Key Concepts for Schools Linking
Learning across the curriculum can be an important way of supporting children and young people to understand global issues and to make links between their learning in different subjects. The eight concepts shown below provide a conceptual framework for thinking about the global dimension and building it into the curriculum.
Educational Context
The National Curriculum includes a global dimension in both the overarching statement about the values, purposes and aims of the curriculum and within specific subjects.
The values and purposes of the National Curriculum state: “Education influences and reflects the values of society, and the kind of society we want to be… Education is… a route to equality of opportunity for all, a healthy and just democracy, a productive economy, and sustainable development. Education should reflect the enduring values that contribute to these ends.
These include valuing ... the wider groups to which we belong, the diversity in our society and the environment in which we live… education must enable us to respond positively to the opportunities and challenges of the rapidly changing world in which we live and work ... we need to be prepared to engage as individuals, parents, workers and citizens with economic, social and cultural change, including the continued globalisation of the economy and society, with new work and leisure patterns and with the rapid expansion of communication technologies.”
8 Key concepts of the global dimension (for Christians)
1. Global Citizenship - Gaining the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to become informed, active and responsible citizens of God’s kingdom, belonging to a global community.
1 Corinthians 10:26 ‘The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.’
2. Conflict Resolution - Understanding the nature of conflicts, their impact on development and society and why there is a need for resolution, as people called to live in harmony with one another.
Romans 12:16 ‘Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.’
3. Diversity - Understanding, respecting and appreciating differences in honour to God who created diversity and at the same time calls us to oneness in Himself.
Colossians 3:11 ‘Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.’
4. Human Rights -Knowing that we are called to love others as we love ourselves, therefore we are to learn to do to others as we would have them do to us.
Luke 6:31 ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’
5. Interdependence - We reap what we sow, therefore every choice has its effects either for good or bad, not just on a personal level but also on a global scale too.
Galatians 5:15; 6:2,9-10 ‘If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other... Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ...Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.’
6. Social Justice - Understanding the importance of dealing with one another kindly and defending the rights of the defenceless. This will improve the welfare of all people and sustain development.
Proverbs: 31:8-9; ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.’
7. Sustainable development - Understanding the need to care and improve the quality of life now, as God’s temple, tasked with the care of the environment.
Genesis 1:26-28; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 ‘Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground”...Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred and you are that temple.’
8. Values and Perceptions - Developing a critical evaluation of global issues and an appreciation of what God has done for us in Christ Jesus, and the effect these have on people’s attitude and values.
Matthew 22:37-39; ‘Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself.”...