Thanks to NAEE for publicising the programme for the Education for the Future: Climate Emergency Conference where Teach the Future was launched. The full set of events and activities is here.
As was appropriate, NAEE focused on curriculum issues, highlighting the following:
- What would a sustainable curriculum look like? – Richard Dunne, The Harmony Project
- Students reforming the curriculum – Quinn Runkle, SUS-UK / Maeve, Rethinking Economics
- Practical steps to green your school – Henry Greenwood, the Green School Project
- Teach Climate Truth: Going Green through the Primary curriculum – Francesca Manning, a Wandsworth primary teacher
- Teach Climate Truth: Environmental Education through Citizenship and PSHE – Phil Coales, secondary teacher
- Teach Climate Truth: Creating Space for Environmental Education in Secondary Science and Geography – Marjia Taznin / Daisy Maxwell / Lucia Manville (Tower Hamlets)
- Climate Science 101: Lessons from IPPC. What a difference a degree makes! – Hazel Graham, Cumbria Action for Sustainability and One Million Climate Jobs
What it didn't have room to mention were these:
Supporting students with non-violent direct action – Ruth Shallcross and Michelle MacDonagh, XR Educators
"Educators Extinction Rebellion’s education division supports students who wish to protest against climate change and the failure to address it in education, by engaging in nonviolent direct action inside their schools. In this workshop, two XR members will explore methods of direct action inside schools and discuss why more students are wishing to engage in this form of protest. Appropriate for all teachers and students."
Banner Making Workshop: Getting Ready to Protest! – Ellie Sharp, Croydon NEU
"A practical workshop making banners and placards for the next climate protest – all using sustainably resourced and recycled materials."
Declare a climate emergency at your school or college – Edmund Stubbs, XR Educators, and Sarah Daly, Charter Schools' Trust
"This workshop offers advice on what a climate emergency looks like inside a school and outlines the steps necessary to declare one. An e-booklet will be provided with materials and templates to support busy teachers through the entire process."
From assembly to walkouts: what does solidarity with school strikes look like? – Noga Levy-Rapoport, UKSCN, and Sean Vernell, UCU Nat Exec Com
"This year has seen the growth of an extraordinarily vibrant global movement of school student strikers, demanding the action we need to tackle the climate crisis and educating millions of adults about the urgency of the crisis. Their call for solidarity from adults gives Trade Unionists and others an important opportunity to join
in. This session will share stories of solidarity and striking together for the climate and explore how we can take this further."
What does feminist green vocational education look like? – Linda Clarke, University of Westminster, and Greener Jobs Alliance
"How far does vocational training fit the jobs that we need and the higher level of skills needed to hit zero carbon targets? How can we shift it so the skills taught match the transformation? How does the green transformation potentially changethe gender profile of construction jobs – with more opportunities for girls?"
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And there's more, all of which goes to show the breadth of what was on offer. Quite a day by all accounts, and good to see Teach the Future up and running. I quickly signed up and now get even more emails. I also signed the petition to the DfE to take the future seriously. It is going to be fascinating to see how the inner turmoil within the DfE gets resolved: how will it balance its traditional disdain for anything about the real world with being seen to listen to young people.
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