What

School Linking: a partnership between teachers and their classes in different schools.

A vehicle for:

Diversity Education: Teaching children and young people to learn how to appreciate, value and explore the difference and similarities between people and place.

The SLIDE project was set up by LGEC and LCC to foster mutual understanding and respect for diversity in Lancashire Schools. The project has supported successful links between two primary schools, two secondary schools and is currently developing a link between a special school and a mainstream school. Details of these links can be found within the case studies as well as other examples of school linking from across the North West. These links have seen great benefits for the young people, teachers and schools involved. This website has therefore been set up to share the learning from these links and to encourage more teachers to use School Linking as a tool for teaching about diversity and promoting community cohesion.

Teaching about Diversity is an important aspect of the Global Dimension to education.

What is the Global Dimension to education?

Education plays a vital role in helping children and young people recognise their responsibilities as citizens of the global community, it equips them with the skills required to make informed decisions and take responsible actions. By including the global dimension in teaching, links can easily be made between local and global issues and young people are given the opportunity to:
  • Develop skills that will enable them to combat injustice, prejudice and discrimination.
  • Critically examine their own values and attitudes.
  • Appreciate the similarities between peoples everywhere, and learn to value diversity.
  • Understand the global context of their local lives.
Taken from Dfid’s (Dept for International Development) website: www.globaldimension.org.uk

What is a Global Citizenship?


Global Citizenship…

"goes beyond simply knowing that we are citizens of the globe to an acknowledgement of our responsibilities both to each other and to the earth itself. Global Citizenship is about understanding the need to tackle injustice and inequality, and having the desire and ability to work actively to do so. It is about valuing the earth as precious and unique, and safeguarding the future for those coming after us. Global Citizenship is a way of thinking and behaving. It is an outlook on life, a belief that we can make a difference".

Global Citizenship, The Handbook for Primary Teaching, Oxfam 2002

Millennium Development Goals


At the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000. The eight millennium Development Goals were set with the target for achievement being 2015. Nearly 190 countries have signed up to these goals.
 
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development.

For more information about these goals visit:
www.dfif.gov.uk/mdg
www.un.org/millenniumgoals

There are many Global Citizenship activities for exploring the Millennium Development Goals with your students for example:
Change the World in 8 Steps, Oxfam
Go bananas (Fair trade), Oxfam

For more resources and activity ideas visit www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet




Lancashire Global Education Centre
is registered as:
Lancashire Development Education Group Ltd.
Company Limited by Guarantee No. 04244912
Registered Charity No. 1089036