From Africa to the Lebanon
Two teachers have told us about their experiences in international education.
Sue Douglas, an ICT co-ordinator at Catshill Middle School in Bromsgrove, gave up her summer holiday to help improve education in South Africa. Sue was one of 28 teacher travelling there as part of the Global Teachers Programme, run by the international agency Link Community Development. Another 12 teachers travelled to Uganda. While in Africa, each teacher lived with a host family in the local community, often a home without running water or electricity.
On their return, teachers work with children in their own school and community to raise awareness of international development issues.
Patricia Riddell covers schools across Gateshead as a supply teacher. She is one of the borough's 'cultural ambassadors', and in that role undertook a study visit to Palestinian refugee camps in the Lebanon last term, shortly before hostilities broke out.
Of her visit to the Shatila refugee camp school, she writes: “1,000 names on a wall mark a mass grave and ensure that those massacred in a three-day killing spree are not forgotten. It puts us in a sombre mood. We are guided around the camp and are shocked by the terrible deprivation of the estimated 15,000 refugees living in Shatila. In the school I read the hopes of the children on their frieze. Later in the week I’ll be teaching them.”
There are not enough schools, so a double shift system was in operation, with boys studying in the morning and girls in the afternoon. As in England, it's crucial to see the child as a whole and not just in terms of their education needs – even more so, says Pat, where life outside school is a struggle.
* To read Pat Riddell's Lebanon diary visit: www.cultureandcreativitygateshead.org
* To find out more about the Global Teachers Programme visit: www.lcd.org.uk
Shout out about climate change
Friends of the Earth (FoE) has launched Shout about climate solutions 2006, a free resource pack for teachers and young people who are keen to know more about climate change and what can be done to address it.
The resource, especially for young people between the ages of 11 and 13, contains information on climate change and how it can be tackled through a focus on electricity, transport and heating.
It's packed with activities that bring the issue to life in the classroom. This includes: a green PR campaign selling energy efficiency to other young people; designing an energy efficient house; or exploring different sources of renewable energy.
The Shout about climate solutions resource is linked to the National Curriculum in science, CDT, maths, geography and citizenship. FoE is also encouraging schools to register for the activity week, which takes place from 6 – 10 November 2006. Last year, more than 1,800 schools and youth groups across the country took part in a nationwide week of activity to raise awareness and encourage action on climate change.
- To find out more, visit: www.foe.co.uk/learning/educators
- Supply teacher Susan Chapman from Bournemouth would like to see the education press in general – and Teaching: the GTC magazine in particular – take up the issue of climate change. What do you think? We would like to hear from you.
