Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
After exploring the online lessons and resources developed by the ARC, I came away with a greater appreciation of how STEM can be incorporated into everyday teaching in a practical and engaging way. I found the resources easy to follow and liked how they encouraged pupils to ask questions, investigate ideas, and work together to solve problems rather than simply learning facts. It reminded me that STEM is not just about science or mathematics, but about helping children develop confidence, creativity, and critical thinking skills that they can use in many areas of their lives. Reflecting on my own teaching, I realise there are more opportunities to include hands-on STEM activities across the curriculum. I would like to give my pupils more chances to explore, experiment, and learn through inquiry, even in subjects where STEM may not seem obvious. I also think it is important to encourage teamwork and allow pupils to learn from mistakes, as this helps build resilience and a positive attitude towards learning. I can also see how STEM fits into the School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process. By working together as a staff, we could review our current STEM provision, identify areas where we could improve, and set realistic goals for developing STEM across the school. Sharing ideas, taking part in professional learning, and celebrating successful STEM projects would help create a whole-school culture where STEM is valued and enjoyed by both teachers and pupils. Overall, these resources have given me practical ideas that I feel confident using in my own classroom and have encouraged me to think more intentionally about how I can support STEM learning every day.
Ireland’s aquaculture farms are mainly located along the west, southwest, and northwest coasts, where clean waters, sheltered bays, and favourable environmental conditions support the farming of salmon, mussels, oysters, and other shellfish. Reflecting on their location, it is clear that aquaculture has become closely connected to the identity and sustainability of many coastal communities. These areas often have limited employment opportunities due to their remote location, making aquaculture an important source of year-round jobs and economic activity. Beyond direct employment, aquaculture supports a wider network of local businesses, including equipment suppliers, transport services, processing facilities, and tourism. It also helps to preserve traditional maritime skills and encourages younger generations to remain in coastal areas rather than moving elsewhere for work. This contributes to maintaining vibrant communities and protecting local cultural heritage. At the same time, aquaculture must be managed responsibly to balance economic growth with environmental protection. Sustainable farming practices are essential to maintaining healthy marine ecosystems, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring the long-term success of the industry. In my view, when environmental responsibility and community interests are prioritised together, aquaculture can play a significant role in supporting Ireland’s coastal economy while preserving the natural resources on which these communities depend.
Hi Jessica, I really enjoyed your response and agree that these are great ways for children to learn about aquaculture.
Learning about aquaculture and the concept of social licence has given me a much better understanding of the balance between food production, environmental sustainability and the needs of local communities. It has highlighted the importance of involving communities in decision-making and ensuring that industries operate in a responsible and sustainable way.
As a teacher of Sixth Class in Dungarvan, this topic has particular relevance for my pupils. Living in a coastal town, many children have a strong connection to the sea, whether through family, recreation or local businesses. Some may already be aware of shellfish farming and other marine activities in the area, making this an engaging and authentic context for learning.
I can see many opportunities to use the resources from this course across the curriculum. In Science, pupils can investigate marine ecosystems, habitats, food chains and biodiversity. In Geography, they can explore how aquaculture supports coastal communities such as Dungarvan while considering the environmental and economic impacts of these industries. The concept of social licence also encourages pupils to think critically about different viewpoints and understand why it is important to balance economic development with protecting the environment.
The inquiry-based activities will allow pupils to work collaboratively, ask questions, gather evidence and develop solutions to real-world problems. I think this approach will help make STEM learning more meaningful because it is connected to an environment that is familiar to them. Overall, I feel this module has provided practical ideas that I can use to help my pupils become informed, responsible citizens who appreciate both the opportunities and the challenges associated with our local marine environment.
Hi Kate, I like the idea of inviting a guest speaker in to offer more information and insight into their lives.
In my research, I discovered that groups such as Waterford Integration Services and the Waterford New Communities Network support refugee and migrant families across the county. Locally in Dungarvan, volunteer-led initiatives like Déise Refugee Response have also been active in helping families to settle into the community with language support, social events, and practical assistance. These are excellent organisations for schools to link with, as they already have strong relationships with newcomer families.
In our primary school, we could focus on making refugee children feel truly welcome from their very first day. For example, we might introduce a “buddy system” where two classmates are paired with each new arrival to show them around and play with them at break times. A welcome board in many languages could be created by students, celebrating diversity and showing respect for different backgrounds. Linking to Development Education, teachers could explore themes such as “home and belonging” or “journeys” through stories, art, and SPHE, helping all children develop empathy. Within School Self-Evaluation (SSE), we could choose “wellbeing and inclusion” as a theme, collect pupil voice through simple class surveys, and set targets like “all pupils feel they belong in our school community.” By monitoring progress, we ensure this becomes a sustained part of school life rather than a once-off event.
Living and teaching in West Waterford, I’ve seen first-hand how climate change is starting to affect our local environment. We’ve had more frequent heavy rainfall, unpredictable weather patterns, and increased coastal erosion along areas like Dungarvan Bay. Many of the children in my class come from farming backgrounds, so they are already noticing the changes—such as fields becoming waterlogged. These real-life experiences provide a valuable starting point for classroom learning.
To explore this further, I would begin by encouraging pupils to investigate how climate change is affecting our community. We could carry out local surveys, interview family members, or invite community members like farmers to share their experiences. Using cross-curricular links through SESE, SPHE, and English, pupils could document and present their findings through projects, stories, and presentations.
Three actions we could take as a class to make a difference would be:
-Starting a school garden with pollinator-friendly plants
-Organising a “walk or bike to school” week to reduce car use-Leading a waste-reduction initiative to cut down on plastic use in lunchboxes.
Finally, the Development Education modules in this course have shown me how global issues can be made real and relevant through local action. For School Self-Evaluation (SSE), this could link to wellbeing, pupil voice, or active citizenship targets. By embedding development education into school life, we can reflect on whether our teaching is helping children become more informed, responsible, and empowered to take action on issues like climate change. It’s about giving them the tools and confidence to realise that they can make a difference in their community and in the wider world.
Hi Anna, I find your post really interesting , especially the idea of encouraging students to buy local. It’s a great reminder that small actions can grow into something bigger when everyone gets involved.
Hi Claire, I agree that SDG 12 is very relevant for children today and really like your project idea.
One Sustainable Development Goal that I believe is especially relevant to children today is SDG 13: Climate Action. Children are already feeling the effects of climate change—whether it’s through extreme weather events, increased media coverage of environmental disasters, or changes in their local environment like flooding or pollution. Globally, many children are directly impacted by drought, displacement, and food insecurity, while locally in Ireland, they’re becoming more aware of rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity, and changing weather patterns.
To help children take action at a local level, I’d encourage class projects that connect to real-world issues—for example, conducting litter audits around the school, starting a biodiversity garden, or writing to local representatives about environmental concerns. Through development education, students can explore how climate change affects people differently around the world, building empathy and a sense of global citizenship.
From an SSE perspective, these activities could tie into wellbeing, active citizenship, and environmental care. We could reflect on questions like: Are we giving students the tools to understand and act on issues that matter to them? Are we promoting responsibility and critical thinking through our teaching? This approach not only supports ESD to 2030 Priority Action Area 5 but also helps make sustainability a meaningful and lasting part of school life.
Hi Jackie, I have seen this in the classroom lots of times before too and totally agree with you on the importance of teaching that colours don’t have genders.
Gender stereotypes can show up early in the classroom. In my 2nd class during golden time, I put out a mix of toys—cars, blocks, animals, and dolls. One boy picked up a doll and was laughed at by a few others who thought dolls were only for girls. He quickly dropped it and moved over to the cars, even though he’d seemed excited at first. It was a small moment, but it said a lot about the messages kids already pick up about what boys and girls “should” or “shouldn’t” play with.
Development education can really help here. It gives us a chance to talk openly about fairness, equality, and how people live differently around the world. Through stories, discussions, and role play, we can challenge those fixed ideas and show kids that it’s okay to be themselves.
For SSE, it’s a good reminder to reflect on how inclusive our classrooms are. Are we giving children the space to express themselves without fear of judgement? Are we actively challenging stereotypes when they come up? These are the kinds of questions that help us grow as teachers and make our schools more welcoming for every child.
Development education can also feed meaningfully into our school’s self-evaluation (SSE), particularly when reflecting on how well we are equipping children to become active, engaged citizens. By making global citizenship part of school culture, we empower young people to take thoughtful action both locally and globally.