Teachers and students from Beaufort College in Navan, along with their parents, got involved in taking a whole-school approach to Development Education. Have a look at how they did it, using the school’s theme of interdependence for the year.
Who are we?
Students and teachers from Beaufort College, Navan (with involvement from parents too).
What we did
In the school year 2013-2014, every student in the school took part in some aspect of Beaufort’s DE project and became aware of the concept of interdependence (the school’s DE theme for 2013-2014). The school is moving towards a Whole School Approach to Development Education (see the Worldwise Global Schools approach or Lucy G. Hargreaves’s article in Policy and Practice in 2008) through a combination of factors: the cross-curricular nature of their DE activities, supportive senior management and whole staff buy-in.
How we did it
The students and staff in the school were involved in various activities throughout the year in order to create awareness and understanding as to what development education is and involves. Examples of these activities include:
- Global Fest week involved every teacher and student in DE learning and activities in November 2013
- 6th year students ran the ‘Trading Game’ with every class
- In PE class, students learned the dance moves of traditional dances and sports (e.g. capoeira) from around the world
- Seachtain na Gaeilge had a DE focus, for example, students created sayings in Irish around themes of unity and social justice and displayed them in the school
- There was a DE evening for teachers, students and parents during Seachtain Na Gaeilge, displaying all of the DE work of students and teachers
- 5 teachers spoke on the evening about the integration of DE into their subject
Did we succeed?
Beaufort College has successfully integrated Development Education into at least ten curriculum subjects including Irish, Maths and Physical Education.
An annual student-led activity, the Global Festivals, has kept the ideas, issues and debates on global realities active and energised within the school staff and student body on an annual basis. The project aims of the Global Festivals include:
Our Global Festival projects aim to provide opportunities for the students and teachers of Beaufort College to learn about the cultures, languages, musical instruments, costumes and dance steps of the various developing countries connected to our students.
By the Friday of our annual Global Festival week our aim is that every student in Beaufort college is more aware of DE concepts and their importance in the modern world.