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I enjoyed reading your post. Your example of Youghal really highlights how vulnerable some of our coastal towns are to climate change. I also agree that when children can relate these issues to places they know, they’re much more likely to understand why protecting the environment matters.
This module made me think about climate change in a much more local way. It’s easy to think of it as a global issue, but there are signs of change closer to home too. Around our local lakes, there are areas where erosion is noticeable. While I know some of this may be linked to the fact that it is a reservoir, it still provides a good starting point for discussing how human activity and environmental change can affect local habitats.
With my incoming class, I think it would be much more meaningful to investigate these issues than simply reading about climate change in a textbook. We could visit a local green space or the lakeshore to observe changes, record evidence of erosion or litter, and discuss how increasing development can affect wildlife, biodiversity and water quality. Pupils could then compare what they observe locally with examples from other parts of the world that are experiencing much more severe impacts. I think this helps children understand that climate change is a global issue, but that its effects can be seen at different levels.
Three practical actions we could take are encouraging active travel where possible, reducing waste by reusing and recycling materials in school, and protecting biodiversity by planting pollinator-friendly flowers or creating habitats for insects around the school grounds. I think it’s important that pupils see these actions as realistic changes they can make rather than feeling overwhelmed by the scale of climate change.
Looking back over the Development Education modules, I can see how they all support School Self-Evaluation. They encourage active learning, critical thinking and pupil voice, while also promoting inclusion, sustainability and global citizenship across the curriculum. Rather than treating these topics as one-off lessons, schools can build them into everyday teaching and whole-school planning. I think this helps pupils develop not only knowledge but also a sense that they can contribute positively to their own community and to the wider world.
I really liked your point that it’s often the everyday things that make the biggest difference. Simple initiatives like buddy systems or helping families feel part of the school community can have such a positive impact and create a real sense of belonging for everyone.
One organisation I am familiar with is Sanctuary Runners, as I have run and volunteered with my local group on a number of occasions. I really like this initiative because it brings together asylum seekers, refugees and members of the local community through a shared activity rather than focusing on charity. In our area, volunteers help transport residents from three nearby IPAS centres to the weekly parkrun. What’s nice is that people don’t have to be runners to get involved. Many volunteer at parkrun instead, so everyone has an opportunity to participate and contribute. Afterwards, everyone meets for tea and coffee in the café, which gives people a chance to chat and build friendships in a very natural way.
I think schools could take a similar approach by focusing on inclusion rather than simply fundraising. Pupils could learn about why people seek asylum, challenge common stereotypes and think about practical ways of making new pupils and families feel welcome in school. Simple initiatives like buddy systems, shared activities and opportunities to celebrate different cultures can help children understand that belonging comes from being included in everyday school life.
I also think this links well with School Self-Evaluation. Reflecting on how welcoming our school is for all families and looking for ways to strengthen inclusion would benefit the whole school community. It also shows pupils that supporting refugees isn’t always about raising money – sometimes it’s about creating opportunities for people to participate, contribute and feel that they belong.
I like your focus on practical activities. I think pupils are much more likely to develop good habits when they’re actively involved, and a waste audit is a great way of helping them see the impact of their own actions.
I chose SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities because it encourages children to think about fairness, inclusion and equal opportunities, both in Ireland and around the world. It is easy for children to assume that everyone has the same opportunities as they do, so I think it’s important to help them understand that this isn’t always the case. Some children face barriers because of where they live, disability, poverty or discrimination, and these challenges can affect their education and future opportunities.
In my classroom, I would encourage pupils to explore inequality through discussion, stories and real-life examples from both Ireland and other countries. I think it is important that these conversations focus on understanding and empathy rather than making children feel sorry for others. As a class, we could look at ways to make our own school more inclusive by carrying out an accessibility walk around the school, discussing how everyone can feel welcome and suggesting practical improvements. This would show pupils that they can make a positive difference in their own community.
I also think this links well with School Self-Evaluation. Promoting inclusion, equality and pupil voice should be part of everyday school life rather than a once-off lesson. A whole-school approach would help ensure that these values are reflected in our policies, our classrooms and our interactions with one another.
I really liked your example from the playground. It really highlights how early children can experience gender stereotypes, but also how much of a difference a supportive classroom can make. It’s encouraging to see how your class stood up for their classmate, and it shows that the conversations we have in the classroom really can have a positive impact.
This module made me think about how early children begin to pick up gender stereotypes, often without even realising it. One example I have seen in the classroom is during Aistear or free play. Some children will automatically say that the construction area or superheroes are “for boys”, while the home corner or dolls are “for girls”. Even at a young age, they can have quite fixed ideas about what boys and girls should like. This year I had a 5<sup>th</sup> class group and we engaged with an engineering project from a university. As part of the study the children were asked to consider what an engineer looked like. Almost all children drew a man building a bridge. Only one girl drew a girl.
I think Development Education can help by encouraging children to question these assumptions instead of simply accepting them. As teachers, we can provide books and stories that challenge stereotypes, make sure all children are encouraged to try every activity, and have open discussions about how everyone has different interests regardless of whether they are a boy or a girl. Sometimes children just need to see positive examples that go against the stereotypes they have picked up elsewhere.
I also think this links well with School Self-Evaluation. It gives schools an opportunity to reflect on whether our resources, displays and teaching approaches promote equality and inclusion. Small changes across the whole school can help create an environment where every child feels free to be themselves without being limited by gender stereotypes.
I really like your idea of a Culture Week. Schools are so much more diverse now than they were years ago, and it’s a lovely way to celebrate that while giving children a chance to learn from each other in a really natural way.
I change my mind about what development education is over the course of this module, and from reading the article. Before this module I would probably have associated it mainly with learning about other countries that are less developed than Ireland, but it’s really about helping children become curious, ask questions and understand why inequalities exist. I also think it’s important to put emphasis on showing pupils that even small actions can make a positive difference.
In my classroom, I think Development Education could be woven naturally into what we’re already doing rather than taught as a separate topic. There are lots of opportunities through SPHE, SESE and English to discuss current issues, explore different viewpoints and encourage children to think critically about the information they see online. I also like the idea of linking local issues with global ones so children can see that these topics are relevant to their own lives.
I think this also fits well with School Self-Evaluation. If staff shared ideas and resources and included Development Education in whole-school planning, it would become part of everyday teaching rather than an extra initiative. Overall, I think it helps create a school environment where children develop empathy, respect for others and an understanding that they can play a positive role in the wider world.
I agree with your statement of empowering the children to become active caretakers of their own environment. Children are far more responsible and understanding and capable than a lot of people give them credit for. By involving children daily in sustainability projects they learn and develop habits that hopefully will stay with them for life.
In the school where I work, sustainability is something we practice every day, and I want to help my pupils explore it even more. We have a school garden made from reclaimed and recycled materials, which shows children how we can reuse things instead of throwing them away. Recently, we planted fruit trees in the school grounds, and the 5th and 6th class made a compost area. This compost helps our caretaker with the garden and teaches children about recycling food and garden waste. In the classroom, we encourage children to recycle paper by using the backs of leftover worksheets for colouring.
We also try to save energy. Our lights are on timers to turn off when the classroom is empty, and power monitors remind teachers to unplug devices like iPads and laptops.
Near where I live, the local school assigns a family each weekend to pick up litter with the tidy town committee. This helps children see how their own families can work together to care for the environment. I would get my pupils involved in similar projects to help them understand how small actions can protect our planet and community.
I agree that it would be a good idea to discuss favourite fish dinner/seafood eating patterns in a classroom setting. This year in my class one of the children talked about eating mussels on his foreign holiday. It sparked a conversation with another child about eating them in the West of Ireland on a holiday. Many children had never heard of mussels for eating. A few weeks later another child came in very proud of themselves that they had tried one of their parents mussels while out for dinner. While he didn’t enjoy it, he had tried it after hearing the conversation others in the class had had.
Great point about educating children on the benefits and purpose of different foods. Too many children grow up into adults that see certain foods as good, and other foods as bad. By educating children to understand that all foods can be enjoyed in moderation, that a daily diet should be varied and tasty we would have better health outcomes in general I think.
Teaching children about the nutrition of seafood is very important, especially in Ireland where we have a long coastline and fish farming is common. Lessons can help children understand why it is good to eat a healthy, varied diet that includes different fruits, vegetables, and fish as a source of protein. Seafood is full of important nutrients like omega-3 fats that help our brains and bodies grow strong. It is great to show children how eating fish can be part of a balanced diet alongside other healthy foods.
This topic can be taught across different subjects to make learning more interesting. In Science, children can learn about nutrients and how they help our bodies. In SPHE they can talk about making healthy food choices. Geography can help students explore where seafood comes from, including local fish farms along the coast. This helps children connect their food to their local environment and understand where it is produced.
By teaching seafood nutrition in this way, children will learn to appreciate healthy eating and understand the important role seafood plays in their diet and community.