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In my local area, the impacts of climate change are becoming more visible. We have been presented with extreme seasonal changes such as increased weather warnings and minor flooding along areas like the River Dodder. Summer heat has peaked, with extreme humidity. These changes impact daily life, from school activities to wildlife in local parks.
We can explore this through the S.E.S.E subjects. As a class we could conduct a weather analysis. They could record local weather over a month, observe how nearby parks and rivers are affected, or discuss how floods and storms impact people and animals in our community.
Three actions we could take to help slow down climate change are:
1. Turn off lights and devices when not in use.
2. Walk, cycle, or use public transport instead of cars.
3. Plant trees, care for school gardens, or clean up local green spacesAfter doing some research, I discovered that there are a number of organisations working to support refugees in South Dublin. One organisation that stood out to me was ‘City of Sanctuary Dublin’, which helps schools become more welcoming through its “School of Sanctuary” programme. The Irish Red Cross also runs Community Sponsorship, where local groups support a refugee family as they settle into the area. It is important to make students aware of the work of such important organisations in their local areas
One step would be to learn more about the experiences of refugees. We could invite a speaker to share their story or explore lessons that focus on migration and belonging. Students could then take action by organising a cultural day, writing welcome cards to families, or using their initiative to work with a local sponsorship group. These simple actions help pupils understand global issues while also making a difference locally, creating a stronger, more inclusive community in South Dublin.Hi Lina, I think writing letters to the local TD’s is an excellent idea and has many cross curricular links.
I chose to focus on SDG 13, Climate Action, as children are facing it’s impact both locally and globally. Ireland experiences increased rainfall, flooding, and agricultural changes that affect many communities, a lot of the time children do not recognise that this is the effect of climate change. I believe climate action first begins by educating what is happening to our planet. Furthermore, children around the world confront even harsher realities such as drought, famine, and displacement from their homes. It is critical that our students know these links and understand how their everyday actions can have an impact.
In the classroom, I focus on simple, practical actions that students can take. For example, we have a green school committee and a “switch off” committee to save energy in the school. Each class has a dedicated team that switch off lights and the interactive whiteboard when leaving the room. Listening to stories of children in other countries who are speaking up for the planet helps them see that young people everywhere can influence change. This not only makes the issue real for them, but also shows that local action contributes to global progress. In this way, we are supporting ESD to 2030 by empowering children to act as responsible citizens.Hi Orla, I agree with your response and definitely have seen the affects of gender stereotypes on confidence. It is important that we tackle these.
Gender stereotypes affect students at a young age. During an SPHE lesson, I asked the children to draw a variety of professions (nurses, doctors, scientists, teachers, firefighters etc), it was interesting to see what the children drew, as it was evident that gender stereotypes were already imbedded when discussing professions. For example, the majority of the class when asked to draw a nurse, they drew a female nurse, and the majority of the scientist drawings were of men with big wiry hair. I prompted a discussion on this, in which the children described professions as “girl jobs” or “boy jobs”. We discussed the negative impact of these stereotypes and we used a variety of storybooks with diverse characters in non-traditional roles that allowed the children to broaden their perspective. However it is important to recognize that some storybooks are outdated and teachers need to be mindful of the storybooks/textbooks that are being used as they may also contain negative stereotypes. We can further tackle gender stereotypes with the use of drama, role-plays, SPHE lessons and discussions.
Hi Colm, I really enjoyed reading your reflection. Connecting with schools abroad is a fantastic idea, and would allow students to broaden their perspectives and learn about different cultures.
Development education is vital as it instills the knowledge and skills needed in order to understand and respond to global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change and sustainable development. (Ehigie, 2021), discusses using education as a catalyst to face global issues and to allow students to become empathetic and inclusive global citizens. The article described global interconnection, which is important for students to understand as they journey to tackle global issues.
Within the classroom, we can teach global issues through subjects such as S.E.S.E and SPHE. Furthermore, the use of picture books can be an asset to teaching about a variety of different global issues in a child friendly way. It is important for students to develop an understanding of different perspectives and to also use their own knowledge and skills of the world around them to overcome damaging stereotypes. As a whole school approach, celebrating different cultures promotes inclusivity and allows the students to learn and develop an understanding of different cultures.Development education is vital as it instills the knowledge and skills needed in order to understand and respond to global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change and sustainable development. (Ehigie, 2021), discusses using education as a catalyst to face global issues and to allow students to become empathetic and inclusive global citizens. The article described global interconnection, which is important for students to understand as they journey to tackle global issues.
Within the classroom, we can teach global issues through subjects such as S.E.S.E and SPHE. Furthermore, the use of picture books can be an asset to teaching about a variety of different global issues in a child friendly way. It is important for students to develop an understanding of different perspectives and to also use their own knowledge and skills of the world around them to overcome damaging stereotypes. As a whole school approach, celebrating different cultures promotes inclusivity and allows the students to learn and develop an understanding of different cultures.
