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FEATURE


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“We need leadership that enables us to create an education system that imparts the values of equality, community cohesion and social justice, which are central to effective global citizenship,” he concluded.

(Photo of Doug Bourn)

Global learning and racism

The important contribution global learning can make to tackling racism and discrimination of all forms was highlighted by a number of speakers during the day, with Doug Bourn from the Institute of Education explaining that such teaching should help students to make sense of themselves and their communities as much as learning about the wider world.

“It is not about learning about somewhere ‘out there’,” he stated. “It is about making sense of our own locality and the fluidity and diversity of our o w n c ommu n i t i e s and helping young people recognise how that in turn fits into a wider picture.”

The event, which was held in London, also had a strongly practical focus, with experts sharing their experiences of developing global learning within education.

(Photo of Jonathan Ellis)

The Refugee Council, a Global Classroom conference partner, has been at the forefront of much of this work, developing a number of programmes to break down many of the barriers facing refugees and asylum seekers accessing education in the UK. Director of policy and development Jonathan Ellis spoke to delegates about three initiatives: ‘Smile’, which provides support and mentoring for refugee pupils entering British schools; the ‘Inclusive Secondary School’ project which helps refugee families engage with their children’s schools; and ‘Refugees into Teaching’, which offers guidance and assistance to help refugee teachers get jobs in British schools.

Mr Ellis highlighted the discrimination often faced by refugee teachers, many of whom are highly qualified and experienced but often struggle to find jobs or are commonly employed below their skill level.

In recognition of this issue, the NASUWT has launched the first website dedicated to p r o v i d i n g information and g u i d a n c e specifically for overseas trained t e a c h e r s working in the UK, which was promoted to delegates on the day.

“Gaining refugee status is just the start of the story and teaching is an area where refugees can make a real difference to this country. We need to do more to unlock the untapped potential of teachers coming into this country,” Mr Ellis said.

“Their skills and experiences are so valuable, both to the profession and to broadening the learning experience for our young people.”

Supporting overseas teachers

(Photo of Dr Tony Sewell)

Personal perspectives were also provided by Dr Tony Sewell who explained more about his ‘Creating Champions’ project, which aims to support the professional development of teachers by enabling colleagues from Jamaica to come to the UK to study the teaching of maths and science. The aim is to improve the teaching of these subjects in Jamaica, while also raising the status of the teaching profession abroad. However, he emphasised that as with all effective global learning, it is vitally important that such exchanges are not seen as a one-way process, but an opportunity to learn from one another.

(Photo of Sandy Betlem)

Creating mutual understanding is also at the heart of work being undertaken by Norfolk Education and Action for Development (NEAD) and Sandy Betlem, Programme Co-ordinator, explained more to delegates about the project, which was established to reflect the growing numbers of m i g r a n t s arriving in the area.

Volunteers from different communities visit schools to talk about their backgrounds and experiences and schools are encouraged to work collaboratively to offer global learning experiences to pupils and professional training to teachers on mainstreaming global issues through the curriculum.

(Photo of Dr Sewell)

“People can have their globally specific identities but there is also a point where you have to come together and recognise that there is more in common than separates us. That is the root of education,” Dr Sewell said.

Workshops

Delegates were also able to attend a range of practical workshops exploring issues such as the use of religious education to promote global learning and the practicalities of setting up and maintaining school linking projects.

A marketplace with an array of resources and information for teachers on global learning was also available, enabling teachers to discuss and make contact with a number of organisations able to offer teachers practical support in planning and creating learning experiences.

The Union’s Overseas Trained Teachers website can be found at www.overseastrainedteachers.org.uk.


"Teachers are shaping tomorrow’s…global leaders and these leaders must be outward facing and able to make connections with people with languages other than their own."


For information about professional resources and development, turn to page 31.


Further details of the Conference including video highlights are available on the NASUWT website at www.nasuwt.org.uk/GlobalClassroom.



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