The Humanities Education Centre, as a Development Education Centre, helps prepare young people for an increasingly globalised world by:
- promoting critical and creative thinking,
- enabling “student voice” and supporting participation
- raising the profile of global issues
- encouraging positive local action for global change.
Development education is an approach to learning that leads to greater understanding of global inequalities, why they exist, and what can be done about them.
Development education in schools aims to give pupils:
- a global perspective by using active learning methods, based on enquiry into issues and ideas,
- the knowledge, skills and attitudes which promote justice and equality in a multicultural society and interdependent world.
The Humanities Education Centre promotes the values, aims and principles of development education and global citizenship throughout all areas of education.
HEC is part of a wider network of Development Education Centres and other organisations involved in promoting the global dimension. HEC is a partner of Local4Global London and South England Regions strategy, part of the Department for International Development’s Enabling Effective Support Initiative.
Our Aims are:-
- To provide opportunities for schools to raise standards through curriculum enrichment and giving young people a voice.
- To promote a global perspective and understanding of sustainable development in the context of an interdependent system of lands and people.
- To engender an appreciation and celebration of the richness of cultural diversity in our, and other communities.
- To maintain and develop the resources to support curriculum development and provide in-service training and advice to teachers.
- To raise awareness among young people of the causes of injustice and inequality in a local, national and international context and to instil an understanding and empathy for oppressed peoples.
The Humanities Education Centre works in four main areas:
We have a resource centre with a wide range of resources for primary and secondary schools and we work closely with Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service.
We provide training and advice on a range of global development and sustainability issues for students, teachers and other educationalists.
Our publications include Bangladeshi Children in our schools; Storyworlds; We live in the East End; the big book Play on the Line and the board game Locococo.
We work on a range of student voice and participation projects with young people, schools, Local Authorities, Initial Teacher Education institutions, Development NGOs and other organisations.
Websites:
Citizenship Pieces
For teachers and other educationalists in Tower Hamlets and elsewhere to keep up to date with curriculum developments, teaching resources, issues and events.
East End Eye
For secondary students to share ideas and experiences and to discover opportunities for local participation.
East End Talking
For primary pupils to create and present their work to share with other children and to learn about being active young citizens.
Global Footprints
Ideas and activities aimed at empowering all participants, but particularly the young, to take steps towards a more sustainable future.
