Publication date: Friday 12th June 2009
Who do we think we are? Week: 22 – 28th June 2009
Who Do We Think We Are? Week 22nd - 28th June 2009
Exploring Identity, Diversity and Citizenship across the Curriculum
The ‘Who Do We Think We Are? Week' project builds on the recommendations of the 2007 Curriculum Review on Diversity and Citizenship undertaken by Sir Keith Ajegbo and aims to engage all schools in the exploration of identity, diversity and citizenship with their pupils in their schools, and at local and national levels and culminates in a week of activities from 22nd to 28th June.
During the pilot year of the project approximately 500 schools took part in activities and it is hoped that many more schools will become involved in 2009 and in future years. Support and guidance for teachers wishing to participate in the project is provided through the project's accompanying website which contains learning resources, exemplar case studies, toolkits and guides designed to help teachers engage students in the exploration of their identity and celebrations of the connections that link them with other people and places.
The project provides subject specific support for citizenship, geography, history and RE lessons and can help every school better understand their local and national community. The project focuses on 4 key themes including:
- School and community
- Relationships, belonging and faith
- History and settlement
- Britishness, national identity/values and the 2012 Games
Schools can engage in the project in a range of ways, many ideas for creative projects are provided on the project website including:
- Ideas for keynote assemblies
- Ideas on engaging members of the local community in the life of the school through creative projects.
- Ideas for displays including identity collages, school identity quilts and diversity book displays.
Teachers can also register their interest on the project website in order to be kept up to date with developments. Further information about the Who Do We Think We Are? Week project and support in planning activities as part of the focus week in June can also be obtained by emailing the project officer at wdwtwa@rgs.org.
The project is supported by the DCSF and managed by a partnership of organisations including the Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT), Citizenship Foundation (CF), Historical Association (HA), Royal Geographical Society with IBG (RGS-IBG) and citizenship consultant Paula Kitching alongside key stake-holders including the Schools Linking Network.
