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This is such a well-thought-out plan. I really like how you’ve connected global issues to local observations, especially by using the River Liffey and local wildlife as examples. The “Climate Detectives” project is a fantastic way to get students actively involved while developing real science and observation skills. Including guest speakers like farmers or environmentalists is a great idea too as it brings learning to life and gives children a real-world context.
Climate change is already having a visible impact in my local area. In recent years, we’ve experienced more frequent storms, heavy rainfall, unpredictable weather patterns and lots of weather warnings. Flooding has become a major issue for many areas around Ireland, particularly in areas near rivers and low-lying land. These changes affect not only our environment but also farming, transport, and people’s day-to-day lives. Children are aware of these changes, and many are beginning to feel worried about the future of the planet.
In the classroom, I would begin by exploring the causes and effects of climate change in a way that’s age appropriate and solution focused. We would watch short videos, examine extreme weather events in Ireland, and talk about how this connects to our everyday choices. Pupils could explore their carbon footprint, and I would encourage critical thinking by asking how our actions can make a difference.
Three actions we would take together:
1. Start a classroom recycling and composting system.
2. Hold a “Walk or Cycle to School” week to reduce emissions.
3. Plant pollinator-friendly flowers or vegetables in our school garden.
These small steps help pupils feel empowered and part of a global effort. Linking this to Development Education, we can teach pupils to view climate change through a global justice lens—recognising how communities in the Global South are often most affected despite contributing the least.
In terms of School Self-Evaluation, Development Education feeds into our wellbeing and sustainability goals. Through cross-curricular projects in SPHE, SESE, and English, we can foster responsibility, empathy, and action. These projects also support a whole-school approach to Education for Sustainable Development, encouraging collaboration between classes and reinforcing positive environmental practices across the school community.I would agree with your points. Creating a warm, welcoming environment is so important, especially for children who have experienced trauma. The idea of including parents through something like a coffee morning is lovely. I think it would help build trust and community. I also think your approach to supporting children through shared language is so thoughtful. Pairing new students with peers who speak the same language can really ease their transition and reduce anxiety. It’s a simple but effective way to help them feel safe and understood from the start.
Around Naas and Newbridge in Co. Kildare, there are a few organisations supporting refugees and asylum seekers, including the Doras Luimní outreach services, the Newbridge Family Resource Centre, and of course local branches of organisations like The Red Cross, NASC, and Diversity Ireland. Many of these groups work to provide practical help such as education, language classes, and social support for refugees living in Direct Provision centres or local accommodation.
In our school, we could take action by first educating students about the reasons why people become refugees through age-appropriate stories, discussions, and video clips. Linking this to the SPHE and Geography curriculum, we could explore global conflict and displacement in a sensitive and respectful way. Students could write welcome letters or create care packages for newly arrived families. We could also organise a school-wide collection of hygiene items, school supplies, or toys for local refugee support centres.
From an SSE point of view, these actions support a whole-school approach to inclusion, wellbeing, and active citizenship. Development Education fits naturally into this process by encouraging global awareness and social responsibility.I really like your approach to teaching about Zero Hunger. Linking current events like Gaza with the Great Famine is a powerful way to help children understand hunger both globally and historically. Your ideas for hands-on activities like growing a garden, keeping chickens, and cooking with produce are fantastic ways to get students involved. I also think the food waste diary is a brilliant idea to make children more aware of their own habits. These actions really show how local efforts can make a difference, and they fit perfectly with SSE and the goal of encouraging whole-school participation.
I have chosen Sustainable Development Goal 5 : Gender Equality. Gender inequality can affect children both globally and locally. Arcoss the world many girls still don’t have equal access to education, healthcare or safety. In Ireland, while we’ve made great progress, however, children can still experience gender stereotypes—for example, boys may feel pressure not to show emotions and to play sports, and girls might feel discouraged from joining sports or taking on leadership roles.
To help students in such circumstances, I would first create safe spaces for discussions around gender roles and fairness. We could look at stories from around the world where children face gender discrimination and compare them to examples in Ireland. Then, students could lead projects such as creating posters promoting equality, reviewing school sports activities for balance, or running assemblies that challenge stereotypes.
I think this would also support School Self-Evaluation by helping schools reflect on how inclusive their school environment is. Development Education can guide these reflections and help set clear goals for promoting equality and respect.I really agree with what you said. It’s great that students are starting to question gender stereotypes in class, and it’s nice to see them thinking about fairness. But like you mentioned, things can be very different outside the classroom. I’ve also seen how boys usually take over the football pitch and how some boys feel shy about liking things like Taylor Swift or wearing pink.
You made a good point about boys sometimes being more affected by messages about how they “should” act. These ideas can come from social media or influencers and can be hard for them to deal with. I also wonder if things would be different in single-sex schools. Maybe students would feel less pressure to act a certain way, but it would be interesting to find out.
Gender stereotypes can begin to shape children’s thinking and behaviour from a young age, it can also influence how they see themselves and others. In class, I observed a moment during free play when a group of boys chose to play with building blocks while a group of girls went toward the play kitchen. When a girl tried to join the boys, one boy told her, “Girls don’t build things.” Although this was said without malice, this comment clearly showed a stereotypical belief that engineering or construction activities are more appropriate for boys.
Development education can help stop these kinds of ideas by promoting critical thinking, inclusivity, and global citizenship. It encourage children to question assumptions and consider different perspectives. We can read books with strong boys and girls in different roles, talk about fairness, and do activities that mix everyone together. This helps children learn that anyone can do anything, no matter if they are a boy or a girl.Ehigie’s (2021) paper, The Role of Global Citizens in Today’s World, emphasises the need to prepare pupils for past, present and future global issues. Development Education helps children to develop the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to become responsible global citizens. The paper highlights the importance of education taking on a broader role to develop higher order skills such as empathy and social responsibility.
I would incorporate DE by integrating global themes across all curricular subjects. I would have the children engage in project-based learning and debates to help develop other skills while working on DE topics. For example, in Geography, the children could explore topics such as climate change, migration, and sustainable development. In History, lessons on colonisation social justice struggles from different parts of the world. English lessons could include reading and discussing stories from other cultures to build empathy and understanding, while SPHE could focus on human rights, inclusion, and equality.
To encourage colleagues, I would suggest incorporating DE into our School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process by gathering student feedback on global issues they care about. I would then suggest we use this feedback to inform our school’s teaching and learning priorities. Linking DE to SSE would enable us to identify areas for development, set clear targets, and measure impact over time. This approach would help DE to become a meaningful part of school improvement.Hi Mel, I also believe that education plays a crucial role in shaping socially aware and empathetic young people. It’s a wonderful idea to integrate global issues such as poverty, climate change, and human rights into the everyday classroom learning. I think this is so important to help children understand the world around them. Your suggestions for using subjects like geography, history, and languages, alongside engaging activities like debates and role plays, are excellent ways to develop critical thinking skills and empathy in a cross – curricular way.