Global Citizenship

February 20th, 2012

Food and Global Citizenship

nickmorgan

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories health and wellbeing, international

Food - Something everyone has an interest in, and a great subject for some innovative thinking about education for Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development. Issues like food poverty and food justice can be discussed and understood by young people alongside their learning about Health and Well-being and ethical decision-making.

Here are some current programmes and initiatives which teachers can adopt, use and work with to help address Food issues in the classroom:

Eco-Schools Scotland has recently launched its new Food and Environment Topic giving school the opportunity to explore sustainability and food related issues and work towards their green flag at the same time.

Oxfam has resources and background material about food justice, such as its report ”Growing a better future“, and the charity is also running its ‘GROW’ campaign to work for improvements in global systems of land ownership, agricultural use, trade, etc.

The ‘School of Fish’ programme, supported by Marks and Spencer, is a fun resource for Primary schools with material aimed at both teachers and pupils. It supports learning about the place of Fish in a healthy diet and also deals with marine conservation issues. There are facts, games, videos and ’codcasts’ (great name), intended to get children thinking about the marine environment and eating fish. Schools can get a pack posted to them which contains more material such as magazines and stickers.

And finally, the Big Lunch and a competition with breadmaker Kingsmill. The Big Lunch will be held on Sunday 3rd June and this year will form part of national celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The website describes many of the activities taking place around the UK and offers ideas for more. Kingsmill is one of the companies partnering and supporting this nationwide event, and offers recipes for street parties, information about nutrition, etc. Downloadable resources are available for local organisers. A Fun Lunch Competition for primary schools invites children to ‘Design your Dream Sandwich’, and the winning entries will feature in a downloadable recipe book. The overall winner will receive a toy store voucher, chefs outfits and a Big Lunch for their own street. - So here you could have some discussion about food types and nutrition, healthy eating, food sources and the concept of ‘food miles’, sustainable farming, etc.

Eat well!

February 20th, 2012

Fairtrade fortnight

nickmorgan

Comments: none Tags: Tags: Fairtrade
 : Categories africa, citizenship, commonwealth, health and wellbeing, international, religious and moral education

Fairtrade Fortnight starts on 27th February 2012 and runs until 11th March. As usual, hundreds of Scottish schools and community groups will be involved in local efforts to change attitudes and behaviour and establish Scotland as a Fairtrade Nation.

The Fairtrade Foundation’s campaign focus this year is ‘Take a Step in 2012′. Their website provides background information about the inequalities of world trade, the difference a fair deal for producers can make, and some ideas for action. An interactive map displays some of the local projects and events taking part.

Many charities will be contributing to the overall campaign in their own ways, offering extra opportunities for schools and learners to engage with Fairtrade. For example, Tradecraft is encouraging local people to host a Big Brew event in their own area, and provides resources for schools and organisers to help them set things up.

Oxfam has resources which enable teachers to cover the issue of Trade as part of their Global Citizenship teaching. The SCIAF Youth website also has material to support young people thinking about this key issue.

If your school comes up with an innovative way of promoting fairtrade, let us know. [email protected]

The Scottish Government has confirmed that Scotland is likely to meet the criteria to become a Fair Trade Nation in 2012, with many local authorities, towns and schools already committed.

February 9th, 2012

Falkirk Council DGC Showcase and open day at Bo’ness Academy

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: CPD, europe, events, modern languages, school improvement
 : Categories CPD, Uncategorized, china, citizenship, curriculum areas, early years, europe, expressive arts, health and wellbeing, international, languages, leadership, mathematics, modern languages, primary schools, religious and moral education, sciences, secondary schools, sharing practice, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

Falkirk Council global citizenship showcase and school open day

Venue: Bo’ness Academy, Falkirk

9:30am – 3.00pm

This event will now take place on Thursday 17th May 2012

Theme: International Education

This CPD event offers practitioners and school leaders an exciting opportunity to visit Bo’ness Academy and attend Falkirk Council’s Global Citizenship Showcase Event.

Bo’ness Academy is an inspiring example of a school that has used international education as a vehicle to engage the whole school in global citizenship activities. Through the Comenius Programme and other well established links the school has developed a rich international programme connecting it to countries across the world including: The Gambia, The Netherlands, China, France, Germany and The Czech Republic.

A focus of the event will be to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school move forward on its journey including:

• Making global citizenship a key priority in the school and a focus for the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence
• Using international links to explore important issues in a global context and to create engaging, meaningful and challenging learning experiences
• Developing strong international partnerships which can be sustained and which have made an impact on every learner.

Participants will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the Head Teacher, International Coordinator, staff and learners and also tour the classrooms and school. Time will also be set aside for participants to reflect and share their own experiences.

Following the open day event, participants will also have the opportunity to attend Falkirk Council’s Global Citizenship Showcase event which will also be taking place in Bo’ness Academy from 4pm – 6pm. This will feature exhibitions and displays from leading organisations such as Eco-Schools Scotland and the British Council and will showcase innovative global citizenship practice from many Falkirk schools.

How to book

To book, please contact Megan Farr, Policy Officer, Falkirk Council. Email: [email protected] or Tel. 01324 506671.

Places for the open day section of the event are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

Download programme for Bo’ness Academy Open Day >>

November 18th, 2011

Crofting Connections

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: community, food, nature, news, research
 : Categories biodiversity, community, creativity, curriculum areas, expressive arts, health and wellbeing, homecoming, languages, mathematics, outdoor learning, primary schools, religious and moral education, renewables and climate change, sciences, scottish culture, secondary schools, sharing practice, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

Crofting Connections is a 3-year long educational project which started in August 2009. It aims to enable over 1,200 young people aged 5 to 16 living in remote rural communities throughout the Highlands & Islands to learn about crofting past, present and future.

It is funded by HLF, SNH, LEADER, HIE and the Craignish Trust.

Its key outcomes for young people are for an increased:

• desire to live and work in their crofting communities.
• ability to keep crofting alive in the 21st century for the benefit of rural communities and the environment.
• development of Curriculum for Excellence‟ four capacities – successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.
• understanding of the need for locally produced, environmentally-friendly and healthy food based on low carbon principles.

The lead partners in the project are Soil Association Scotland and the Scottish Crofting Federation. To read more about this exciting project an about the impact it has had on learning teaching then download the Interim Report (you will need a Glow password to access this link).

November 11th, 2011

Anti-bullying week, 14 - 18 November

kmayer

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, conflict, debating, learner voice, rights, sectarianism
 : Categories citizenship, health and wellbeing, religious and moral education

Anti-Bullying Week is an annual event organised by respectme, Scotland’s Anti-Bullying Service. The week aims to raise awareness of bullying in and out of school, and highlight ways of preventing and responding to it.

The 2011 Anti-Bullying Week focuses on cyber-bullying. The campaign theme is based around the notion that ‘the internet is a place, not a thing’. Its core message will inform and educate adults about the internet being a social place that children and young people go to, and will reinforce the responsibility adults have to take an active interest and make sure that online environments are as safe as the places they visit in the ‘real’ world.

For more ideas and resources visit our ‘Resources Calendar’

October 28th, 2011

Travelling Green

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, climate and energy, resources
 : Categories ICT, expressive arts, games and sport, health and wellbeing, languages, sciences, social studies, sustainable development

Travelling Green is a 6 week walking project which aims to encourage as many children as possible to change their method of travel to and from school, by increasing active commuting (walking) to school.

Travelling Green is an interdisciplinary project focusing on Health and Wellbeing with links to Science, Social Studies, Expressive Arts, Technologies and Languages.

Children learn about walking time and distance, they chart their progress to a more active journey to school and learn about healthy eating, why walking is good for them and how to stay safe on the walk to school.

Who is it aimed at?

Travelling Green is aimed at P5s (9 year olds) in primary schools in Scotland, but it can also be used in composite classes.

What can it achieve?

Increases in overall physical activity. Setting realistic, individual, achievable physical activity targets.

What’s new with Travelling Green?

Sustrans has developed new, free, eye-catching interactive whiteboard flipcharts that can be used with any interactive whiteboard. The flipcharts complement the paper resource pack and provide more opportunities for engagement in the classroom. You can download the interactive resources for free from the Promethean Planet partnership pages.

More info is available on the Sustrans website.

October 18th, 2011

Forest Pitch - Meet the artist in a Glowing Thursday!

mfarrell

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories biodiversity, citizenship, commonwealth, community, creativity, curriculum areas, expressive arts, games and sport, health and wellbeing, international, primary schools, sciences, scottish culture, social studies, sustainable development

Glowing Thursday 10th November 2011

Forest Pitch – football strip design competition!

Meet the artist!

Join us on 10th November at 11am on Glow TV!

An opportunity to meet Scottish artist Craig Coulthard, creator of the highly innovative art project Forest Pitch. Funded by Creative Scotland and part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Forest Pitch will culminate in two football matches between amateur players who have recently taken up British citizenship. At the Scottish Learning Festival in September this year Craig launched a football strip design competition for primary age children to come up with exciting and innovative designs for the football strips that the players will wear.

As an arts project, Forest Pitch encourages debate about national identity, citizenship, the natural world, sustainability and participation in sport.

If you have already signed up for the competition or are thinking about doing so, then join us for this exciting Glowing Thursday to find out more and get some artist’s tips and advice.

Find out more about the competition, sign up and download the design brief and support materials here

And don’t forget - taking part in this competition is a great way of demonstrating a commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic values and joining the London 2012 Get Set Network. Do this before 16th December and qualify for FREE tickets for the Olympics! Find out more >>

October 9th, 2011

Calderglen High School - Open Day Study Visit

mfarrell

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, africa, citizenship, commonwealth, curriculum areas, games and sport, health and wellbeing, international, secondary schools, sharing practice

Main focus: Global Citizenship and Games Legacy for Scotland

Tuesday, 25^th October 2011, 9.30 am – 3.30pm

Calderglen High School – the first Community Sports Hub in Scotland, Calderglen has a strong focus on community sport, health and well being and global citizenship. Staff and pupils will provide you with the opportunity to spend the day hearing how the theme of the Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games has provided a platform for transforming the school’s ethos and its approach to interdisciplinary learning, developing rich learning experiences and activities including:

• Strong international partnerships through an ‘International Inspirations’ link with South Africa and the ‘BBC World Olympic Dreams’ link with Namibia.
• Engagement with the London 2012 Get Set programme.
• Linking school and community sport to promote health and well being and provide coherent pathways for children and young people.

The aim of the event is to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school move forward in its journey towards a whole school approach to global citizenship within Curriculum for Excellence - and also to reflect on the challenges encountered along the way. Fundamental to the event will be the professional dialogue and exchange of ideas that takes place on the day, enabling participants to network, reflect on their own practice and develop intentions for improvement in their own context. With this in mind, participants are encouraged to join the Leadership of Global Citizenship online community and share their reflections.

The programme for the event can be downloaded here >>Calderglen High School Open day Flyer_Programme

October 3rd, 2011

Our Changing World - public lectures

mfarrell

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories CPD, biodiversity, citizenship, curriculum areas, health and wellbeing, renewables and climate change, sciences, secondary schools, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

Opportunity for senior pupils and staff…

Our Changing World is a series of public lectures at Edinburgh University examining the global challenges facing society, and the role of academia in meeting these challenges.

There is a growing recognition across the world of the urgency of tackling a range of difficult, complex and inter-related issues that impact human wellbeing. These issues include food, energy and water security, the spread of infectious diseases, developments in technology and medicine, and climate change.

The series, delivered by distinguished speakers, focuses on the contribution academia can make to understanding and addressing these global challenges. the lectures also form the basis of an exciting new interdisciplinary undergraduate course at Edinburgh University. More details here.

Click here for the full lecture series this autumn.

Senior school pupils, students and staff are all welcome to attend.

http://www.ed.ac.uk/about/video/lecture-series/changing-world/changing-world .

All lectures are free, but ticketed. Places are limited so booking is essential.

September 20th, 2011

Forest Pitch football strip design competition

mfarrell

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories Uncategorized, biodiversity, citizenship, community, creativity, games and sport, health and wellbeing, international, scottish culture, social studies, sustainable development

Design a football strip for Forest Pitch!

Education Scotland and Forest Pitch are working in partnership to offer all primary age children in Scotland an opportunity to design the football strips for an exciting project connected with London 2012.

Forest Pitch is the only Scottish project in Artists Taking The Lead, a major part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, and is also part of the London 2012 Festival, the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad. The Cultural Olympiad uses art and culture to welcome the world, to inspire young people and to create a lasting legacy.

Scottish artist Craig Coulthard, supported by funding from Creative Scotland will be creating a full size football pitch hidden deep within woodland in the Scottish Borders. In July 2012, two games will take place on this pitch, one between men and one between women. The players will all be amateurs, resident in Scotland, over the age of 18. In addition they will all be people who have become British citizens since the year 2000. After these games, the pitch will be left to grow back, and become a living relic of the events that took place in the woods.

The project explores a range of themes: national identity and belonging, what it means to be a citizen, how personal and shared memories and myths are created, the power of sport, diversity in nature and society, and sustainability.

Forest Pitch is looking for your creative designs for the football strips which the players will wear. As there are 4 teams (2 men’s and 2 women’s) Craig is looking for 4 winners.

The competition is for primary-age pupils and is designed to enable children to express themselves openly and freely and to encourage critical thinking and creativity. They will be able to express their own ideas, thoughts and feelings by exploring the themes of Forest Pitch and then creating a football strip design.

To find out more and enter the competition click here.

For further information contact [email protected]

… and don’t forget to register with Get Set and use Forest Pitch as part of your application to the Get Set Network. This will provide even more opportunities and resources for learning linked to London 2012 - and free tickets through the ticketshare scheme. Over 1100 Scottish schools are registered for Get Set and over 170 are now on the network.