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Report On Development Education Forum
Held In Goole On 7th November 2001
For The East Riding,
North East Lincolnshire And North Lincolnshire
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Preliminary information: The forum was held from 2pm -
4.30, with an invitation for people to arrive early and have
time to see the samples of resources available for loan from
the DEC. In a large geographical area it is difficult to provide
opportunities for people to assess materials which the DEC (Hull)
has. The forum provided an opportunity to address this problem.
Present: (From education and library services)
Jill Butterfield, Kingsway Primary School, Goole. Sue Carstairs, Wolfreton
Secondary School, Kirkella, East Riding. Sue Cook, Copmanthorpe Primary
School, Copmanthorpe, York.
Bob Downes Baysgarth Secondary School, Barton-upon -Humber, N.Lincs. Sue
Holmes, Curriculum Project, East Riding Education Service/Diocese of York.
Gareth Hughes, Wales High School, Sheffield. Helen Ling, Howden Secondary
School, Howden. Richard Mann, South Hunsley Secondary School, Melton, North
Ferriby, East Riding. Debbie Newton, Vermuyden Secondary School, Goole.
Elisabeth Rawson, Boothferry Primary School, Goole.
Christiana Smethurst, Senior Librarian, Goole Library. Sally Webster, Multi-Cultural
Education Centre, Carr House Centre, Danum Road, Doncaster. Helen Wilmot,
David Lister Secondary School, Hull. Pete Wood, Flamborough Primary School,
Flamborough, East Riding.
Development Education Association: Sandy Henderson -Training Officer. Coordinator
of Yorkshire DfID Development Education Project: Adam Ranson, Leeds DEC.
European Resource Centre, the University of Hull- Jeanette Gilchrist DEC (Hull) Management Committee: Adrian Chrismas (East Riding Advisory
Service), Marilyn Cowling, Hull Education Service,) Dennis Fyle, Derek
Kennard (N.E.Lincolnshire Advisory Service), Ray Kirtley (European Resource
Centre, University of Hull),Avo Kurvits (East Riding Schools Library Service),
Carl O'Coill, (University of Lincolnshire and Humberside), Sylvia Usher,
Ann Mimmack (DEC Administrator) Total: 27
Presentation:
Sandy Henderson ( D.E.A.) outlined the importance of development education
and global awareness, aspects of our understanding which the events of
11th September had made more urgent. The British government has endorsed
the goal of lifting 50% of the world's poor out of poverty by 2015, and
the Department for International Development is discussing ways in which
this global perspective can be made more explicit in the school curriculum.
The Development Education Association maintains the network for promoting
the importance of development education to the government and voluntary
organisations, usually fund-raising charities, and facilitating development
issues in formal and informal education.
Examples of development education strategies used
in certain schools recently:
Pete Wood, deputy headteacher at Flamborough Primary School, described
his school's participation in the DEC's Millennium On the Line project
in which they were linked with a school in Valencia, Spain, and then with
a school in Mexico. This Mexican school was in a small fishing village,
with many similarities to Flamborough. Support from the DEC staff had enabled
him to develop work in which his pupils sent letters, and shared artefacts,
and so experiences, with pupils in Valencia. Eventually they received material
from Mexico, and had held a Mexico Day, organised by the DEC project worker.
The overall experience for his pupils had been enormously enriching.
Richard Mann, head of Geography at South Hunsley School, had arranged the
school's On the Line project with a school in Nkawie in Ghana. Pupils had
exchanged letters, and he had developed the link further by gaining a British
Council grant for exchange visits between himself and the linked Ghanaian
teacher. He had been in Ghana in September, and the return visit for the
Ghanaian teacher would be in March, 2002. Living with a Ghanaian family
and seeing life in the school had enabled him to share a different way
of life, and he was now working on ways that pupils here could be guided
to understand something of that. Connections between staff with similar
curriculum interests, e.g. music, were being investigated.
Helen Wilmot, drama teacher at David Lister Secondary School in East Hull,
explained how she had used the DEC's resources of Indian saris and other
clothes, artefacts and materials which helped pupils appreciate the excitement
and beauty of Indian culture and way of life. She had developed a dramatic
presentation on 'Equality', and themes and materials from the DEC enhanced
this greatly. Drama is excellent in sharing ideas and experiences with
a positive ethos about other cultures and countries. The presentation for
the local community in East Hull will be part of a C4 documentary on the
school shown in Spring 2002
Workshops and Responses:
Question 1: What are our hopes for an improved
world society in the first quarter of the 21st century?.
(Virtually unanimous response)
A. Increased tolerance, awareness and understanding of other people's cultures,
beliefs and value systems.
B. A better balance in the use of the world's resources to reduce the deprivation
and disadvantages of the developing countries. Stewardship of resources
to ensure sustainable development world-wide
C. Less selfishness and materialism: greater equality in issues of health,
gender, self worth (Agenda 21)
D. The next generation can grow up in a society with fewer fears, and greater
political participation.
E. Individuals should have more control over their own lives, and the knowledge
to make good use of that power.
F. Young people will have increased respect for others and for themselves
Question 2. What knowledge, and values, do you
think young people need for their life in 2015 and beyond?
A. Increased knowledge for teachers and pupils of other people's lives-
encourage curiosity through exploring common dimensions.
B. Broader curriculum which takes cognisance of development issues. This
needs more co-operative working, nationally, locally and in schools
C. Direct/first hand experience to make knowledge meaningful, e.g. School
links, which will require funding, shared experiences and time, but will
enhance points A & B.
Information on ordinary daily life: artefacts to examine and handle: sensory
experiences, e.g. taste food
D. Encouragement to think through the reasons why people's lives in contrasting
places differ from own experience.
Question 3. Practical discussion on one Unit of
the Geography Curriculum for year 2, and DfID's statement about the core
points of entitlement. In what ways could pupils experience this material?
To what extent do DfID concerns match up with the National Curriculum?
A. No substantial match between DfID's goals and the national curriculum
outlines. Development education's concern with equality and sustainable
lifestyle is not reflected in the usual curriculum
values.
B. Materials which schools need should be less biased than the (often bland)
materials available now, and should show negative as well as positive features
of development and globalisation. Schools need:
- materials which show everyday life, e.g artefacts, clothes, implements.
- videos, recipes
-up-to-date statistics needed for older pupils.
Question 4. How are we meeting entitlement for
a global perspective in this area? List examples of good practice which
could be brought to DfID's attention.To what extent is a link with a school
or institution in the South beneficial?
A. Example of Flamborough Primary: also work at Thoresby Primary 'Our World
Around the Humber' (work on India and numeracy). Very beneficial to all
pupils. Other schools have done work, but less detailed. Many not able
to, or are uninvolved. Ray Kirtley, European Resource Centre, has list
of school linking.
B. Links with other schools and countries made pupils much more responsive,
but considerable time and funds needed. School must be able to sustain
the link over time: avoid 'country of the month' approach.
Question 5. Suggest ways in which the global dimension
could be made more accessible to all age groups in the next three years.
A. Integrate development education work into other areas of the curriculum,
e.g. literacy hour.
B. Funding needed for organisations like DECs to ensure schools know about
good materials
C. Use positive world events, e.g. sports, to catch the interest of a wide
range of pupils
Research Project on Development Education in the Yorkshire and Humber Region
Adam Ranson outlined the DfID funded project, run through the Development
Education Centres based at Leeds, Sheffield, Skipton and York as well as
Hull, to assess the extent and effectiveness of bringing a global perspective
into education. Today's responses will form part of the evidence, and will
be followed up with a questionnaire to all schools in Yorkshire and the
Humber region, and some interviews with staff. A consultant will co-ordinate
the findings and recommendations, and these will be presented to Hilary
Benn, MP for a Leeds constituency and a junior minister at the Department
for International Development in January. People are invited to be involved
at this discussion. Eight asked to be included.
Everyone at the Goole Forum will be kept informed of the progress of this
research project.
Sylvia Usher. (Secretary to the Management Committee of the DEC) 16. 11.
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