Interdependence, vaguely, is how different elements of the world rely on one another in order to function and grow. Historically, the human race has understood the environment that they live in and respected that and this is shown through the history of Native Americans and Aboriginals, only two examples of many. As the world and the people within it have developed and grown, we have in a sense lost this caring element within us about the environment. Globally, the world and its resources within are overused and overworked by the human population. Interdependence is based around the concept of several components working in harmony however this won’t be possible if the world continues at the rate it is just now.

 

Throughout this topic we looked at two very different aspects of the world, farming and agriculture and then the sea and aquaculture. Within agriculture, we visited two very different farms to try and understand what life is like on a farm first and foremost and the challenges millions of farmers face every day within a changing climate. Another reason we why visited two varied farms was to see the difference between organic farming and digital farming which was incredible to see first-hand. The farming trips is something that I can definitely see me implementing within my own classroom in the future as academically, they were very beneficial, but allowing children to be in a completely new environment where they are still learning brings out a different side to them that a class teacher may not have witnessed yet within the classroom setting. Growing up and now a student teacher in his twenties, I still have such a passion for the outdoors. I enjoy the freedom and really that ‘wanderlust’ feeling of not having any boundaries as to where you can go. The reason I say this is because the first, very family orientated organic farm, was such a pleasure to visit. West Mossgiel Farm, passed through a family’s generations was everything that a farm should be, in my opinion. Cattle, of both sexes, were free to roam the flourishing fields of grass and in a sense, experience their own version of ‘wanderlust’ or freedom which can be seen in the supporting evidence below. The West Mossgiel family were very labour intensive and not a lot of machinery was used throughout the day as it was mostly done by human labour; a small labour force of nine employees. In comparison to the digitally advanced farm, where a single worker worked most days himself with the help of robotics and technology. Another key factor in comparing the two farms is that the second farm, Strandhead Farm, the female cows were kept inside every day of the year. They also only bred female cows for the milk produce business and this was guaranteed through artificial insemination. I understand that at the end of the day it is a business however there is something ethically wrong about that in my opinion. However, it was incredible to witness the vast range of technology Strandhead Farm used on a daily basis as I had never actually seen a ‘robot’ or technology that takes over the human labour force. As I was watching it carry out tasks, that the organic family would do by hand, I could imagine and picture the faces of my classroom children. These two visits are exactly how I would implement it within a primary school setting. Let children see both sides of the spectrum, the traditional labour-intensive farming and the future technologically advanced farm. For the second farm, our tour was conducted by the solo worker but also a lady from the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET). RHET are an organisation that I would definitely consider using in the future as it allows an expert in the field to share their knowledge and skills to the pupils and allows the children to really just hear a different voice for once.

 

In relation to aquaculture, we looked at what covers the majority of the Earth, our oceans. I found it very beneficial to teach two similar topics in terms of interdependence but in two different ways, one being practical and the latter theoretical. As a team we researched about how our oceans got into the state of despair that they are in just now and how we, as a global community, can protect and try and reverse some of these negative changes. “…our interdependence reflects a larger moral bond that compels us to act together, including for the benefit of the most vulnerable communities and creatures among us.” (WWF, 2015). The WWF are globally known as the advocates of protecting our Earth. It was very beneficial to use articles and reports from organisations such as the WWF as they broke it down into manageable, clear, statements. I would use WWF sources within an upper primary classroom as they are extremely visual and user friendly.

 

The practical farm visits and the theoretical knowledge of the seas around us allowed me to, of course, gain a vast depth of knowledge in this area however it has also let me develop skills that I might not have been able to without the practical visits. One that I mentioned previously and the most important in terms of this topic is becoming ethically minded. Strandhead and West Mossgiel are both very differing farms in terms of their function but also their ethics. One breeds female only cows in order to run a business however the latter breeds all cattle, runs a similar successful business also and is more ethical in relation to the animal. Being ethically minded, as a skill, has allowed me to think more about produce and big brands within our everyday life. The well-established brand in the large superstore might be the most popular around the world and convenient however the more organic, better for you, cheaper and more ethical version is also available, and I think we should strive to find these alternative products. Another generic skill I have learned is about motivation. I like to think of myself as a motivated individual as I challenge things head-on and enjoy a challenge however hearing the story of West Mossgiel Farm truly inspired me and made me admire the young man that is solely rebuilding his family enterprise. The West Mossgiel Farm faced adversity after sudden deaths within the family and it was almost forced to the ground by a failing market and little to none clientele. The youngest of the family picked up the pieces and could quite easily give up however he was determined to carry on. Today, West Mossgiel ship organic milk all around the country and that would not have been possible without motivation and determination.

 

As an aspiring primary teacher, this topic has allowed to grow and plan for the future ahead within my own classroom setting. Most importantly it’s shown me how essential it is to vary teaching techniques for example practical and theoretical as every learner is different and will gain something from each technique. This relates to the GTCS Standards for Registration Element 2.1.3 whereby teachers must employ a range of strategies in order for the pupils to fully understand the topic at hand. A class trip, as simple as a visit to a farm, allows teachers to work with other professionals in similar fields or different for example agriculture. Standard 2.1.5 addresses how a mix of professionals and parents must work together in order to promote the learning of the children. This could be implemented by the class teacher following up the farm professional’s knowledge with a class task once back at school. This could be further developed by providing homework on their recent trip to allow parents and guardians to get an insight in to what their child is learning at school. This inter-professional working will allow pupils to get the most out of their lessons.

 

All of the topics so far have allowed me to see how I can grow personally as a responsible citizen on this planet but also as a primary teacher. Reflecting so far I think interdependence has taught me the most about teaching styles and how we should try and stray away from  the traditional teaching from a textbook and get children more outdoors. Let them meet other professionals and not only will this build their academic knowledge but also their crucial social skills. As a responsible citizen I am now more aware of where my produce is coming from and now stock West Mossgiels incredible organic milk in my own household. The story of West Mossgiel inspired and motivated me so much, I am passionate about supporting them in any way I can.

 

Classroom Resources

Scottish Executive (2015) A Curriculum for Excellence: The World Beneath our Feet.[Online] Available: http://soils.environment.gov.scot/about-us/news/the-world-beneath-our-feet/ [Accessed 21 October 2018]

• This resource is extremely helpful in terms of teaching interdependence within a classroom setting. It highlights the basic information that pupils will need to know including the key terms. The most beneficial aspect of this resource is the vast array of tasks at the end for all levels of primary school.

Sustainable Development (2017) Interdependence:Food Chains.[Module Resource] Available: Sustainable Development module on Moodle. [Accessed 22 October 2018]

• This is another useful resource that could be implemented within an upper primary class as it focuses more on food chains and the circle of life which is more aimed at later first/second level pupils. As it is a multi-model resource, it allows the children to be creative and think maybe how they could create something similar.

WWF (2015) Living Blue Planet Report.[Online] Available: http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/living_blue_planet_report_2015.pdf [Accessed 19 October 2018]

• This is the WWF resource that I used when researching our sustainable seas. I would use this in a classroom, maybe more in upper primary, as it breaks it down into clear concise sections with the help of infographics and pictures to accommodate different types of learners.

 

References

WWF (2015) Together Across Faiths, Taking Action on Climate Change.[Online] Available: https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/together-across-faiths-taking-action-on-climate-change [Accessed 21 October 2018]

Sustainable Development (2017) RHET Flyer.[Module Resource] Available: Sustainable Development module on Moodle. [Accessed 22 October 2018]

 

Supporting Evidence