Over the past few years, as a school, we have been developing our whole school approach to Learning for Sustainability. As part of our journey, we have been embedding the Sustainable development goals (SDGs) across learning and developing Global Citizenship. The SDGs are a collection of 17 interconnected goals which are a framework for creating a more sustainable and equitable world. The SDGs provide a meaningful context for learning; engaging learners in global issues and empowering them within their roles in shaping a better world.
"The SDGs provide a meaningful context for learning; engaging learners in global issues and empowering them within their roles in shaping a better world."
Over the past few years, we have been embedding the SDG’s across our learning contexts. Last year and this year in term 1 we had a whole school learning context linked to a specific SDG.
When planning our whole school SDG focus, we consider which goal is currently relevant to our wider world, our learners and our school community. This year in Term 1 we planned a whole school learning context focusing on SDG10 – Reduced Inequalities.
"When planning our whole school SDG focus, we consider which goal is currently relevant to our wider world, our learners and our school community."
How did we do this?
Each stage read a book which made links to themes of inequality as well as the other SDGs. The books also explored a different country and culture such as Malawi, India, Kenya and South Africa; exploring diversity and global citizenship. The books provided a rich context to explore inequality in a way which was accessible for our learners and which teachers felt confident in exploring.
- P1 ‘Read ‘The Same, but different too’ by Karl Newson linked to their ‘All about me’ topic. The book explored the lives of two children living in different parts of the world. Learners explored their own identify and the similarities and differences of life in Scotland and India, celebrating diversity.
- P2 read ‘Where are you from?’ by Yamile Saied Mendez, linked to their ‘Our Town’ topic exploring identity and diversity. Learners compared life in Scotland and Peurto Rico while exploring the issue of plastic pollution.
- P3 read ‘The Hunter’ by Paul Geraghty, linked to their ‘Endangered animals’ topic exploring the inequalities experienced by animals due to hunting and deforestation.
- P4 read ‘Whangari’s trees of peace’ by Jeanette Winter linked to their ‘Rainforest’ topic. They explored different types of inequality with a focus on gender inequality which the character experienced.
- P5 read the story ‘When the stars scattered’ by Victoria Jamison and Omar Mohamed exploring the inequalities experienced by those displaced and living in refugee camps.
- P6 focused on the book ‘The Boy who harnessed the wind’ by William Kamkwamba linked to their STEM topic. They explored the inequalities experienced by the character due to living in a drought in Malawi. They also explored the inequality of the impact of climate change on countries doing the least to cause it.
- P7 read the book ‘Journey to Jo’burg’ by Beverly Naidoo linked to their South Africa topic learning about the inequality of the Apartheid in South Africa.
"Teachers felt more confident to explore inequality through the context of a book and learners developed confidence in engaging in discussion arounds the issue."
Impact
This approach had a positive impact on both teachers and learners. Teachers felt more confident to explore inequality through the context of a book and learners developed confidence in engaging in discussion arounds the issue. By taking a global citizenship approach learners were empowered to take action and become change makers within their school and local community. We used pre and post topic assessments to capture changes in learners’ attitudes and values. For example, we asked learners ‘what they would see in Malawi?’ and noted differences in their understanding around diversity in Malawi after the teaching input. Older pupils were also able to make more links to other Sustainable Development Goals and make connections across the goals.
