‘Learning to Unlearn’ the Charity Mentality within Schools

Abstract

Educators hold a potentially pivotal role in promoting a just and sustainable world for current and future generations. However, in reality, for many schools and educators global learning begins with charity and fundraising and does not reach beyond this ‘charity mentality’. This limitation to learning has the potential to distort people’s perceptions of other countries or peoples, particularly those in the global South. The aim of the research discussed within this article was to explore the potential of one of the six aims of the Global Learning Programme (GLP) - a schools’ programme in the UK that aims to enhance global learning in the classroom - to move educators from a ‘charity mentality’ towards a ‘social justice mentality’. It also sought to assess the extent that a social justice perspective might impact on teachers’ approach to their practice to ensure a more equitable educational response to global issues.

Keywords

• Charity
• Social Justice
• Transformation
• Pedagogy
• Schools
• Teachers
• Classroom Practice