I’ve been interested in ESD since before I started teaching. In fact ESD is the reason I started teaching, though I didn’t know at the time that it was called ESD. What I did know is that we live in a finite world but, through our dysfunctional economic model we are destroying our environment. As a scientist, I know that the next generation will need to be educated so that it can work toward solutions to the problems that two centuries of consumerism and infinite growth philosophy have created.
Sustainable development has three components:
- Environment
- Society
- Economy.
It includes all of the following
- Biodiversity
- Climate Change
- Cultural Diversity
- Indigenous Knowledge
- Disaster Risk Reduction
- Poverty Reduction
- Gender Equality
- Health Promotion
- Sustainable Lifestyles
- Peace and Human Security
- Water
- Sustainable Urbanization
It is directly relevant to our students because it is about their world and their future.
A useful, and brief (2 pages), white paper can be found at the U.S. Partnership for Education for SustainableDevelopment website. The US Partnership has also published a set of National Learning Standards for K-12 education
Last year I was able to create a course which I called “Sustainability”. I still hadn’t heard about ESD but then I found out about the Fulbright-Japan program, applied and was introduced to the global community of like-minded educators. Introduction to this community through the Fulbright-Japan opportunity has increased my passion for ESD, and motivation to get ESD taught across the curriculum in the school in which I work, and eventually across the whole school district. I am fortunate in working with a number of colleagues who share my interest. Over the summer I was given a professional development grant to develop curriculum extending my sustainability course from one quarter to a full semester.
I have introduced the topic of sustainability to my Principal, and the District Superintendent and Curriculum Coordinator and have received their support. At the same time I recognize that a top down approach is not likely to be effective. To that end I am inviting a nucleus of like minded colleagues to join me in enhancing their curricula with ESD activities and projects.
It is my intention to document my progress with the introduction of ESD to the district through this Blog
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