Resources for Home Schooling – updated January 2021
These resources are aimed at children / young people learning at home. They are aimed at parents and carers but can also be used by teachers and in some cases for self-directed study. Let me know if you find them useful and do suggest any further resources for an updated version.
The resource comprises 10 sections: Home-schooling, Talking about the coronavirus, Wellbeing, Talking about big questions, Global issues, Gender Equality, Diversity/Decolonising the Curriculum, Sustainability, Inspiring Young People & A Better World Post Covid 19?
Click here for the Homeschooling links Jan 21 pdf
This list of resources has been updated in January 2021 to includes a variety of new links including:
How to stay calm in a global pandemic: Dr Emma Hepburn – With over 20 years of experience as a psychologist, she started sharing her doodles from therapy sessions with people on social media to make mental health support more accessible and open up the conversation about how to stay well. Very useful guide for adults with ideas that can be adapted for use with young people.
https://www.hachette.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/How-to-Stay-Calm-in-a-Global-Pandemic-Free-ebook.pdf
Contents:
Home-schooling – pages 2 – 3
Talking about the coronavirus – pages 3 – 4
Wellbeing – page 4 – 5
Talking about big questions – page 5-6
Global issues – pages 6 – 8
Gender Equality – pages 8 – 10
Diversity / Decolonising the Curriculum – pages 10 – 12
Sustainability – pages 12 – 14
Inspiring Young People – pages 14 – 15
A Better World Post Covid 19? – page 15
Many of the links are related to global learning / development education / education for sustainable development / diversity which is our professional field (see more at https://www.decsy.org.uk/about-decsy/what-is-development-education/ + https://globaldimension.org.uk/chooseglp/glp-england-update/what-is-global-learning/ – this is a useful site for range of resources).
You can register with DECSY as an individual member for free and access online resources, including interesting stimuli for discussion that we use with the methodology Philosophy for Children – more on our website https://www.decsy.org.uk/become-a-member/
Also some useful resources in DECSY past project sites, Gender Respect (see Teaching Ideas) https://genderrespect2013.wordpress.com/ , www.sealgd.org.uk & www.carbonpartners.org.uk – not all links may be working but if you have any queries ask me.
DECSY also runs online training courses, currently free https://www.decsy.org.uk/courses/
For those of you not in the South Yorkshire area, we are part of a national Consortium of Development Education Centres (CoDEC) https://www.codec.org.uk/ . You can find out your nearest DEC at https://www.codec.org.uk/about-the-network/
Home-schooling:
UK government – put in your postcode to get a link to your local council’s home schooling support https://www.gov.uk/home-schooling-information-council
DfE (Department for Education) England – Online educational resources for schools and parents to help children to learn at home during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-online-education-resources-for-home-education
Home education UK – “The UK’s premier source of free support since 2000. With over 200 pages we provide support, for home educating parents & Children.” Can put you in touch with local groups. https://www.home-education.org.uk/
Education otherwise – charitable “membership-based organisation that provides support and information for families whose children are being educated outside school, and for those who wish to uphold the freedom of families to take direct responsibility for the education of their children.” https://www.educationotherwise.org/
The Economist Education Foundation – free weekly news resources designed for learners aged 9-14. A range of activities help them tackle the big stories in depth and think critically in an age of fake news https://economistfoundation.org/resources/
PSHE Association – national body for Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, leading the effort to ensure that every pupil receives high-quality provision. Has a Coronavirus Hub with free, downloadable resources https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/content/coronavirus-hub?amp%3Bqid=4243562
Independent Thinking – covers areas from teaching and learning, motivation and creativity to leadership, social justice, neuroscience, the environment and well-being “our core principle has remained the same – if you take people’s brains for a walk, you change their lives. And that changes everything.” “To help with the madness we are going through currently, we have collated a list of useful links, websites, free resources, money-saving offers and more to see us all through it.” https://www.independentthinking.co.uk/blog/posts/2020/april/you-are-not-alone/
Chartered College of Teaching (CCT) – Links to online and paper-based resources for home learning in different subjects and phases from teachers, subject associations, educational and commercial organisations. The CCT is the recognised professional body for the teaching profession in the United Kingdom. https://my.chartered.college/2020/04/selected-links-free-online-and-paper-based-home-learning-tools-and-resources/
NEU (National Education Union) To help families get the information they need, the NEU has created a series of posters designed to be personalised for any school/college and emailed out to parents, carers, staff and students. There are three designs, one aimed at younger children, one aimed at young people and one aimed at parents and carers. https://neu.org.uk/coronavirus-support-services-and-information-families
The Linking Network – Resources for children and families to use at home to think about community, identity, diversity, equality, well-being and connection. https://thelinkingnetwork.org.uk/home-learning/
Votes for Schools: Coronavirus – “Do communities become stronger in a crisis?” Primary lesson for home or school https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/coronavirus-do-communities-become-stronger-in-a-crisis-primary-lesson-for-home-or-school-12278615
Association for Citizenship Teaching – 80 resources below are written and shared by teachers as suggestions for homebased and distance learning for Key Stage 2, 3 & 4. Cover topics such as Making laws, The role of charities in communities, Active Citizenship, The Role of the Media, How Parliament Works, Quizzes https://www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk/resource/citizenship-teaching-resources-distance-learning
ACT has also developed resources on the Oak National Academy for Years 7-11 on topics such as ‘What are our identities and communities?’, ‘How can we make a difference in our communities?’, ‘How does the media affect us?’, ‘What can we do about global problems?’, ‘How does the economy work?’ & ‘How is UK society diverse and changing?’ https://www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk/resource/oak-national-academy-weekly-act-citizenship-lessons-years-7-11
Edison Learning – Home Learning Portal, “aimed to support you with home learning activities. We’ve put together some resources used in many schools we have worked with, which we have specially adapted for home use.” Includes Things to do this week – Wellbeing – Connected Curriculum – Fast Learning (with Parent booklets) https://edison-learning.frogos.net/app/os Username: homelearning Password: l3arn1ng
Education Endowment Fund Support resources for schools – Tools for schools to help support home learning and maximise the impact of work set. initial planning and reflection tools https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/support-resources-for-schools/
Ken Robinson – Learning from Home – British author, speaker and international advisor on education launched a podcast special to “help bring you and your family resources and insight from around the world, and to give you the opportunity to share what is happening with your own family so that others can benefit from your experiences Please watch the video (4 mins 50 secs) to learn more, and then I invite you to be in touch with your stories, questions, concerns or insights by emailing LFH@nevergrey.org “ Aims to share ideas globally http://sirkenrobinson.com/new-podcast-video-series-learning-from-home/ Also worth watching some of his inspirational talks at http://sirkenrobinson.com/watch/Ken Robinson died in August but his website says there will be “a further update as we begin to follow Sir Ken’s wishes and honour his legacy”.
Talking about the coronavirus
Coronavirus: A Book for Children – free digital book – written by staff within the publishing company with expert input from Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine who acted as a consultant, and advice from two head teachers and a child psychologist. https://nosycrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Coronavirus-A-Book-for-Children.pdf
Also available as a free audio book https://nosycrow.com/blog/actor-hugh-bonneville-to-voice-audio-for-nosy-crows-coronavirus-book-for-children/
How to stay calm in a global pandemic: Dr Emma Hepburn – With over 20 years of experience as a psychologist, she started sharing her doodles from therapy sessions with people on social media to make mental health support more accessible and open up the conversation about how to stay well. Very useful guide for adults with ideas that can be adapted for use with young people.
From My Window: Children at home during COVID-19 – This United Nations book for young readers looks at the lives of housebound children during the coronavirus epidemic. Inspired by true events and people from around the world, From My Window shows children that we all have the same fears and that we can overcome them by being creative, and empathetic, and by staying positive and healthy https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/kids-and-families-broaden-global-perspectives-during-covid-19
Healthy Minds, Sheffield NHS Trust – Coronavirus resources for children and families – experts in children’s clinical psychology, speech and language therapy, and emotional wellbeing https://www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/patients-and-parents/coronavirus-resources-for-children-and-families/ (See especially the booklet Healthy Minds advice for parents and carers )
UNICEF Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) information centre: As the coronavirus has spread, so has misinformation – fuelling discrimination and stigma. UNICEF is working with health experts to promote facts over fear, bringing trustworthy guidance to parents, caregivers and educators. https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/covid-19
Young Minds – suggestions on activities you can do with your children during isolation and tips on how to use this time to start a conversation with them about their mental health https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/
Mental Health Foundation – Talking to your children about the coronavirus pandemic. Tips on how to have open and honest conversations at home https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/talking-to-children
Child Mind Institute – Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus Crisis. Advice from the experts and resources, including a Parent Guide https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/
Learning from pandemics – Home Learning resource from British Council Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning helping learners make sense of Covid-19 in the context of UN Global Goal 3 (Health & Well-being) https://connecting-classrooms.britishcouncil.org/resources/home-learning/learning-from-pandemic The resources have been brought together, along with new activities, into a single booklet https://connecting-classrooms.britishcouncil.org/resources/global-learning-resources/learning-from-a-pandemic
Wellbeing
Every Mind Matters (NHS/Public Health England) Looking after your mental health – “Having good mental health helps us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more. We have expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing” Lots on Coronavirus and wellbeing https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/
Trauma Informed Schools UK – “Our vision is to provide appropriate training for schools, communities and organisations so that they become trauma informed and mentally healthy places for all. This means we aim to help children and teenagers BEFORE they get mental health problems – to catch them as they are falling not after they have fallen.” Useful resources include ‘Supporting parents talking to their children about Covid-19’ and ‘Preparing Your Child for the First Day Back in School’ https://www.traumainformedschools.co.uk/resources
Action for Happiness – How to keep mentally healthy during uncertain times. Nine practical tips https://www.actionforhappiness.org/news/how-to-keep-mentally-healthy-during-uncertain-times
5 steps to mental wellbeing – Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/improve-mental-wellbeing/
Action for Happiness ‘50 Ways to Feel Happy’ “is an action-packed, illustrated book which helps children build happiness skills and develop helpful habits for their daily lives”. 50 great activities and projects to do at home and in schools; promotes well-being, self-confidence, resilience and emotional stability; based on the Ten Keys to Happier Living and adapted for 7-11 year olds; free sample downloads https://www.actionforhappiness.org/50-ways-to-feel-happy
FIVE WAYS TO WELLBEING AT A TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING – Looking after yourself and others during the coronavirus crisis. https://neweconomics.org/2020/03/five-ways-to-wellbeing-at-a-time-of-social-distancing
Mental health and well-being: A series of short activities linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being & the Five Ways to Wellbeing (developed by DECSY and Cumbria DEC with support of Jigsaw) https://connecting-classrooms.britishcouncil.org/resources/global-learning-resources/well-being
Five ways to wellbeing: Katharine House Hospice – some practical ideas for implementing the five ways under lockdown https://www.khh.org.uk/five-ways-to-wellbeing-connect
Mind up – “A more calm and connected home for children and families”. Many of MindUP’s activities and Core Practice – the Brain Break – can be implemented at home together with parents and caregivers. https://mindup.org/mindup-for-parents/ Related article on Goldie Hawn and her journey / philosophy behind Mind up https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/apr/13/goldie-hawn-i-was-born-with-a-high-set-point-for-happiness)
LOVE IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS – paper containing links to about 40 pieces of material ─ blogposts, columns, articles, songs, poems, images. Put together by Insted which specialises in Equality and Diversity in Education http://www.insted.co.uk/ http://www.insted.co.uk/pdfs/Covid%20reflections.pdf
InCultureParent – 5 active games from different countries (Brazil, India, China, UK, Philippines with videos explaining them) http://www.incultureparent.com/2012/09/five-fun-games-from-around-the-world/
Winston’s Wish – Giving hope to grieving children – “We support children and young people after the death of a parent or sibling. This is one of the most devastating losses a child will ever face” https://www.winstonswish.org/
Talking about big questions
Dialogue Works – sending out a weekly pack of ideas and activities for Thoughtful Conversations for Families. https://dialogueworks.co.uk/
Center for Philosophy for Children “Children’s Big Questions During the COVID-19 Crisis” – This resource for parents contains ideas for questions, books, and videos to facilitate conversations with children about the difficult issues they are contemplating at this time https://www.philosophyforchildren.org/resources/parents-and-grandparents/
P4C – resources and guides to help people philosophise with children. “Now that people are isolated at home across the world, we all need to think of ways to support each other. So during this period, we are offering some links, ideas and free resources to everyone who visits our site.” https://p4c.com/
The Philosophy Man – Brain Squeezers. “While schools are shut, I will put up lots of resources each week to get kids thinking and talking with their parents on this page, or with each other and teachers for those still in school. The resources will change every Friday. Games, questions, stories, riddles. Solutions to riddles will follow the next week.” Sign up for weekly newsletter https://www.thephilosophyman.com/brainsqueezers
Wonder Project – invites young people between the ages of 5 and 18 to wonder and ponder about the coronavirus and its consequences through self-interviews in audio, text or illustrated format. https://www.wonderponderonline.com/i-wonder-selfinterviews-under-lockdown/2020/4/6/calling-all-5-to-18-year-olds-under-lockdown
Global issues
Global dimension https://globaldimension.org.uk/ Search resources by age, subject or theme. Has links to learning at home resources. Sign up for ‘The Globe’ newsletter for resources related to global days and celebrations
Kids Out – World Stories – stories from different cultures available to listen to in English and a range of other languages. Collection includes retold traditional tales and new short stories in the languages most spoken by UK children. Includes text http://www.worldstories.org.uk/
Sankofa – Storytelling for the digital age – a storytelling project that is working with schools across three countries in Europe to combine traditional storytelling techniques with digital technologies to explore local to global themes https://www.cdec.org.uk/what-we-offer/projects/sankofa/ Videos of some of stories https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxNd8my-BfVxmCf4yv4zeww
Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning (British Council) – “To support teachers, parents and carers with home or remote learning, we have put together a selection of free activities and challenges. They introduce learners to important global issues and the Global Goals for Sustainable Development , and help develop core and transferable skills” https://connecting-classrooms.britishcouncil.org/resources
Oxfam HOME LEARNING INSPIRATION – “fun and educational activities to use at home with children aged 7-14” helping “young people understand their world, reflect on what is important in life, and think about how they can make change happen.” Topics include Keeping Clean and Staying Healthy, Community, Home, Environment, Food, Water, What do we all need to thrive? https://www.oxfamapps.org.uk/coronavirus/education/
British Red Cross – Refugees and migration – “Help young people challenge assumptions about migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, and to develop mutual respect, empathy and understanding” https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-involved/teaching-resources/refugees-and-migration
Geographical Association – Teaching ideas: migration and refugees – Series of resources aimed at Key Stage 3 https://www.geography.org.uk/teaching-resources/refugees-migration/teaching
Project Everyone / World’s Largest Lesson – focus on UN’s Global / Sustainable Development Goals. Email sent 19/3/20 Ideas for home-schooling and talking to children about the coronavirus https://mailchi.mp/project-everyone/were-in-this-together?e=eb620a35c7 You can sign up for emails at http://www.project-everyone.org/
SDG Book Club – Every month, the SDG Book Club uses books as a tool to encourage children ages 6-12 to interact with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a curated reading list of books from around the world related to each of the 17 SDGs in all six official UN languages—English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sdg-book-club-archive/ #SDGBookClub
World’s Largest Lesson – “With children off school it’s important that they remember there’s a big world out there. Here are adapted lesson plans for online learning or to share with parents. The best one to start with is “Introducing the Global Goals”. You can also read along and discuss the comics and books and ask students to watch and discuss our animated films” https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/resources-for-online-and-at-home-learning/
PhiloQuests (Institute of Philosophy, Citizenship and Youth – Montreal University) – series of thinking and creative missions “where there are endless possibilities to experience ever exciting and enriching journeys of creative reflection through over a hundred free activities. Just because we’re in isolation, it doesn’t mean we can’t have adventures in our mind!” https://ipcj.umontreal.ca/english/projects/philoquests/
ThoughtBox – Teaching For A Better World Free resources from our Think & Thrive curriculum for teachers and young people to make sense of global issues as they happen https://www.thoughtboxeducation.com/teaching-for-a-better-world
100 people project – “aims to represent our entire global neighbourhood through photographs and stories, creating a multi-media traveling exhibition: the World Portrait”. https://www.100people.org/statistics_100stats.php?section=statistics
Send A Cow – “fun, creative and easy to use. resources will support you and your children at home to learn about Africa, food, sanitation and how to be a global citizen.” Website with on-line and downloadable teaching materials for every age group and curriculum area https://sendacow.org/get-involved/organisation/schools/lesson-resources/
RISC (Reading International Solidarity Centre) – PARTICIPATE resources to effectively teach Global Citizenship through art and design. 6 different artists (Benin, New Zealand, China, Iraq, Nigeria, )
on–line interactive materials and downloadable teachers packs http://www.octobergallery.co.uk/participate/
Practical Action STEM challenges – “During this exceptional time we wanted to share with you ideas for STEM activities that parents/ carers and children can easily do at home or you can run with the children who remain at school” https://practical-action.org/6WS-6SMSE-1F2IQ5F22F/cr.aspx
Elephant Times TIDE-global learning – the title was inspired by a rewrite, by Robin Richardson, of an ancient Indian fable to highlight the fragmented curriculum and the need for connection and cooperation between different areas of innovation. These are “elephant times” again. There is a need to make connections that enable learners to engage, now and in the future, with many global https://www.tidegloballearning.net/about/elephant-times
Disability History Month illustrated book UK Parliament – “This resource contains stories of influential people who have impacted disability related UK laws and equal rights. Launched to mark Disability History Month 2020, this resource can be used throughout the academic year to embed the stories across the curriculum” https://learning.parliament.uk/en/resources/disability-illustrated-book/
UK Parliament also has resources on Disability legislation, Race relations legislation, LGBT legislation, Influential Black Britons and how parliament works https://learning.parliament.uk/en/resources/
Gender Equality
Gender Respect – Teaching ideas. DECSY project “Aiming to help children and young people to understand, question and challenge gender inequality and violence”. Top RHS of this page, links to teaching ideas for Early Years, Primary, Secondary, All Ages, Global Case Studies, Recommended reading https://genderrespect2013.wordpress.com/teaching-ideas/
Gender Action – an award programme which promotes and supports a whole-school approach to challenging stereotypes in nurseries, schools and colleges https://www.genderaction.co.uk/ Has a useful Resource Library https://www.genderaction.co.uk/online-resources
Gender Equality in Schools – Nine European countries have been involved in developing a Gender Equality Charter Mark, a framework that can be adopted by schools (Early Years, Primary and Secondary) to help them look at influencing and informing their leadership, curriculum, physical environment, and the attitudes and relationships of both the students, staff and wider community in relation to gender equality issues. Each of these five areas has questions schools can ask to get started as well as teaching activities and further resources https://genderequalityinschools.org/
Institute of Physics – resources shaped by research to help schools to address gender imbalance and promote equality. Includes top tips, gender stereotypes & unconscious bias and inclusive learning https://www.iop.org/education/teacher/support/girls_physics/resources/page_63821.html
Girl toys vs boy toys: The experiment – BBC Stories (3 mins 25 secs) The Experiment: Are you sure you don’t gender-stereotype children in the toys you choose for them? Useful stimulus for discussion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWu44AqF0iI
Inspiring The Future believes “that every young person can be whatever they want to be – wherever they live, whatever their parents do, whichever school they attend and however they identify themselves” – Redraw the balance – “One of the greatest demands from primary schools is to help broaden the aspirations and interests of children about jobs and careers. As research shows, gender stereotypes are developed at a very young age…we released a short film exploring this” (2 mins 8 secs) Useful stimulus for discussion. https://www.inspiringthefuture.org/redraw-the-balance/
Independent International Women’s Day: “Norwegian child social experiment brutally illustrates gender inequality ‘She was just as good as me, so we should get the same reward’ “ (2 mins 36 secs) Useful stimulus for discussion https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/international-womens-day-norway-children-video-gender-pay-gap-boys-girls-finansforbundet-trade-union-a8245841.html#gsc.tab=0
World’s Largest Lesson SDG5 – From Where I Stand – take part in this cross curricular survey project that enables students to contribute to the Global Goals right now. Everything you need is in the lesson plan…The survey project involves creating a gender equality ratio of your community decision makers and influencers and sharing this on an interactive map. We aim to create a snapshot of the world that shows what gender equality really looks like to children and young people #FromWhereIStand https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/worlds-largest-lesson-2016-focus-on-goal-5-gender-equality/
UNESCO SDG5 Gender Equality Resources – “Quality, gender-sensitive education encourages the participation of women and girls in all political, economic and public spheres by making sure they are heard and have real opportunities to fully participate. Furthermore, it contributes to putting an end to practices and traditions that impair the physical, mental and sexual health of women and girls”. Materials for Early Years, Primary and Secondary https://en.unesco.org/themes/education/sdgs/material/05
Gender Education, Research and Technology Foundation – Map of Women’s Excellence in Science and Technology – Map of Women’s Excellence in Science and Technology – Bulgarian Platform for International Development / EU project – “Until recently women’s contribution to the science, technology, medicine and simple innovations facilitating our everyday life remained unacknowledged or hidden behind male names. The dish washer, the windshield wiper blade, the silicon and the Kevlar – all these inventions belong to women. Look for their names! Learn about great women’s scientific inventions! Marie Curie is not alone!” https://bpid.eu/?p=1665
New York Times – Women on the March: A Lesson Plan on Imagining the Future of Feminism (14+) – “ In this lesson, we ask students to imagine what feminism should look like in the United States today. Then, we encourage them to consider the role that intersectionality should play in the women’s movement, to analyze how women are represented in the media today, and to learn more about the issues central to feminism’s agenda” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/learning/lesson-plans/women-on-the-march-a-lesson-plan-on-imagining-the-future-of-feminism.html
Gender Equality Index – shows rating for UK in 2019 in areas of Health, Work, Power, Money, Knowledge, Time and Violence and shows progress made since 2005. Can compare with other EU countries https://eige.europa.eu/gender-equality-index/2019/UK What does your life look like? Enter your gender and country of birth to see how your life could turn out. https://eige.europa.eu/gender-equality-index/game
BBC 100 Women – lots of current and historical features related to gender issues, including the BBC list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2019. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-48623037
AGEMI (Advancing Gender Equality in Media Industries) – Learning Resources – a set of learning resources which focus on different aspects of the gender-media-equality relationship https://www.agemi-eu.org/mod/page/view.php?id=4
Career Rocket Career Rocket – partnership initiative of five NGOs from four EU countries – establishes a transnational cooperation of professionals, equipped adequately for detecting and combating gender based stereotypes, specifically in the field of career choice and professional development of young people – link for Schools http://career-rocket.eu/resources/for-schools/ and for Students http://career-rocket.eu/resources/for-students/
NOWNESS – What men fear most – London-based actor and poet Elliot Barnes-Worrel’s film focuses on the emotional affects of modern masculinity – “I find it really sad that emotional expression isn’t associated with masculinity. It’s so important to be masculine, it’s something that people kill and die for. If you are emotional you are feared and targeted, therefore protecting a false concept of masculine identity is what we do, even at the cost of our mental health.” Useful stimulus for discussion (5 mins 35 secs) (Advisory – 14+ – contains swearing) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcrxiGqTLWI
A Call to Men – Co-founder – Tony Porter presents at TED Women in Washington DC. He shares a powerful message about manhood and the role of men (as a collective) in preventing domestic and sexual violence…(he) makes a call to men everywhere: Don’t “act like a man.” Telling powerful stories from his own life, he shows how this mentality, drummed into so many men and boys, can lead men to disrespect, mistreat and abuse women and each other. His solution: Break free of the “man box.” Useful stimulus for discussion (11 mins 6 secs)(Advisory – 14+ – disturbing stories) https://www.acalltomen.org/homepagefeatures-all/2016/3/8/tonyportertedtalk
This Girl Can – “No one gets to choose how you exercise other than you. Your body, your call. And whatever that looks like, we think it’s worth celebrating. This Girl Can, funded by The National Lottery, believes that there’s no “right” way to get active. However you jiggle, kick, lift, stretch, or sprint, it’s time to get moving how you damn please” Introductory video (1 min). Includes different people’s stories and ‘Ways to get active’ https://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/
Kids Explain Intersectionality – video from the USA about the ways in which sex and gender intersect with other personal characteristics/identities and that many people live multi-dimensional lives. “People aren’t just one picture” Useful stimulus for discussion (2 mins 14 secs). Suitable for 5+ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzbADY-CmTs
Stonewall empowers “LGBT people to be their authentic selves, enabling them to realise and achieve their full potential” and works “with institutions to create inclusive and accepting cultures”. Best practice, toolkits and resources – “Whether you’re just getting started on LGBT inclusion or developing your best practice even further, our resources can help.” https://www.stonewall.org.uk/best-practice-toolkits-and-resources-0
Diversity / Decolonising the Curriculum
Yoopies – A Parent’s Guide to Black Lives Matter – “Many children may have questions about the images, stories, and conversations they hear on the news and around them. We can’t solely rely on schools to ensure children fully understand the Black Lives Matter movement and the issues that fuel the movement. As parents, if we haven’t already, it is also our responsibility to engage in positive and open discussions about race and racism with our children at home.” Yoopies is a digital home care platform that facilitates contact between families and service providers https://yoopies.co.uk/c/press-releases/blacklivesmatter
Noon Abubakar – Does My Life Matter? Powerful video (12 mins 32 secs) made by Noon who 17 and black. She was due to present at a Black Lives Matter protest march in Wexford, Ireland which was cancelled due to concerns about COVID-19. Useful discussion stimulus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pjr7OU9N6s&feature=youtu.be
The Equality and Human Rights Commission – Great Britain’s national equality body – “Our job is to help make Britain fairer. We do this by safeguarding and enforcing the laws that protect people’s rights to fairness, dignity and respect.” Twelve lesson plan ideas https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/lesson-plan-ideas
EqualiTeach – not-for-profit organisation providing “high quality, interactive training and support on issues of equality, diversity and inclusion”. Classroom Resources for educators to use in their settings to promote equality, celebrate diversity and tackle discrimination https://equaliteach.co.uk/for-schools/classroom-resources/
Facing History and Ourselves – “uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate.” Their collection of educator resources includes a wide range of flexible, multimedia materials, from primary sources and streaming videos to teaching strategies, lesson plans, and full units. Also has a range of teaching strategies that “develop students’ critical thinking and model the skills and dispositions that foster engaged, democratic citizenship”. https://www.facinghistory.org/educator-resources
Our Migration Story: The Making of Britain – “presents the often untold stories of the generations of migrants who came to and shaped the British Isles. While it is primarily designed to support teachers and students studying migration to Britain, its aim is to be a useful resource for anyone interested in Britain’s migration history” https://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/
BAMEd network (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Educators) – “Help us work towards an education sector that is reflective of society” – range of useful resources and reading, including books for children http://www.bameednetwork.com/about-us/
Black Curriculum – social enterprise founded in 2019 by young people to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum – Free learning resources: Four modules: Art History – Migration – Politics and the Legal System – Land and The Environment https://www.theblackcurriculum.com/ourcurriculum
The Anti-Racism Education Project – “We are a platform to connect those who want to learn with existing educational resources, a supportive community, and opportunities to engage with Black scholars, activists, and artists who are willing to teach about the Black experience” https://www.theareproject.org/
Show Racism the Red Card – lots of useful teaching packs with lesson ideas available as downloads – includes Home School Activity: Who Am I? – “Activity designed to help you discuss racism with your children whilst also helping them to develop their own critical thinking skills” https://www.theredcard.org/resources-and-activities
Hope not Hate – two lesson plans for teachers of home educators on prejudice and stereotypes https://charity.hopenothate.org.uk/pages/category/educating
Sheffield Archives – downloadable booklet: Sources for the Study of Sheffield, the Slave Trade and the Anti-Slave Trade Movement https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/home/libraries-archives/access-archives-local-studies-library/research-guides/slavery-abolition
TIDE Global learning – Teaching and learning about the Slave Trade some useful resources and starting points for Primary and Early Years https://www.tidegloballearning.net/primary-early-years/teaching-and-learning-about-slave-trade
DECSY – Colonialism, Slavery and The Industrial Revolution. A Case Study: The Empire in South Yorkshire 1700 – 1860. History Key Stage2 and 3 teaching resource – free to download https://www.decsy.org.uk/news/free-history-key-stage-3-teaching-resource-to-download/
BBC Bitesize – The British Empire through time – From early discoveries, through bitter wars with other powers, to popular uprisings, the British Empire went through many changes during the course of history (Aimed at Key Stage 3) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zf7fr82/revision/1
Horrible Histories – The British Empire in 2 Minutes. Useful stimulus for discussion and further research (2 mins 38 secs) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk14CGx0hSQ
Why Black Lives Matter in education, and beyond – thought-provoking blog by Naila Missous (Teacher of children, presenter and writer) for the Chartered College of Teaching https://my.chartered.college/2020/06/why-black-lives-matter-in-education-and-beyond/
Black Lives Matter at School – teaching resources (from USA) to support the global movement in the “fight for Freedom, Liberation and Justice”. Includes the 2020 Curriculum Resource Guide–“free, downloadable lessons to challenge racism, oppression and build happy and healthy classrooms. Enjoy!” https://blacklivesmatteratschool.com/teaching-materials/
Teaching Tolerance – free resources (from USA) to educators who work with children from kindergarten through high school from the organisation whose mission is “to help teachers and schools educate children and youth to be active participants in a diverse democracy.” https://www.tolerance.org/
Education Week Teacher: Teaching Now! (USA) – 15 Classroom Resources for Discussing Racism, Policing, and Protest – “As nationwide protests against police brutality continue, teachers in their virtual classrooms are once again searching for ways to help their students process the killings of black people in police custody in the United States.” https://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_now/2020/06/15_classroom_resources_for_discussing_racism_policing_and_protest.html
Sustainability
SEEd (Sustainability and Environmental Education) – “THE hub for bringing together, sharing and enhancing best practice in sustainability and environmental education” – links to resources on a range of topics such as Climate Change, Nature and Biodiversity, Habitats and Homes and Equality and Justice https://se-ed.co.uk/edu/resources/
Oxfam Climate Challenge (7-11) uses “engaging tools and activities to explore the causes and human impact of climate change, and consider what action can be taken in response” https://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/climate-challenge-7-11 Also (11-14) https://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/climate-challenge-11-14
Campaign against Climate change – range of resource links, including Teach the Future, NASA and the Science Museum https://www.campaigncc.org/schoolresources
Let’s Go Zero 2030 – Schools working together to be carbon neutral… “the national campaign demanding government backing for zero carbon schools. Every school that signs up is pledging to work towards a more sustainable future, while also urging the government to support this vital mission” https://letsgozero.org/
Transform our World – “an online, centralised, quality-rated resource hub to help teachers to bring environmental action into the classroom. The hub provides opportunities for students to lead impactful projects that tackle the root causes of the climate breakdown and biodiversity loss” Includes recordings of sessions from the Youth Climate Summit November 2020 https://www.transform-our-world.org
Ellen Macarthur Foundation: How we make stuff – Can we do things differently? Activities on a range of issues including factories, chocolate, burgers, clothes and mobile phones https://www.made2bmadeagain.org/
David W Hicks – Teaching For A Better World – “In the early 21st century we find ourselves facing a number of unprecedented challenges which will lead to futures markedly different from today, locally and globally… One of the key tasks of education is to help young people meet the challenges that lie ahead with confidence and vision” Useful information and references https://www.teaching4abetterworld.co.uk/ Sustainable Schools, Sustainable Futures has a lot of practical information and activities https://www.teaching4abetterworld.co.uk/Downloads/download18.pdf
WWF Wild Classroom – Weekly activity plans to do at home “With many schools closed and kids at home, get a day-by-day activity plan to help keep kids learning, thinking, and having fun. Intended for higher elementary to middle school grade levels” https://www.worldwildlife.org/teaching-resources
RSPB Explore nature and get closer to wildlife and the outside world – “loads of great ideas and resources to help kids and families connect with nature, from simple activities they can do at home or at school, to wild clubs, fun articles and family-friendly reserves and events” https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/
RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) – Family activities – “to interest your family in gardening and have fun outdoors whatever the weather” https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/gardening-children-schools/family-activities
Learning through Landscapes – “leading UK-based charity dedicated to enhancing outdoor learning and play for children” https://www.ltl.org.uk/ Has lots of resources, including those aimed at parents and carers https://www.ltl.org.uk/parents/
Outdoor Classroom Day – “a global movement to make time outdoors part of every child’s day”. Has a lot of useful resources “Whether you’re looking for play ideas to do at home, outdoor lesson ideas for school, or guidance on making time outdoors part of every child’s day, you’ll find it here!” https://outdoorclassroomday.org.uk/resources/
Knepp Wilding – a former intensively farmed area of land in West Susses has now become a pioneering rewilding project, driving principle is to establish a functioning ecosystem where nature is given as much freedom as possible https://knepp.co.uk/home Knepp videos, including Kneppflix videos of animals and nature https://knepp.co.uk/rewildingkneppvideo
Declare a Climate Emergency – list of councils that have declared a Climate Emergency with discussion forum and resources https://www.climateemergency.uk/ Sheffield http://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=18587 No Action Plan yet – see other councils who have developed one and encourage he council to take action!
Schools Climate Education South Yorkshire – Learning for a sustainable future. “We support students, teachers and schools on their climate education journey. From reducing carbon emissions in their school to moving on in society as active citizens with respect for the world environment” https://www.scesy.org.uk/
Inspiring Young People
World’s Largest Lesson – What young people are doing around the world to further the SDGs – Sir Ken Robinson, Emma Watson and Aardman Animations invite children to get involved in the Global Goals for Sustainable Development by inventing, innovating and campaigning https://vimeo.com/178464378
Voices for the Global Goals – “Let’s make the Goals famous! 2030 isn’t that far away, get creative and tell us how you will help spread the word” – young people share what they are doing https://flipgrid.com/globalvoice
Severn Cullis-Suzuki – environment and culture activist, speaker & author – gave a famous speech ‘I Am Only a Child’ as a 12 year-old child to the UN at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 – online book based on this being released soon https://severncullissuzuki.com/ BBC Ideas – focus on her speech to UN in 1992 (5 mins 2 secs) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAyXeXVFSbw
Malala Yousafzai – Malala Fund – “Learn how Malala began her fight for girls — from an education activist in Pakistan to the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate — and how she continues her campaign through Malala Fund” https://www.malala.org/malalas-story
Greta Thurnberg – Time Magazine Person of the Year 2019 – inspiring article, includes video about Greta (3 mins 31 secs). Useful for discussion and further research https://time.com/person-of-the-year-2019-greta-thunberg/
BBC 3 – Five Teens who changed the world – Greta Thunberg – Malala Yousafzai – Emma González (gun control) – Jack Andraka (invented simple test for pancreatic cancer) – Amika George (fighting period poverty in the UK) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/0e9e80de-62cb-4782-a26f-1cd480d28f26
Good Housekeeping – 40 Incredible Kids Who Have Changed the World – “Here’s proof that you can make a difference at any age” – activists and entrepreneurs…areas of interest span from the environment, representation, and access for those with disabilities to immigration and civil rights https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/inspirational-stories/g5188/kids-who-changed-the-world/
Journey to Justice – Stories for lockdown and after for children and parents, carers or teachers – four true stories about action taken by children for human rights connected with race, identity, migration and conflict – “We hope these stories can help children feel stronger at a time when we can feel powerless” https://journeytojustice.org.uk/learning-resources/
Indiegogo – Queeng Playing Cards – “The first deck of cards where men and women are equal!” – Developed by young female entrepreneur in response to question “Why is the King always worth more than the Queen?” https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/queeng-playing-cards?fbclid=IwAR3_AwKu3O06oQr52-JIWLyHOced0Rn10Oi3qKu_IXc1AmTT96npERfqkMc#/
WWF – Inspiring young people to take action “Today’s young people will be the stewards of our planet in the years to come. That’s why we’re putting young people at the centre of our work” – “Our youth engagement programme supports and empowers young people, helping them to inspire and motivate others to join in the fight for our world” https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/youth-engagement
A Better World Post Covid 19?
Planetmakers – A New Common Sense -video *2 mins 59 secs) which aims to inspire people to think about what they would like to see happening after the pandemic. Useful discussion stimulus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4OoncHLi3Y
Reboot the Future – Rebooting Education: The COVID-19 pandemic, along with escalating climate breakdown, and global Fridays for Future and Black Lives Matter activism, are all challenging education as we know it. For many, whilst the lockdown experience has given us a new appreciation for teachers, it has also given us time to rethink priorities, to reflect on the values which lie at the heart of education, and our hopes for future generations. The crisis has also reinforced what we already knew but sorely needed reminding of: our fundamental connection to each other and the planet. There is an increasing desire to re-imagine education and the values it promotes. Watch the short video and get involved in the discussion https://www.rebootthefuture.org/rebootingeducation
Count us in – “is a community of people protecting what they love from climate change before it is too late…Our mission over the next decade is to mobilize 1 billion people to take practical steps that when aggregated, will make a significant impact in reducing carbon pollution and challenge leaders to act boldly to deliver global systems change…We’re asking citizens everywhere to take practical steps to reduce their carbon impact and persuade others to do the same…It begins with everyone committing to one of our 16 steps; talking about it with their friends; keeping it up, and tracking their progress through our platform; and when they’re ready, taking another” https://www.count-us-in.org/
Reboot the Future – Rebooting Education: How COVID-19 is changing our ideas about education A conversation on Rebooting Education – invitation to find what we have learned about education during the crisis, and to explore what this means for the future. Reboot the Future believe we need a new vision of education, one that nurtures our ability to connect with each other and the rich eco-systems that support us, or what we call, the Golden Rule: Treat others and the planet as you would wish to be treated. Take part in the discussions and complete a survey https://www.rebootthefuture.org/blog/education
2040 – a journey to explore what the future could look like by the year 2040 if we simply embraced the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shifted them rapidly into the mainstream. https://togetherfilms.org/2040-home
Build Back Better – “The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world upside down, exposing major weaknesses in our economy and the deep-seated inequalities in our society that mean the most vulnerable people have been hit the hardest. But what we do next could change everything. As the world recovers, we have a chance to reset the clock and build back better than before” https://www.buildbackbetteruk.org/
Make Britain Better after the Covid Crisis – “ an open invitation to make suggestions, connect initiatives across the country, and create an unstoppable movement to change Britain for good. We created this site to facilitate debate, make connections with others developing ideas and initiatives that will make Britain better. Please join the conversation and share your thoughts. Contribute to creating the momentum essential for change” https://www.britainaftercovid.net/
