Global Citizenship

June 7th, 2012

Join our Glow meet from Rio

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, climate and energy, community, democracy, events, human rights, learner voice, natural disasters, nature, poverty, water
 : Categories biodiversity, community, curriculum areas, learner voice, outdoor learning, religious and moral education, renewables and climate change, sciences, social studies, sustainable development

11am - 12pm, Tuesday 19 June 2012

What are your green dreams for the future?

What message will you send to world leaders?

How can Scotland become more sustainable?

What can we expect from this globally important event?

Over 150 heads of state and world leaders will gather in Rio de Janeiro from 20-22^nd June 2012 for crucial talks at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Stewart Stevenson MSP, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, will be one of those travelling to Rio as part of the official UK delegation.

Education Scotland, through Glow, is giving you the chance to link with the Minister live from Rio to learn more about the event and the hopes and expectations of the UK delegation.

The conference, referred to as Rio+20, will mark 20 years since the historic Earth Summit in the same city in 1992 which put issues such as climate change and the protection of biodiversity on the map and gave birth to Agenda 21 – an action plan for a sustainable future which was adopted by national governments, cities and local authorities across the world. Rio+20 will focus on seven priority areas including: decent jobs, energy, sustainable cities, food security and sustainable agriculture, water, oceans and disaster readiness.

Rio+20 provides an opportunity to move away from business-as-usual and to take bold steps to end poverty and address environmental destruction.

This will be an interactive Glow meet so get your questions, messages, ideas and green dreams ready for Rio!

• What is Scotland doing to protect the environment and promote sustainable development? What more could we be doing?
• What are your green dreams and ideas for the future? What should we have achieved by the time Rio+40 comes around?
• What messages would you like the Minister to pass onto other government officials and world leaders when he meets them for discussions?

This Glow meet will be suitable for learners in primary and secondary schools.

Visit http://bit.ly/glowrio20 to register and join the Glow meet on the day. Free Rio+20 resources are available at: http://bit.ly/JxZr5G

June 1st, 2012

Refugee Week Scotland, 18th-24th June 2012

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, asylum seekers, democracy, events, human rights, refugees
 : Categories africa, citizenship, commonwealth, community, curriculum areas, europe, international, social studies, sustainable development

Each year Refugee Week grows and increases in profile, making its mark on the UK’s cultural calendar. This year’s theme Spirit captures:

• Spirit of survival and the individual – the determination needed to flee persecution and rebuild your life
• Community spirit – the connections between refugees and local communities
• Scotland’s spirit – the cultural diversity of Scotland today

Refugee Week is all about having fun, broadening horizons and breaking down barriers. Every June the week long UK-wide festival of arts, cultural and educational events celebrates contributions refugees have made to the UK, and promotes understanding about why people seek sanctuary.

Click here to see the exciting programme of activities and events for 2012>>

May 30th, 2012

World Environment Day - 5th June 2012

imenzies

Comments: 1 Comment Tags: Tags: action, climate and energy, events, resources
 : Categories sustainable development

World Environment Day (WED) is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. WED activities take place all year round but climax on 5 June every year, involving everyone from everywhere.

WED celebration began in 1972 and has grown to become the one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. This year there will be a special focus on the Green Economy to tie in with discussions taking place at the Rio+20 conference betwen 20-22nd June 2012.

Everyone counts in this initiative and WED relies on you to make this happen – why not organise a neighbourhood clean-up, stop using plastic bags and get your community to do the same, plant a tree or better yet organise a collective tree planting effort, walk to work, start a recycling drive . . . the possibilities are endless.

Visit the World Environment Day website for resources, ideas and information >>

May 30th, 2012

Get Ready for Rio+20 – UN Conference on Sustainability

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, climate and energy, democracy, events, human rights, natural disasters, nature, poverty, resources
 : Categories biodiversity, community, international, outdoor learning, renewables and climate change, sustainable development

Latest: Join our Glow meet live from Rio+20 from 11am to 12pm on Tuesday 19th June. Put your questions to Stewart Stevenson MSP, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, who will be attending as part of the official UK delegation. Share your green dreams and vision for a better future for all the world’s people.

Between 20-22 June 2012 world leaders will gather in Rio De Janeiro for crucial talks at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The conference, referred to as Rio+20, will mark 20 years since the historic Earth Summit in the same city in 1992 which put issues such as climate change and the protection of biodiversity on the map and gave birth to Agenda 21 – an action plan for a sustainable future which was adopted by national governments, cities and local authorities across the world. The establishment of the international Eco-Schools movement was another practical outcome of this process.

The 1992 Earth Summit achieved much but clearly there are still many challenges to be addressed if we are to build a safer, more equitable, cleaner, greener and more prosperous world for all.

The hopes and expectations for Rio+20 are high and the preparations have highlighted seven priority areas including: decent jobs, energy, sustainable cities, food security and sustainable agriculture, water, oceans and disaster readiness. Rio+20 is a chance to move away from business-as-usual and to take bold steps to end poverty and address environmental destruction.

Sustainability in Scotland

The document, A Flourishing Scotland, produced for Rio+20 outlines the many achievements we should celebrate with regards to Scotland’s success in promoting sustainable development education. IN the context of the Rio Summit it may be of interest to note that Chapter 36 of the Agenda 21 document, which focussed on education, was written by a Scot – Professor John Smyth.

However, other key achievements nationally include: the embedding of sustainable development education, global citizenship and outdoor learning within Curriculum for Excellence; we also have one of the most successful Eco-Schools programme in the world with over 98% of local authority school registered; and Scotland has shown leadership on a world stage by introducing ambitious targets on climate change and in planning for our transition to a low-carbon economy. By 2020 it is estimated that 130,000 people will be employed in low carbon and green industries in Scotland and that renewable energy will provide 100% of our energy needs. Scotland is also the only county in the world to have debated the issue of climate justice in its parliament.

Whilst much has been achieved, there is still work to be done. Nevertheless, there is a real opportunity for Scotland to show leadership on a world stage with regards to its commitment to sustainable development and to set an example for other nations to follow.

What you can do

Our ambition is that every learner in Scotland recognises themselves as a global citizen; has a strong commitment to living sustainably and has an enthusiasm for the outdoors and nature.

You can help by ensuring that global citizenship, sustainable development education and outdoor learning are on your school improvement plan and embedded in your curriculum. Make these areas the responsibility of everyone in your school, not just the eco-warrior or group, so your school can adopt a successful whole school approach and make an impact on every learner.

Professional learning – read Learning for Change: Scotland’s Action Plan for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and make use of our resources on sustainable development education, global citizenship and outdoor learning.

Join our online community to share practice and ideas with other practitioners around Scotland and engage in professional dialogue.

Activity ideas

Raise the profile of the conference in your own school or community – organise your own version of the Rio+20 conference.

Invite learners to develop their green dreams – what is their vision of a more sustainable future? What would they like to see happen in the next 20 years? What would their message to world leaders be?

Web links

Official website of the Rio+20 Summit

Twitter – follow the conversation at #Rioplus20

My green dream – add your voice and dream to thousands of others

Education Scotland Online

Sustainable development education pages and videos

Global citizenship resources

Outdoor learning resources

Weather and Climate Change

Exploring Climate Change

Schools Global Footprint

Resources

Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Scottish Sustainable Development Forum have created a Rio+20 resource pack for schools and youth groups. This resource pack can be downloaded from the Eco-Schools Scotland website. Hard copies, plus the accompanying DVD, can be ordered via email: [email protected]

WWF has produced a free Rio+20 teaching resource and associated competition for young people aged 11-14 years. Download for free at: www.wwf.org.uk/futures

Download the special edition Living Planet Report - On the Road to Rio produced by WWF.

Stop Climate Chaos has produced Rio+20 resources for students and teachers. Download from: http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/rc-youth

May 30th, 2012

New online resource: ‘Ready for Emergencies?’ - available 13th June 2012

kmayer

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, community, emergencies, events, resources, sectarianism
 : Categories citizenship, creativity, curriculum areas, health and wellbeing, sciences

Education Scotland is delighted to announce the launch of a fantastic new resource designed to support practitioners in the delivery of emergency resilience education. This exciting online resource has been designed around the principles and approaches of the Curriculum for Excellence.

The Ready for Emergencies? resource enables practitioners access to expertise and materials in each of the 6 key emergency themes outlined, by the Scottish Government’s Ready Scotland website as posing the most immediate threat to communities. The themes include severe weather, flooding, terrorism, pandemic flu, animal disease outbreak and utilities failure all of which provide real and relevant contexts for learning, encouraging an interdisciplinary approach. Each emergency theme is explained and links to the curriculum made explicit, allowing inclusion in planning at levels 1 through to 4. In addition to specific learning journeys linked to relevant to outcomes and experiences the website offers a wide range of challenges, factsheets and videos as well as related links and RSS news feeds on breaking news of emergencies.

The importance of partnership working and opportunities for recognising achievement are highlighted so that transferable skills can be developed within and across sectors.

The new website will be available nationally from June 13^th 2012 following a ministerial launch by Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages. It can be accessed under the following link www.educationscotland.gov.uk/readyforemergencies. Portobello High School in Edinburgh will play host to the launch event and the Scottish Government Resilience Division will provide the national context within which the resource will sit.

May 14th, 2012

Be a part of a sustainable schools documentary

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: events, film, school improvement
 : Categories ICT, biodiversity, community, creativity, curriculum areas, expressive arts, outdoor learning, renewables and climate change, sustainable development

With a month to go there is still time to take part in the inaugural documentary entitled “The UK’s Best Sustainable Schools”.

This film is being produced by Cycling4SEEd who will be visiting (by bicycle and other sustainable means of travel) schools from Lands End to John O’Groats and capturing on film the freshest ideas, the best practice, the most exciting plans and hopefully even the most exciting results of sustainability in schools.

Cycling4SEEd cannot visit every school in the country but there are still ways for you and your schools to be part of this very important film to encourage all schools to take up sustainability:

1. Develop a student-led 6-minute video about sustainability in your school which may be included in the final documentary and premiered in London on July 11th at SEEd’s Sustainable Schools Conference – details at www.se-ed.co.uk/cycling4seed.
2. Enter the student competition to make a 60 second commercial to promote the documentary and encourage other schools and students to become more sustainable. The awards ceremony for the commercial will also be held in London on July 11th and the winning commercial will be shown at the premier of the documentary.

For details of how to get involved in any of these activities, please visit the SEED website at www.se-ed.org-uk. You can also follow the story of Cycling4SEEd’s journey along the backbone of the UK as they visit schools, hear stories, see sustainable projects and share ideas.

For all your enquiries, please email [email protected].

May 1st, 2012

The healthy way to get to school – Travelling Green.

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, events
 : Categories curriculum areas, health and wellbeing, sustainable development

Travelling Green is a complete six-week programme aimed at P5 level; it comes with lesson plans and wall charts. It gives children and their parents the skills and confidence to walk to school. Walking to school is good for children’s development as well and their physical and mental health. Travelling Green has strong Health and Wellbeing Curriculum links covering topics like for example; the circulatory and respiratory systems.

For more information, see link below;

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/safe-routes-to-schools/whats-in-your-area/scotland/travelling-green

Recent research has shown that children who do Travelling Green are generally more physically active than children who do not. Increasing children’s daily physical activity is essential for tackling the obesity epidemic, one of the key challenges facing Scotland’s population as described in Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer’s annual report. We need to make active modes of travel children’s first choice and make physical activity an everyday habit for Scottish children.

It has been shown that active children become active adults. Physical activity has recently been made a national indicator in Scotland. Walking to school is an excellent everyday opportunity for children to get the recommended amount of physical activity which is vital for maintaining their health and wellbeing. In addition, active children do better at school. When asked children want to be more physically active and they want to travel actively to school. Travelling Green is a resource that increases children’s physical activity in small manageable steps.

The resource was popular with teachers; they gave the following feedback;

“Well thought out and children benefited from it, many changed their route and started walking together in groups”.

“Easy to use with lots of additional resources and support materials”

“Good resource, making cross-curricular links”.

The Travelling Green resources were developed in partnership by West Dunbartonshire Council and are available for free to all Scottish schools.

There are also free Travelling Green flipcharts for interactive whiteboards available from Promethean Planet (see included step by step guide). We also include a guide for the Travelling Green resources and a flyer to circulate to your schools.

To get the resources sent to your school contact;

[email protected] 0131 346 9777

May 1st, 2012

Teachers gain Professional Recognition in Global Citizenship

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: CPD, events, school improvement
 : Categories citizenship, early years, leadership, primary schools, secondary schools, sharing practice, sustainable development

Teachers from across Glasgow were awarded Professional Recognition by the General Teaching Council for Scotland in Education for Global Citizenship.

The 24 teachers were awarded their certificates at a partnership event organised by GTC Scotland, Glasgow City Council and the West of Scotland Development Education Centre (WOSDEC). The event took place at Glasgow City Chambers on 25 April.

Habib Malik, Scottish Director of Islamic Relief and the Burns Humanitarian Award winner 2010 spoke about his experience of Global Citizenship and there were short presentations by the Chief Executive of the GTC Scotland, Anthony Finn, and Maureen McKenna Executive Director of Education at Glasgow City Council.

Professional Recognition, which is managed by GTC Scotland, provides teachers with an opportunity to gain recognition for particular expertise they may have and display in their teaching. Areas recognised previously include the Scots Language and Mentoring, Sustainable Education and Enterprise. So far 758 teachers across Scotland have received this professional award, bringing considerable benefits to their own professional development but also to the learning of their pupils and of their colleagues.

For more information about the event see the GTCS website

Click here to find out more about professional recognition in global citizenship, sustainable development education and outdoor learning.

April 30th, 2012

Global Awareness and Community Showcase Event, East Renfrewshire

kmayer

Comments: none Tags: Tags: community, CPD, events, Fairtrade
 : Categories CPD, citizenship, international, sharing practice

Woodfarm High School will host this year’s global citizenship event in East Renfrewshire and invites members of their local community to see the diverse and inspirational work undertaking in schools across the local authority.

The programme includes music and dance performances as well as a variety of Fair Trade food and jewellery stalls, henna tattoos drawing and a plant sale.

Event details:

Woodfarm High School

Wednesday, 23 May

Time: 4 – 6pm

April 26th, 2012

Circular economy event – resources now on Glow

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: climate and energy, CPD, events, resources
 : Categories CPD, curriculum areas, mathematics, sciences, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

Education Scotland hosted an event in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the University of Edinburgh on 30^th March 2012 at the Menzies Hotel in Glasgow to explore how the concept of a circular economy can be used as a focus for sustainable development education and interdisciplinary learning.

The circular economy is a generic term for an industrial economy that is, by design or intention, restorative and in which materials flows are of two types, biological nutrients, designed to re-enter the biosphere safely, and technical nutrients, which are designed to circulate at high quality without entering the biosphere. The circular economy proposes a coherent framework for re-thinking and re-building a positive vision of the future.

Find out more about the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the circular economy by watching this short video: www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/convince_me

The presentations and resources from the event are now available on Glow at https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Climate%20Change/Lists/Pages/Resources.aspx