United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

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EDUCATION

UNESCO Associated Schools

Founded in 1953, UNESCO’s Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet), commonly referred to as UNESCO Associated Schools, is a global network of some 8.500 educational institutions in 179 countries (ranging from pre-schools and primary to secondary schools and teacher training institutions), who work in support of quality education in practice.

Second Collection of Good Practices: ASPnet in Support of Education for Sustainable Development
s coordinators and teachers, presents a variety of successful school-based projects, activities and approaches contributing to Euducation for Sustainable Development from ASPnet's 8,500 Associated Schools in 179 countries.

World Teachers' Day: Passion and patience the key to effective teaching 2009-10-14 9:00 am UNESCO ASPnet
“What is important is passion and patience” says Jean-Marc Septsault, focal point for Education for Sustainable Development in the French UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet).

Mr Septsault spoke about his practical work as a teacher and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) during the Teachers’ Round Table held to mark World Teachers' Day at UNESCO headquarters on 5 October.

In addition to his job as a technology teacher at the ASPnet school Michel Chasles outside Paris he is a speaker for ESD and a strong believer in the support the community can give to schools in this area.

“At our college, we introduced the concept of eco-delegates whereby students elect their representatives to provide a platform for sustainable and student-led decision-making and project implementation,” he said. This enabled students to become the main actors of the learning process and to acquire values and behaviour required for a sustainable future.

For Mr Septsault the fact that his school is a member of ASPnet has greatly facilitated the exchange of ESD knowledge and ideas.

“The exchange with other committed colleagues all over France and even worldwide is a permanent reminder to integrate ESD values in the everyday work at school. To implement sustainable school projects demands an additional investment on behalf of the teaching staff, parents and students. But the visibility of our work through the ASP network is rewarding and has given our work a global vision under the motto, “Thinking of tomorrow together.”

Mr Septsault, who was inspired to join the profession when he was a teenager by a history teacher who gave up his spare time to take the class to museums, took the occasion of World Teachers’ Day to talk about the concept of being a teacher today and to discuss the rights and obligations of teachers, but also of students.

He believes teaching is one of the most exciting and challenging professions. “You not only pass on your knowledge but by being in contact with youngsters, you pass on values, you help students to construct their identity, to be adults and responsible citizens.”

The challenge in the teaching profession was “to constantly question yourself not only in the subject matter you are working on, but also in teaching methods. You wouldn’t teach science the same way now than you did a century ago. The only thing that doesn’t change is that the child is at the centre of your lesson”.

Listening to children’s needs remains the most important piece of advice he would pass on to new teachers. Teachers also need support. “Team work is our best support, exchange with other colleagues, but also exchange with other schools and the community,” he said.

Climate Change Education: „Education is about changing minds, not passing exams“ 2009-08-17 12:00 am UNESCO ASPnet
To prepare students for the effects of climate change tomorrow, education needs to change behaviours today. In addition to acquiring knowledge about climate change, students have to learn how to be resilient, adaptable and manage change, being open to life-long learning. Monica Regisford-Douglin, national coordinator of UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPnet) of Trinidad and Tobago, is sheding light on the necessary shift of mindset to form citizens for the future.

How is climate change challenging Trinidad and Tobago?
The country has seen a rapid development and industrialization in the last two decades. This is why we now face problems of pollution, rapid urban development, traffic jams – you sometimes need two hours to go to work! People can afford all the gadgets of modern life: They have several cellphones, cars, washing machine, dryer... There is not much talk about the effects of climate change yet, we are probably still a few years off the road. This requires particular efforts to sensitize the government and society about the upcoming challenges.

How do you adress climate change in education?
Changing the mindsets is one of our major challenges. Our society is very exam-oriented. There is a huge interest in education as a vehicle to move out of poverty. People are interested in a better life, not in sustainability. First of all, we have to make teachers understand Education for Sustainable Development. Teachers should think of education in a different way: The aim of teaching and learning is to improve your life and that of your neighbours, and not to pass an exam.

What is the role of the UNESCO Associated Schools in Trinidad and Tobago in this process?
In 2007, the National Commission started a training workshop to bring values back into the classroom and to create holistic learning communities. The training was made for 600 teachers from primary school level - values have to be taught from an early age onwards!
At the same time, ASPnet schools are engaging in a series of events, such as the climate change workshop in commemoration for World Environment Day (5 June), or a beach clean-up last June. We are also planning a regional meeting of the Caribbean countries – finally, one of our major activities is „Sandwatch“. This major ASPnet flagship project started in Trinidad and Tobago in 1997, when we became aware that there is a need for coastal preservation.

What do you take back from the International Seminar on Climate Change Education?
In order to create sustainable lifestyles, our teaching must be related to education for sustainable development and based on values.

The interview was conducted by Ulrike Storost, ASPnet International Coordination Team, UNESCO, Paris

Climate Change Education: Images from the Future 2009-08-11 1:00 am UNESCO / ASPnet Denmark
The queue is long and the atmosphere festive outside the main entrance to the National Museum of Denmark early March 2009. As the doors open at 10.00 am, student from 15 of UNESCO’s Associated Schools start streaming in, heading directly for the assembly hall. They have approximately two hours to turn the room into a market place with 15 stalls, where they will be presenting their assumptions what the future might hold for their children 30 years from now.

The 80 chosen students and teachers have gone through many preparations back in school before reaching the assembly hall at The National Museum. A class, a year, a department or an entire school have developed their own “images of the future” where climate development plays a part. The “images” have been presented to the parents, the local community and the press, and the most innovative have been chosen to represent the school at the National Museum. And there are many different images of the future: film, models, photos and role-playing are but some of the expressions the students have used.

Her Royal Highness Princess Marie, the honorary guest of that day, remarks in her opening speech: “I am very excited to see your projects and hear which good ideas you might have that will affect climate development in a positive way. Maybe the politicians will be inspired by your work before the UN’s climate change conference in Copenhagen.”

In any case, the students can take their own action: The best teams will participate in ASPnet’s international youth conference “Common Future”, organized by the Danish ASPnet in Copenhagen in March 2010. All participants will be asked to present research on climatic issues, develop future scenarios and develop proposals for possible actions, based on the principle of “situation-vision-action”. And maybe some of the possible solutions are easier than expected: Yes, classmates would be willing to ride a bicycle to produce energy for the school – “if they can watch their favorite video in the at the same time”, as explains one of the ASPnet students.

Contact: Mr Skjoldborg Carsten, ASPnet National Coordinator of Denmark, carsten.skjoldborg@skolekom.dk

Related links:
ASPnet in Denmark
“Images from the future” project
Common Future climate project

Patrimonito mobilizes against climate change: A new cartoon for World Heritage Education 2009-08-03 1:00 am UNESCO ASPnet
As part of the cartoon series entitled “Patrimonito's World Heritage Adventures”, the new episode introduces the Great Barrier Reef, a Pacific World Heritage site since 1981. It presents the negative impact of global warming on the biological diversity of the coral reef system.

Cartoon storyboards were chosen and professionally animated following a competition among ASPnet secondary school pupils.

The cartoon targets students at primary and secondary school level worldwide. It is a useful teaching tool to involve young people in reflecting on the issue of climate change and its impact on World Heritage and to promote sustainable behaviors.

The new episode was presented during the International Seminar on Climate Change Education at UNESCO Paris, 27-29 July 2009. All Patrimonito episodes can be downloaded on the website underneath.

Contact: l.saldari@unesco.org

„In addressing climate change, the action of individual students can mobilize the whole community“ 2009-07-29 6:00 pm UNESCO ASPnet
Climate change is a truly global challenge. It will impact all ecosystems and human societies. Addressing climate change requires involvement and action at local, regional and global level. We met Mr Dieufort Deslorges, national coordinator of the UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPnet) in Haiti, during the International Seminar on Climate Change Education at UNESCO, Paris, 27-29 July 2009. He explains how ASPnet students in Haiti have taken action.

How is your own country affected by climate change?

Mr Delorges: Haiti is touched at two levels. First, tropical cyclones are getting more and more frequent. While cyclones normally hit Haiti every two years, last year we experienced four serious cyclones within two weeks. At the same time, deforestation is advancing at a rapid pace: People use more wood, and there is no reforestation. As a consequence, one of the biggest cities in Haiti was completely flooded twice within four years, and inhabitants from two other cities had to be even relocated.

Can education mitigate or at least decrease the effects of climate change?

Mr Delorges: Yes, it definitely can! Since 2007, the Haitian National Commission for UNESCO works very closely on this issue. The UNESCO Associated Schools network plays a central role in pilot testing pedagogical material related to education for sustainable development, including climate change education. In addition, we encourage extracurricular activities on climate change education. One of our main tasks is to sensitize all actors involved in education to climate change: school principals, students, teachers and the communities themselves.

Which activity of the UNESCO Associated Schools could be considered a good practice?

Mr Delorges: Our most visible activity is our National Youth Rally. It all started with a student committee that wanted to organise a common activity among all ASPnet students and teachers of the country. In 2007, students set off for the first rally. In 2009, ASPnet and non-ASPnet students as well as teachers from the whole country reiterated the idea. They visited two cities devastated by floods. The pine forest that surrounded them had been seriously deforested by human activity. The participants started planting trees, and not only involved teachers and parents, but the local communities.

What is the way forward?

Mr Delorges: The students participating in the rallies have now taken the responsibility of replanting trees every year. This is a great example of the multiplier effect of ASPnet: a local initiative started with a small number of ASPnet students and managed to include students and communities from all over the country!

What are your expectancies and hopes related to this International Seminar on Climate Change Education?

Mr Delorges: Our National Commission is interested in sharing the experiences of other countries and in existing pedagogical materials to be adapted to our local context. We are also looking for the best strategy to include local and national authorities, governmental and private partner to mobilize for climate change education. We can always learn from others and improve our activities.

The interview was conducted by U. Storost, ASPnet International Coordination Team, UNESCO, Paris

International Seminar on Climate Change Education, France, 27-29 July 2009-07-29 7:00 am UNESCO
“Why do I have mangoes in July?” was the title of one of the presentations at a three-day expert seminar on climate change education at UNESCO HQ in Paris, which brought together 60 experts in climate change, education for sustainable development and curriculum development, in particular coming from Small Islands Developing States.
to read more

6th European Meeting of UNESCO Associated Schools 2009-07-10 1:00 am UNESCO ASPnet
23 National Coordinators of UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPnet) of Europe met in Beit Berl, Israel, from 21-25 June 2009, to discuss the achievements and future orientations of the ASP network.

The participants worked on the main study themes of ASPnet – education for sustainable development (including climate change education), human rights education, intercultural learning and world heritage education – and discussed strategies to further improve the quality of education through ASPnet.

Participants stressed the importance of international cooperation within the network, the role of teachers to put UNESCO’s values into practice as well as strategies to enhance the multiplier effect of ASPnet’s good practices.

The meeting took place upon invitation of the Israel National Commission for UNESCO, and its main objective was the development of a new ASPnet Strategy and Plan of Action for the coming years.

ASPnet in support of Education for All: Global Action Week 2009 2009-05-14 12:00 pm UNESCO ASPnet

In the Dominican Republic, pupils from a school in a rural area in the south of the country participated in several activities on the theme of literacy.

The Gambia submitted a collection of The Gambia’s UNESCO ASPnet “Big Book”, a collection of short stories written by students, school administrators and other prominent personalities, that drew attention to the importance of literacy. 14 out of the 20 ASPnet Schools in The Gambia had their write-ups submitted to the EFA Campaign Network. In most of the Associated Schools, “Big Read” sessions were organised during School Assemblies nationwide in which prominent personalities were invited to read one of the short stories of the Big Book. The activities were covered by a Life TV.

In Malta, students from the St Benedict College Safi, a primary school, marked the World Book Day through mime and poetry recitation, Big Read sessions and story telling. Students were encouraged to write reports, letters and poems that are displayed in various areas of the school and publicized in the school newsletter. They emphasize the importance of literacy and literate environments, in accordance with the school’s development plan to promote intercultural dialogue.

In Mexico, the UNESCO Associated Schools of Nueva León initiated activities on the topic of literacy skills to mark Global Action Week. Four ASPnet schools and six other public schools were also organizing several Big Read sessions. To enhance the pleasure of reading, the College San Patricio, Monterrey, encouraged the school community to participate in a “reading marathon”: Teachers, students and parents achieved to read 67,381 books until the end of March 2009!

In Oman, Al-Mutanabbi, an ASPnet secondary school for boys, organized several activities to highlight the importance of education and literacy, including a reading session for students, the composition of a psalm about literacy and an event during which students shared thoughts, poems and drawings about what education means to them.

In Pakistan, Academia De Averroes advocated for the importance of literacy within several activities. The stories in the Big Read, some of them translated into the regional language, inspired students, teachers and administrators as well as the local community. A lecture on literacy for peace stressed the importance of education against the threat of terrorism. An essay and poster competition encouraged children to express their messages on the importance of literacy.

In Paraguay, the UNESCO Associated Schools network held an official event in the main square of the city of Asunción on 22 April under the theme “Open Books, Open Doors”, in which local authorities and citizens as well as students, teachers and principals from local ASPnet schools participated. A Big Read session was organized for this occasion, as well as music and dance performances. UNESCO's National Commission in Paraguay also announced the winners of a national literacy competition that encouraged ASPnet students to submit drawings and writings on the importance of literacy skills.

In Poland, fourteen Aspnet schools organized Big Read sessions, book reports, poetry competitions, theatre productions and other activities throughout Poland that culminated in more than 2,300 students, teachers, librarians and local authorities participating. Signatures were collected and presented to government officials.

In Russia, ASPnet pupils in the city of Ufa, in Bashkortostan, took part in a writing contest in which students were invited to submit their thoughts on the importance of education. Local celebrities, school administrators and professors participated in a ceremony rewarding the winners of this contest. The first place winner’s entry will be published in an upcoming edition of a local youth newspaper. An ASPnet primary school in Moscow organized an afternoon of reading, games and music to highlight the importance of literacy. Children were initiated as “real readers”, finding through a labyrinth of literature, attending a meeting with a famous local writer and composer and participating in a contest called “The sailors in the ocean of literature”.

In Trinidad and Tobago, in Guiaco, students from nine ASPnet primary and secondary schools recited poems and performed traditional dances and songs on 21 April as part of a launch celebration for GAW, in the presence of representatives of the Ministry of Education, who expressed their support and commitment to promote and improve literacy, numeracy and lifelong learning. On 22 April, “Big Read” sessions were organized at several schools and non-governmental organizations throughout the country that received attention from national television and print media.

The worldwide advocacy campaign is organized by the Global Campaign for Education. By joining the campaign with enthusiasm and creativity, UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPnet), teachers and students sent a strong signal on the importance of literacy and literate environments.

Related links:

Schools can make a difference! A call for Education for Sustainable Development projects in the Asia-Pacific 2009-05-05 1:00 pm

Photo Contest Reversing Realities: Seeking Gender Equality in Education 2009-04-27 1:45 pm UNESCO

ASPnet in support of Education for All 2009-04-10 11:00 am UNESCO ASPnet
UNESCO Associated Schools are invited to participate in the Global Action Week from 20-26 April 2009, focusing on youth and adult literacy and lifelong learning with the slogan “Open Books – Open Doors ”.

Several contries have already mobilized their national UNESCO Associated Schools network, such as the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Poland and Senegal.

You are kindly invited to inform UNESCO, ASPnet International Coordination, of all activities and taken in the framework of ASPnet.

To read more:

The Future of Education: 24-hour online student conference 2009-04-09 10:29 am ASPnet, Germany
The 10th International Internet Conference for students, "Agenda 21 NOW!", will take place over 24 hours on 23 April 2009. Over a thousand students and educators will participate in the online conference, discussing the topic “Education is Future – What is the Future of Education?”.

The Conference is a joint project of the German UNESCO Associated Schools and the UNESCO/ASPnet Baltic Sea Project.

Just published: Good Practices for Education for Sustainable Development 2009-03-31 2:00 pm UNESCO

ASPnet at the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, March 31 to April 2 2009-03-16 10:00 am UNESCO ASPnet

UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPnet) 2008-12-09 3:00 pm
UNESCO Associated Schools’ First Collection of Good Practices for Quality Education as exemplary practice at the international level, were available at the stand in French and English. This publication provides a series of ASPnet good practices in inclusive education as well as in Education for Sustainable Development, Education in support of Intercultural dialogue and Human Rights Education. Available in English and in French (Arabic and Spanish follow later), this First Collection was largely distributed to the Conference’s participants.

Three of the four Mondialogo School Contest winning projects of this year were presented on this occasion: the partnered schools from Lebanon and Serbia, Ukraine and Indonesia and Syria with the United States of America, along with their respective posters, books, photos, DVDs summarizing their outstanding results in terms of Inclusive Education, major theme of this ICE’s session.
Encouraging inclusive education, the Mondialogo awarded projects of Lebanon and Serbia (designing features for a playground for children with special needs), of Indonesia and Ukraine (a mobile library bike for remote areas in Indonesia allowing access to education with multi-language books produced during the project) and Syria and USA (addressing the predicament of Iraqi refugee children in Syria) give a larger picture of the diversity of the inclusive education concept.

Mondialogo give-aways also distributed, and attracted many visitors to the stand: Ministers of Educations, ASPnet National Coordinators, other UN Agencies, NGOs and teachers.

The International Conference on Education is a major international forum for education policy dialogue among Ministers of Education and other stakeholders (researchers, practitioners, representatives of intergovernmental organizations and civil society). The theme of the 48th session of the ICE was “Inclusive Education: the Way of the Future” and was held from 25-28 November 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland. It was organized by the UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE). The concept of inclusive education, look more carefully into the role of governments in the development and the implementation of policies on inclusive education, draw attention to education systems that offer opportunities for life-long learning and emphasize the role of teachers to meet the learners’ diverse expectations and needs. These issues were debated in the form of an introductory debate during a plenary session chaired by the Director-General of UNESCO, four thematic workshops followed by summing-up plenary sessions, a number of side-events and a final debate in a plenary session. It was visited by 101 Education ministers and hundreds of participants from 138 countries.

Publication of ASPnet’s “First Collection of Good Practices for Quality Education” 2008-10-10 3:00 pm UNESCO ASPnet

Students learn how to save the ozone layer 2008-09-16 2:00 pm UNESCO