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Assignment 2
Plans for us to be more sustainable:
Make children aware of how they can make savings by making them realise they are probably already saving even if they don’t get money for it (are not working).
E.g. going to the library, turning off the tap, turning off lights, only boiling the amount of water we need rather than always filling the kettle, turning off the radiator in unused rooms, having showers rather than baths, using secondhand websites for purchases, only purchasing what we need and selling/donating/exchanging what we don’t need.
Then completing projects to help develop self-esteem and self belief so that they learn that they can contribute and their voices are important. They should be challenged to learning that mistakes are the starting point and the place where we learn how to reach our potential by not stopping because something is difficult.
A wonderful and inclusive way to learning about sustainability is to get outside, be it through forest school type activities, foraging, nature walks, and by doing so in all weathers. One of the most stifling of mindsets is when we stay indoors watching tv or on our devices because it is raining. Children are bought on short journeys to school in the car when it is raining, rather than scooting or cycling or walking in the rain. They then come in to school cranky and not ready to learn.
Encouraging the children to present and share their findings and opinions by having regular assemblies, or class project presentation times, is a wonderful way to develop oral language and self esteem. STEAM activities and the SESE curriculum is a fantastic opportunity and vehicle to do so.
I agree Fiona, and I think your mention of waterways will really be the case in my classroom. There is a lot of potential for learning about water habitats and how we can protect our waterways. We had a series of lessons (for our SESE curriculum) on the local area including the history of the local area and how land use has changed over the years.
The children came up with great suggestions about how we can protect and make more use of our parks and the areas along the Dodder River. Their suggestions focused on simple ideas that were realistic and more complex suggestions that would take time and money.
It was helpful for them to see how their families were using the areas so that they could suggest things that could be developed rather than coming up with fantastical ideas that weren’t likely to happen.
According to the UCD sustainability website ‘Along with renewable energy use, sustainable food systems and efficient waste management, equitable access to resources and opportunities are key components of a sustainable society’. One of the most sustainable initiatives in recent years I think is the move to include windows in the sustainability and upgrade grants. Previously many of the people in my estate couldn’t afford to do more than upgrade attic insulation. Our old estate of terraced houses are not suitable for the one-stop-shop grants as there is a low overhang of roof over wall so the externa insulation is not an option(due to the possibility of water ingress from the roof and therefore issues of damp), the small size of the houses means its not realistic to use internal insulation. Plus I was advised by the energy surveyor that it was not likely without one of those options that I’d reach a BER of B in order to get the grants. I went ahead with roof insulation and changed the windows myself with no grants, but my neighbours have availed of them. The difference to the house and energy use has been marked. There have also been more efforts to plant in ways that will reduce local flooding. Cycle paths are being built to encourage families to leave their cars at home at a time when roads are heavy with traffic. One other initiative which I feel has been really beneficial is the change to charges for Dublin Bus an the Luas. I feel these have made it much easier for families of all economic denominations to choose public transport.
The weather this summer will hopefully have made everyone realise how important it is for us all to make our individual effort to contribute to sustainable living in Ireland.Discussions in the classroom and links to local community activism is really interesting and fun for the children with a real impact on our communities as they go home and discuss what they have learned and make enthusiastic suggestions about how their families can be more sustainable even if its just using all the food in their fridge rather than wasting food, or turning off the tap while brushing their teeth.
I wholeheartedly agree with Rachel above. I would add that, with the proper hygienic education around handling fish, bringing in samples of fish for the children to touch and observe, could be the first step to understanding what fish are available and farmed in Ireland, taking the fear of being adventurous in their food choices. They could look at raw and cooked examples, and watch a cooking demonstration; finally, they could follow a recipe at home with their parents where they cook fish themselves and link it to procedural writing.
With the development of the school lunches programme, children and families are becoming more involved with the school discussions and policy creation in relation to healthy eating. In relation to SEN and dietary needs of students, teachers and parents are beginning to realise the link between behaviour and self regulation and a good breakfast and lunch. Most schools have a healthy eating policy. Developing children’s awareness of the importance of a good diet with the requisite amount of vitamins and minerals on a regular basis will aid parents where children are reluctant to try unknown foods, or foods with peculiar tastes or textures. Quite often children will be more adventurous in their eating habits when eating with their peers, rather than at home, or when preparing food for their lunch at home. Linking the curriculum and in particular knowledge about the benefits of eating fish will greatly help parents in providing their children with a balanced diet. Power foods such as fish, can go a long way to providing children with so much of their required nutrients. Educating children to the benefits and taste of fish will be so helpful and the resources on this course will hopefully greatly open the children’s minds to being adventurous with their food choices.
I completely agree with what Sophie is saying her in relation to connecting teaching to real life matters rather than teaching STEM concepts in an abstract or textbook based manner. Many children will only understand concepts once they recognise how, where and when these concepts are being used. It is also helpful for them to see the skills and concepts being used and developed across multiple industries and situations. As I have mentioned in my previous posts, few of my children would have knowledge of aquafarming as they are Dublin based and have more experience of life in a swimming pool than the sea! Recognising the vast potential and the need to protect our oceans would be fascinating for them.
As the curriculum is so vast, the only way I’ve found to effectively deliver all concepts and develop skills is to do so using a cross curricular approach. I identify the skills and concepts I wish to teach and find a relevant and interesting topic as a vehicle to deliver them. I also plan with wellbeing in mind. STEM education and an effective STEM policy is crucial to this. Children are supported at an appropriate developmental level. Project based learning provides opportunities for effective scaffolding for additional needs. The potential for the outdoor classroom can be utilised to best effect. I find that with the two year cycle in a multigrade setting, children can become weary of the same topics being taught. The introduction of aquafarming using the BIM resources would hopefully reignite their enthusiasm, particularly for those children who struggle with confidence in maths. Using the potential for statistical analysis in such an interesting and new topic might help them get past their fear or lack of self esteem in maths/science.
Inviting external speakers with expertise in the area could be a method for introducing a whole school element, and having a buddy system where older learners can work with their younger peers could help reinforce the learning across all classes.Deirdre, these are fantastic ideas. I love when teachers put up really practical ideas in a list format. I find it keeps me focused on teaching skills and topic particulars efficiently and practically. With your permission, I will copy these ideas in delivering the curriculum this year. Thank you.
Using the location of the aquaculture farms in Ireland will be most helpful in developing awareness of industry and culture outside of Dublin for my students. I will be teaching 5th Class this year and from my experience, many children in Dublin only consider agriculture when they think of farming, or indeed industry, outside of Dublin. It can also be very difficult to deliver the SESE and STEAM curricula in developing geographical awareness of areas outside of Leinster given how broad the curriculum is and how time pressed we are in delivering the new framework with its emphasis on talk and active learning. I look forward to using the maps and discuss lifestyles and economic activities in coastal areas. There is much that can be done to include diverse learners using aquaculture, particularly in focusing on the three main species being farmed.
I completely agree with what Eamhan has said above. I particularly like what Eamhan has said about considering the concept of Social Licence in order to teach the children about the broader aspect of running a business, its impact on its environment, and local and global communities. Completing a case study with the children comparing aquaculture in a particular community in Ireland with aquaculture in a similar community in another country would be a fascinating project to complete in delivering the SESE curriculum, with links that could be made to the new maths curriculum in the area of data.
I am a 5th class teacher based in Dublin. I have taught in schools in various socio-economic situations. Few of the children I have taught would have much knowledge about aquaculture. Indeed, few children in Dublin have any real knowledge of either aquaculture or agriculture. I hope to use this course to make aquaculture more interesting to the children I teach. I also hope to broaden the interest of my students in trying seafood and fish as many children I have worked with have limited tastes, preferring to stick to food they are comfortable and familiar with. I also hope to encourage the children to engage with their environment in a more curious way, rather than passing through. Finally, I have never heard a child in my Dublin classroom mention a career on or by the sea. Hopefully exposure to the information available on this course will help them consider alternatives to the jobs they have heard about to date.