Educating Teens for Change
There’s a new generation of young people waking up and coming of age all across the planet, a generation rising between an old world dying and a new world being born. We are the make-it-or-break-it generation. The all-or-nothing generation.
It’s the crucible through which civilization must pass or crash. That’s the significance of these times, the significance of who we are. That’s what we are being called to. Young people today are being swept up by the new story and it’s defining our lives, it’s who we are, it’s what we’re up to. And we see the new story playing out in every sector of society with young people often leading the way. -Joshua Gorman, Founder of Generation Waking Up |
An EcoJustice Educational Approach
An EcoJustice Education approach to climate change education (CCE) is one that places strong emphasis on identifying and deconstructing the systems and relationships at the root of the climate change crisis. This philosophy is closely related to several other learning theories, including: environmental education, experiential/outdoor education, place-based education, education for sustainability, holistic education, ecoliteracy, environmental justice, critical animal studies, ecopedagogy, participatory leadership, and critical pedagogy (Martusewicz et al., 2011, p.10-15). Martusewicz, Edmundson, and Lupinacci (2011) articulate that effective EcoJustice Education must include:
1. The recognition and analysis of the deep cultural assumptions underlying modern thinking that undermine local and global ecosystems essential to life.
2. The recognition and analysis of deeply entrenched patterns of domination that unjustly define people of color, women, the poor, and other groups of humans as well as the natural world as inferior and thus less worthy of life.
3. An analysis of the globalization of modernist thinking and the associated patterns of hyper-consumption and commodification that have led to the exploitation of the Southern Hemisphere by the North for natural and human resources.
4. The recognition of diverse cultural and environmental commons—the necessary interdependent relationship of humans with the land, air, water, and other species with whom we share this planet, and the intergenerational practices and relationships among diverse groups of people that do not require the exchange of money as the primary motivation and generally result in mutual aid and support.
5. An emphasis on strong Earth democracies: the idea that decisions should be made by the people who are most effected by them and that these decisions must include consideration of the right of the natural world to regenerate, and the well-being of future generations.
6. An approach to pedagogy and curriculum development that emphasize both deep cultural analysis and community-based learning encouraging students to identify the causes and remediate the effects of social and ecological violence in the places where they live. (p. 9-10)
1. The recognition and analysis of the deep cultural assumptions underlying modern thinking that undermine local and global ecosystems essential to life.
2. The recognition and analysis of deeply entrenched patterns of domination that unjustly define people of color, women, the poor, and other groups of humans as well as the natural world as inferior and thus less worthy of life.
3. An analysis of the globalization of modernist thinking and the associated patterns of hyper-consumption and commodification that have led to the exploitation of the Southern Hemisphere by the North for natural and human resources.
4. The recognition of diverse cultural and environmental commons—the necessary interdependent relationship of humans with the land, air, water, and other species with whom we share this planet, and the intergenerational practices and relationships among diverse groups of people that do not require the exchange of money as the primary motivation and generally result in mutual aid and support.
5. An emphasis on strong Earth democracies: the idea that decisions should be made by the people who are most effected by them and that these decisions must include consideration of the right of the natural world to regenerate, and the well-being of future generations.
6. An approach to pedagogy and curriculum development that emphasize both deep cultural analysis and community-based learning encouraging students to identify the causes and remediate the effects of social and ecological violence in the places where they live. (p. 9-10)
Banner making, pre-People's Climate March
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When these principles are applied to the context of climate change, the result is an action-oriented education program that results from a profound, critical analysis of power, justice, and sustainability. Through this holistic approach, educators can achieve what McKeown & Hopkins (2010) have referred to as “education about climate and education for change”:
What does it mean to educate for change? What change is predicted so that we can prepare people to adapt to it? We need to distinguish between education about change—history courses have done that for years--and education for change. We posit that educating for change will help people lessen negative changes, adapt to change, and promote positive change. (McKeown & Hopkins, 2010, p.18) |
Embedded in this philosophy is the idea that climate change education cannot remain a matter of academic scholarship focused purely on the natural sciences, as it has often been presented thus far. Just relationships between humans, the more-than-human world, and the natural environment must be placed in the forefront of an effective CCE program. This means that abundant opportunities to interact with local and global natural and human communities (outside of the school) must be made for both active learning, mentorship, and opportunities to create positive change.
Sterling (2009) encourages a sustainable education that “implies whole paradigm change” (p.14). This means that not only should CCE question and dismantle the dominant paradigm that is causing these negative consequences, but that the entire education system also needs to go through some deep changes in order to be able to facilitate truly transformative change in students. Sterling (2009) contends that we need to have a louder dialogue on how our mainstream schools are reproducing unsustainable ways of living. This task can feel overwhelming in light of the backlash that consistently has occurred for teachers and schools as they attempt to integrate more education around climate change.
Sterling (2009) encourages a sustainable education that “implies whole paradigm change” (p.14). This means that not only should CCE question and dismantle the dominant paradigm that is causing these negative consequences, but that the entire education system also needs to go through some deep changes in order to be able to facilitate truly transformative change in students. Sterling (2009) contends that we need to have a louder dialogue on how our mainstream schools are reproducing unsustainable ways of living. This task can feel overwhelming in light of the backlash that consistently has occurred for teachers and schools as they attempt to integrate more education around climate change.
Although the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change has asserted with 95% certainty that climate change is man-made, several states have attempted to block new nationwide science standards because the issue is no longer presented as a debate. Youngkin, an education advocate with The Discovery Institute (a group that has fought against the teaching of evolution in school) describes this perspective in an interview for NPR: "It just gives teachers a simple right," he told lawmakers, "to know that they can teach both sides of a controversy objectively, and in a scientific manner, in order to induce critical thinking in their student body” (Ludden, 2013, para.3). Other points that groups who advocate against CCE in schools cite include the psychological and social effects that learning about such heavy issues can have on children, as well as the lack of training for teachers (Ludden, 2013). An effective climate change education program would inherently address the former problems through presenting examples of role models who are active in creating solutions, as well as opportunities for the youth to become agents of change. The lack of training will clearly need to be addressed worldwide.
In summary, the most effective educational approach to CCE from my perspective is one that extends far beyond the natural sciences and emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living systems. It is interdisciplinary, highlighting fields such as social and environmental justice that have been omitted in the past, and it is also both participatory and action-oriented. Students will emerge from such a program with a strong foundation of the scientific and social dimensions of this imminent issue, as well as a feeling of empowerment about how they might contribute to solutions and resiliency.
References
Ludden, J. (2013, March 27). A Hot Topic: Climate Change Coming To Classrooms. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www.npr.org/2013/03/27/174141194/a-hot-topic-climate-change-coming-to-classrooms
Martusewicz, R. A., Edmundson, J., & Lupinacci, J. (2011). EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse, Democratic, and Sustainable Communities (1 edition). New York: Routledge.
McKeown, R., & Hopkins, C. (2010). Rethinking Climate Change Education. Green Teacher, 89(Summer), 17–21.
Sterling, S., & Orr, D. W. (2001). Sustainable Education: Re-Visioning Learning and Change. Totnes: Schumacher Society.
In summary, the most effective educational approach to CCE from my perspective is one that extends far beyond the natural sciences and emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living systems. It is interdisciplinary, highlighting fields such as social and environmental justice that have been omitted in the past, and it is also both participatory and action-oriented. Students will emerge from such a program with a strong foundation of the scientific and social dimensions of this imminent issue, as well as a feeling of empowerment about how they might contribute to solutions and resiliency.
References
Ludden, J. (2013, March 27). A Hot Topic: Climate Change Coming To Classrooms. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www.npr.org/2013/03/27/174141194/a-hot-topic-climate-change-coming-to-classrooms
Martusewicz, R. A., Edmundson, J., & Lupinacci, J. (2011). EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse, Democratic, and Sustainable Communities (1 edition). New York: Routledge.
McKeown, R., & Hopkins, C. (2010). Rethinking Climate Change Education. Green Teacher, 89(Summer), 17–21.
Sterling, S., & Orr, D. W. (2001). Sustainable Education: Re-Visioning Learning and Change. Totnes: Schumacher Society.