Talking about the world and consequences

As the term draws to a close this week, we made the decision to spend the remainder of our time thinking and celebrating our differences.

Even at this very young age, children can show that they understand how they are different, and celebrate these differences. We would hope that children could see that our differences make us unique and special.

Diversity is about celebrating and valuing how different we all are. This is strongly linked with promoting human rights and freedoms, based on principles such as dignity and respect. Diversity is something that applies to everyone, and should be part of everything we do. It is an important part of our work and not just a side issue. It requires everyone to play a full part. It is important to recognise that none of us fit neatly into separate ‘packages’ which can be neatly labelled or discriminated against.
This next week we have spent time discussing this and talking with children about how unique we all are and how children can celebrate this with each other.

We asked parent to helps us, this week, by talking about how they as a family, can share other peoples similarities and celebrate how everyone is different. They were asked to talk about how they can be tolerant and respectful and how children should never use people’s differences as a tool against them. This will really help us, to help our children, make the world a better place.

This citizenship theme is really important in starting to understand global citizenship. A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world – and their place in it. They take an active role in their community, and work with others to make our planet more equal, fair and sustainable.

The beginnings of climate change understanding…

World Art by a Year 1 child learning about the impact of climate change on our world.

School Ready

Today I have been organising a stall for our local ‘Ready for School’ roadshow. This roadshow is run by our local Children’s Centre for local families of children under 5. It addresses all the things that parents need to consider to ensure their child is ready to access school in Reception. Their theme is don’t wait until it’s too late. School readiness, in Derbyshire, is believed to be a journey. A journey which starts when children are very young and it focuses on 10 key things:

The 10 keys for unlocking school readiness are:
I can settle happily without my parent or carer
I can tell friends and grown-ups what I need
I can take turns and share when I am playing
I can go to the toilet on my own and wash my hands
I can put on my own coat and shoes and feed myself
I can tell a grown up if I am happy, sad or cross
I know that what I do and say can make others happy or unhappy
I am curious and want to learn and play
I can stop what I am doing, listen and follow simple instructions
I enjoy sharing books with grown-ups

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/education/early-years-childcare/ready-for-school/ready-for-school-in-derbyshire.aspx

As a school we are attending to talk about what school is like for the young children at our school.

We are taking this opportunity to talk to families about how the school is leading on the climate change agenda. Take every opportunity!

Children are never to young to understand how the world is warming up!

 

Global citizenship

Today I have been looking at how young children need to understand their place in the world. If children fail to understand this then no amount of climate change teaching will make an impact.

What is Global Citizenship?
A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world – and their place in it. They take an active role in their community, and work with others to make our planet more equal, fair and sustainable.

This has lead me to develop a belief that global citizenship is all about encouraging young people to develop the knowledge, skills and values they need to engage with the world. And it’s about the belief that we can all make a difference.

In looking at how we will develop this across our curriculum I happened on the work that Oxfam have set out in the website around global citizens.

https://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/who-we-are/what-is-global-citizenship

On this website they have out lined a great global curriculum. I am not into reinventing the wheel when someone has done it so well. These lessons are great and are easily adaptable to fit with your greater curriculum picture. Please take a look:

Early Years Global Citizenship curriculum:

https://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/global-citizenship-early-years?cid=rdt_education-resources-global-citizenship-in-the-whole-school-early-years

Key Stage 1 Global Citizenship curriculum:

https://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/global-citizenship-key-stage-one

They also have a climate change curriculum for Key stage 2:

https://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/climate-challenge-7-11

Teachers that have completed their unCClearn modules will see easily how these can be used, added to and adapted to fit with the unCClearn topics.

Great find today!

Derbyshire Headteacher Conference

On Thursday and Friday I spent my time in the company of a large group of Derbyshire Headteachers. We were at the Derbyshire Headteachers’ Conference working under the title ‘Leading a curriculum that enriches lives.’ We have heard from a number of curriculum experts talking about inspiring children and empowering them to learn. Interestingly the summary seems to be we need to look at what we are teaching and why we are teaching it – genius!

I believe if people focused on teaching children how to learn, not how to gather knowledge, if we improve their skills and give them a love of learning we can make a difference. Teach them the skill of historical enquiry, teach them how to investigate, teach them how question and you teach them how to learn.

By teaching knowledge we have taught them something new today, by teaching them to learn we give them the opportunity to learn something new everyday for the rest of their lives.

If we can then teach children a compassionate curriculum that puts looking after our world on the agenda and teaching children that each one of them can make a difference, we may find things improving. I would love to see schools put looking after our world as a priority for young people. If a teacher can teach a child the skills to learn independently, foster in them a love of learning new things and the desire to make a difference in the world and maybe one day they can be the teacher of a child who changes the world. JUST A THOUGHT…