Sustainable Development Goals Afterword

Nelson Mandela was convinced that 

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. 

This short 3 minute video The World's Largest Lesson: Global Goals comprehensively gives students a plan for the future. The World's Largest Lesson is an organisation that promotes the use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning so that children can contribute to a better future for all. From citizenship and justice to climate change and the environment they inspire children to make a difference.

The Sustainable Development Goal for Education has as one of its subgoals Target 4.7. This has become an aim for me with the students I teach. I am extremely fortunate to teach in a large independent co-educational school that has students from preschool to Year 12. The school has three well-resourced libraries with qualified teacher librarians whose role includes resourcing students, teachers and parents and allows for library displays, wide-reading contracts, newsletters, reading for pleasure and assistance with curriculum support. The school has staff whose role includes educating for well-being; sustainability; social justice; and multicultural perspectives so honing in on the Sustainable Development Goals is hardly adding to workloads, but rather focussing current goals.

SDG Target 4.7

By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

While I have been doing this series of blogs I have come across many resources and websites that have helped me to work out what to share with the students I teach. Below I have listed some of them.

• Teaching the Sustainable Development Goals

• Recommended Books for Teaching the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals

• The Sustainable Development Goals by Yacine Ait Kaci (Read whole book on screen)

• 10 Ready-to-use Lesson Plans on the Sustainable Development Goals 

• How to Talk to Your Kids About the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by Devi Thomas and  Jon Fee

• SPaRK - United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Project NSW Government Education (aimed at older students but has access to a variety of video resources)

• Sustainable Development Goals Student Resources

• any book by  Fernando M. Remiers will help you learn more about what is important for students to know. 

• Frieda Makes a Difference a Guide 

the UN Information Centre in Windhoek, Namibia, created a story book aimed at 3-11 year olds and it is online. It has a simple but meaningful text that young students will relate to. You could use it to start a discussion about the goals.

I hope you have found this series of posts helpful for planning some reading with your students and if you are a teacher librarian like me, you find some new titles that you might consider adding to your library. To finish, this Katherine Paterson quote sums up my feelings about books and why I choose to read to students the books I do.