Attitudes and Values:
The pupils displayed concern for the environment by cleaning up the local polluted river.
The pupils also displayed a strong belief in their own ability to act for positive changes by
drafting, implementing and monitoring a water conservation scheme within the school.
Key Skills:
The pupils, particularly the older pupils, conducted their own research through various
methods. These included surveys, experiments, searching the internet. The results and data
collected were exhibited in the school hall. The pupils displayed an in depth knowledge of
the topic, and gained presentation skills, through their ability to discuss and explain their
research findings.
Behaviour, Experiences and Actions:
The children set up and ran their own council to implement and monitor the water
conservation scheme. The council members each had an assigned role, and worked together
towards the shared goal of reducing water usage in the school.
This is a wonderful example of the whole school working together to gain and share
information on a particular theme. This method resulted in the pupils working independently
of the teachers and learning from each other. It is also an example of how DE can be
integrated across the entire curriculum.
What would you do to improve on this in the future?
Although all staff members did get involved, this DE initiative was led by one teacher who
is extremely passionate about the issue. So much so that she has set up her own charity,
Lámha Suas, that brings teachers to Uganda each summer. This teacher exhibits great
leadership, which is essential for the project to be a success. However, perhaps if more
teachers took extra initiative, or if the lead teacher was able to delegate the organisational
work involved, this effort could be made once a month rather than for one week every year.
Further Information
At the end of the water week the school organised a relay race. Each student was sponsored
and the proceeds went to the Lámha Suas charity.