Educational work on development policy
Global Inequalities in the Classroom
Global inequalities affect us all — but how can they be addressed in the classroom in an accessible and sensitive way?
Our teaching materials offer practical approaches for conveying development-related topics in an age-appropriate, discrimination-sensitive, and action-oriented way.
The materials were developed together with teachers and educational advisors and are based on the concepts of Education for Sustainable Development (Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung) and Global Development (Globale Entwicklung). They raise students’ awareness of global challenges, highlight their root causes, and foster an understanding of sustainable development cooperation. In this way, students learn to critically reflect on global interconnections and to develop their own solidarity-based options for action.
Using a wide range of methods and practical activities, the materials encourage shifts in perspective and provide accessible, relatable approaches to complex topics.
WHY IS THIS TOPIC SO IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS?
The climate crisis, wars, and global inequalities shape students’ everyday lives across the globe and raise urgent questions that also need space in the classroom. At the same time, teachers face the challenge of addressing these complex and often distressing issues in a way that is understandable, sensitive, and action-oriented.
So far, school curricula have given too little attention to the living conditions in low-income and war-affected countries and to the impacts of crises on these contexts. Students have even fewer opportunities to engage with the broader topic of development cooperation.
Through discussions with subject-matter experts and educators, we have identified the need for a teaching concept that enables students to engage with different lived realities and develop intercultural awareness. Knowledge about the causes and consequences of displacement and migration, as well as about sustainable development cooperation, strengthens students’ ability to participate in society and helps them view complex situations from different perspectives.
Visions for Children at Your School
Invite experts in development cooperation into your classroom: Visions for Children e. V. offers guest sessions and project days that can be integrated into your school routine flexibly and even at short notice.
These formats provide an engaging and well-founded way to explore global educational inequality and the situation in crisis-affected regions. Students gain insights into lived experiences, have the opportunity to ask questions, and reflect on their own possibilities for taking action.
Project days offer the chance to address global issues in depth while remaining practical and relevant. They bring variety into the classroom, encourage new perspectives, foster solidarity and cooperation—and reinforce the sense that students can make a difference themselves.
We would be happy to support you with the planning process and develop a format together that fits your school.
MATERIALS for Grades 5–6
The teaching materials for grades 5–6 vividly introduce the child’s right to education and raise awareness of global educational inequalities, using Afghanistan as an example. Across three modules, they combine knowledge-building with perspective-taking, discussion, and concrete opportunities for action.
At a glance
- Content: three teaching modules (interactive and multimedia)
- Methodological ideas, worksheets, and concrete suggestions for use in your lessons
- Suitable for use across multiple subjects
- Contributes to the cross-cutting perspective of Education for Sustainable Development, as well as values for successful coexistence in a supportive, diverse society
- Online collection of materials with practical resources: anti-racism guide, helpful background information, and separate worksheets
Key topics
- The child’s right to education
- Education as a key to global justice
- A comparison of educational opportunities – Germany and Afghanistan
- Education in action — engagement for Afghanistan
Teachers are warmly invited to adapt the materials flexibly to the needs and dynamics of their class. Using the modular materials, formats can be designed ranging from an introductory lesson to full project days for the school community. In addition to the teaching materials, we also offer information sessions and training courses for teachers and are always available to answer any questions.
Materials for Grades 9 and Above
Students engage with key questions of educational equity and, using Afghanistan as an example, analyze the political, social, and economic importance of quality education — both locally and globally. On this basis, they evaluate approaches to sustainable development cooperation and explore their own possibilities for action.
At a glance
- Content: three teaching modules (interactive and multimedia)
- Methodological ideas, worksheets, and concrete suggestions for use in your lessons
- Suitable for social science subjects such as history, geography, politics, social studies, ethics, religion, and philosophy
- Based on the concepts of Education for Sustainable Development and Global Development
- Online collection of materials with practical resources: anti-racism guide, helpful background information, and separate worksheets
Key topics
- Education as a key to sustainable development (SDG 4, Agenda 2030)
- Global inequalities: barriers to education in crisis-affected regions
- Afghanistan at the intersection of politics, society, and international influence
- Global power structures and their impact on educational opportunities
- Sustainable development cooperation
- Individual opportunities for action
Teachers are warmly invited to adapt the materials flexibly to the needs and dynamics of their class. Using the modular materials, formats can be designed ranging from an introductory lesson to full project days for the school community. In addition to the teaching materials, we also offer information sessions and training courses for teachers and are always available to answer any questions.
Would you like to receive a free printed copy?
Please contact schule@vision4children.org
We would appreciate it if you could take a moment to complete a short survey about our teaching materials.
Your feedback helps us to continuously improve our educational resources
Interactively designed materials - insight into the media library
Charity Run: Taking Action for Education Together
Under the motto “Keep Education Running,” a charity run combines physical activity with social commitment and makes you part of a movement working worldwide for equal access to education.
A sponsored run brings energy into the school day and strengthens team spirit: your students show commitment, take responsibility, and experience how their efforts can make a concrete difference. Together, they raise donations for educational projects in crisis-affected regions and send a strong message in support of global educational equity.
To help make your event a success, we provide comprehensive support:
With our materials, you can organize your sponsored run in no time. From checklists for planning and implementation to information letters and ready-made campaign kits you can order, our download materials include everything you need to ensure your sports event runs smoothly.
We are here for you
Do you have questions about the teaching materials, or would you like to work with your school to promote global educational equity?
Get in touch! We’ll help you with the planning and implementation, and together we’ll develop a format that suits your school.
YOUR CONTACT
Antonia Evli | Referentin für entwicklungspolitische Bildungsarbeit
schule@visions4children.org
