics such as food injustice, discrimination and climate change.
From an SSE perspective having Development Education in our school would create an inclusive environment for staff and students and enhance students sense of responsibility. Through regular teacher meetings and reflection we can ensure that global education remains a priority. We can continually access and reflect upon the way we impart the knowledge and achieve the learning outcomes in Development education.
Hi Patrick, I agree in that although the students ae aware on a global level it is also important to implement at school level and indeed a local level. Integrating such topics with SESE provides an efficient and interesting method to get across such information and encourage global and local citizenship in the classroom and school community.